Release of Liability Form
This fillable release of liability form, also called a liability waiver, lets a participant accept the risks of an activity and give up claims for ordinary negligence. It names the activity, lists its risks, asks for initials beside the key terms, and has a section for a parent or guardian. Filling in any template is free and needs no account: you type your answers in the browser and download the finished PDF. The blank PDF is free to download once, and every blank template is in Pro.
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Template for general use. Not legal advice. Laws vary by state; check your local rules or a lawyer.
Wording last reviewed by the PDFinish team on . This is not a review by a lawyer.
What this template is for
- A waiver for a class, workshop, tour, rental or club activity
- A release for guests who use your premises, equipment or vehicles
- A form for children, signed by a parent or legal guardian
What is included
31 fillable fields and 2 signature areas, on US Letter paper.
Details
- Organizer or business name
- Activity or event
- Location or premises
- Date of activity
- State whose law applies
Participant
- Participant full name
- Participant phone
- Participant email
- Emergency contact name
- Emergency contact phone
1. Assumption of risk
- Risks of this activity (the organizer lists them here)
Initials
- Initials: assumption of risk
- Initials: release of negligence
- Initials: limits
Emergency medical care (optional)
- I agree to emergency medical care
- I do not agree to emergency medical care
Participant signature
- Date signed
Parent or legal guardian (if the participant is under 18)
- I am the child's parent
- I am the child's legal guardian
- Parent or legal guardian full name
- Phone
- 4 rows of: Child's full name, Date of birth
- Guardian date signed
How to use it in 3 steps
Open it
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Type into the boxes
Click a box and type, or tick a checkbox. List the real risks of your activity in the risks box, one by one. A specific list is clearer to the signer and easier to defend than a general one. Give the signer time to read it before they sign.
Sign and save
When you finish, enter your email: the download starts and we send you a link to the finished file. To sign it, open it in Sign PDF, or print it and sign by hand. Your file stays on your device unless you ask us to email it.
What the law says in a few places
Waiver rules are set by each state, and a court may refuse to enforce a waiver that is unclear or goes too far. In some states a court may also refuse to enforce a parent's release of a child's claims. These notes are examples from official texts, not a list of every state. They are general information, not legal advice.
- Louisiana's Civil Code says any clause is null that, in advance, limits one party's liability for causing physical injury to the other, or for intentional or gross fault. Source: Louisiana State Legislature, Civil Code article 2004, read .
- Montana's law says contracts that exempt a person from responsibility for their own fraud, for willful injury to another, or for violation of law are against public policy. Source: Montana Code Annotated 28-2-702, read .
- Montana also allows a written release of ordinary negligence for a sport or recreational opportunity if it states the known inherent risks and carries a set statement in bold type about giving up the right to a jury trial. This form does not contain that statement, so a Montana recreation business needs a version from a lawyer. Source: Montana Code Annotated 27-1-753, read .
- Florida lets a parent release a child's claim against a commercial activity provider for the inherent risks of the activity, but only if the form includes a required notice to the parent in large uppercase type. This form does not contain that notice. Source: Florida Statutes 744.301(3), read .
Questions about this template
What is a release of liability?
A release of liability is a signed agreement in which a person gives up the right to sue an organizer or business for injuries from an activity. It is also called a liability waiver. It usually names the activity, lists its risks, and states clearly that the signer accepts them. It has limits, and rules differ by state.
What is the difference between a waiver and a hold harmless agreement?
A waiver, or release, is a promise not to sue for ordinary negligence. A hold harmless agreement goes further: the signer also agrees to cover the other side's costs if someone else makes a claim. Waivers suit participants and guests. Hold harmless agreements suit contractors, renters and vendors. This site has a template for each.
Can a parent sign a waiver for a child?
Often a parent or legal guardian signs for a child, because a child cannot sign a binding contract alone. But rules differ: some states do not enforce a parent's release of a child's claims, and others allow it only in limited cases. The guardian section records who signed and for which child. Ask a lawyer about your state.
Are liability waivers enforceable?
Sometimes. In general, a court looks at whether the waiver is clear, whether the risks were explained, and whether state law allows it. Waivers almost never cover gross negligence, recklessness or intentional harm. A few states restrict them further. See the notes above for examples, and ask a lawyer about your own state.
What should a liability waiver include?
A good waiver names the participant, the activity, the place and the date. It lists the risks in plain words, says the signer releases claims for negligence in bold or boxed type, and leaves out gross negligence and intentional harm. Add initials beside key terms, a date, a signature and, for minors, a guardian section.
Is this template free?
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What if I only want the blank PDF?
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Does PDFinish see what I type?
Not while you fill it in. The template opens and fills in your browser. If you ask us to email the finished file, it goes through our server, stays encrypted for 7 days so the link works, and is then deleted.
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