A Release of Liability Form is an agreement where one party promises not to sue another party over a past or possible future legal claim. It is signed between a “Releasor” and a “Releasee.” The releasor is the person who has or may have a claim. The releasee is the person the releasor promises not to sue. By signing, the releasor accepts the risks involved and agrees not to take legal action against the releasee. You may also see it called a hold harmless agreement or a waiver of liability.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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You can use a release of liability form for a past event or a future one. For a past event, the parties settle a dispute themselves instead of paying for a court case and a lawyer. For a future event, one party asks the other to accept the risk of an activity before it begins. Either way, the signer agrees to give up the right to take legal action.
Events such as car accidents, accidents causing physical harm, and actions causing property damage may lead to lawsuits against the party at fault. In such cases, the parties involved can choose to settle the dispute out of court by signing a liability waiver agreement.
The injured party agrees to release the other party in return for a settlement amount that both sides decide on. The amount can reflect medical bills, repair costs, missed days of work, or other damages. This way, by agreeing to not file a claim in a court and signing a release agreement, the parties can save costs of litigation or lawyer fees.
You can use a release of liability form if:
It is always a good idea to use a release agreement before a potential legal risk can arise. It can cover any event, product, or service that could physically harm a participant or user. Common examples include:
Any of these can lead to an injury, and the participant may take legal action against the organization holding the event. The organizers can use a release of liability form for protection against legal claims that may arise due to an accident or personal injury. In 30 of the 49 states FormsPal's verified state data covers, the law states that a participant in certain sports or recreational activities assumes the inherent risks of the activity.
Similarly, a particular product or service may not be suitable for a specific age group, minor, or an individual with specific health concerns. The service or product providers can use release of liability forms to save themselves from legal claims. For example, a gym owner can use this release form for protection against injuries arising due to specific health conditions.
You can use a liability waiver form if:
It is crucial to note here that a release of liability agreement is a “civil arrangement” between the parties signing it. It only provides protection against civil liability which is limited to monetary compensation.
It does not protect the releasor against criminal liability that can arise due to gross negligence or reckless disregard of safety. A waiver form cannot be used to get rid of one’s legal responsibility to exercise reasonable care and caution.
In 30 of the 49 states FormsPal's verified state data covers, a waiver cannot excuse gross negligence. In 9 of the 49 states, the law also makes an exception for intentional injury, so a provider who injures a participant on purpose cannot rely on the usual limits on liability.
In 5 of the 49 states FormsPal's verified state data covers, a provider who supplied faulty equipment can still be held responsible if the provider knew or should have known the equipment was faulty. Similarly, selling products without following product safety requirements under the law will not be protected under liability waivers.
A release can be broad or narrow, depending on the situation. The most commonly used types are the general release, the car accident release, the mutual release, property damage waivers, and activity waivers. Each type is described below.
The process of getting a release of liability is easy and does not necessarily require legal representation. People use it in a wide variety of situations, so customize the form to your circumstances. For example, a release of liability for a past car accident is completely different from a release for a car sale. Follow these four steps to prepare one:
Each event has a different risk associated with itself. For example, rock climbing has associated dangers of bodily injuries, while skin product testing has associated dangers of allergies. Identification of the danger or harm involved helps in writing better terms and clauses related to protection in the release contract.
If the release of liability form is mandatory under the state laws, then each state may have different requirements for such release form. It is important to draft the documents in accordance with the state law for them to be valid.
For example, Florida has recommended “Lien Waiver Forms” related to construction projects. California has mandatory liability waiver documents for the sale of a used vehicle. In 20 of the 49 states FormsPal's verified state data covers, the law sets form, warning, or signage rules for certain activity waivers, such as a written and signed waiver or a posted warning sign.
Once you have identified the dangers involved and legal requirements, draft the release form with all the required details and information such as party name, date, and event description. If there are mandatory clauses required under the state law, include them as well. If the waiver is for a settlement, then terms like the settlement amount and degree of release should be mutually discussed between the parties.
Once the form is complete, give it to the other party before the event takes place if it is for a future activity. Both parties should sign it. The form should be clear and neatly printed.
If you don’t sign a release of liability, you can open yourself to the risk of unnecessary litigation. Creating this legal document takes some time and effort, but it adds an extra layer of protection for people involved in risky activities or dealing with risky products or services. A signed release can help you:
From the perspective of a releasor, the waiver form alerts an individual about to take part in a risky activity to the dangers involved and the potential damages that can arise. It also saves a releasor from the time, effort, and expenses spent for a lawyer and a court case.
Further, sometimes participants can equally be at fault for not following the prescribed safety procedure. In such a situation, a liability release provides you with reasonable compensation when you decide to settle the dispute outside the courts.
From the perspective of a releasee, it is critical to use release of liability forms to avoid one-sided responsibility. An organizer or contractor dealing with risky activities can be held liable for civil claims, even if he or she is not reasonably responsible for the incident.
Having a liability release form in place reduces the possibility of legal action by providing a warning about the participation risks. The “burden of proof” shifts upon the customers or participants to prove that they were not warned about the risk involved in the situation.
A release of liability form should name the parties, describe the activity or event, say what claims are released, and show the date it takes effect. Include the following provisions:
Additionally, the form may also include the following terms:
| Document Name | Release of Liability Form |
| Other Name | Liability Waiver |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 10 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 18 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF |
You can fill in FormsPal’s free release of liability form on your own. The steps below follow the order of the form, from the releasor’s details to the description of the event.
Enter the full name and address of the releasor including the residential address, city, and state in the first paragraph.
Enter the amount of consideration being provided to the releasee to sign the contract. Write the payment money in both words and numbers and mention the currency. If there is an additional payment, then mention that in the second line. If no payment is being made, then choose the third option and write “NIL” in the above-mentioned options.
Write the full name and address of the releasee including the residential address, city, and state after the words “forever discharge.”
Enter all information about the event activity for which the waiver is being provided including the name, date, place, and time, if applicable.
For example, if the waiver is for a past car accident, then write, “the car accident that happened on November 26, 2020, at 6th Avenue Street in New York City at 5:30 pm and caused bodily injuries to the releasor.”
If the waiver is for a skydiving session, then write, “the skydiving session that will be conducted on December 20, 2020, in Alaska by ABC corporation.”
Prefer to work on the PDF itself? Download it and fill it in with the online PDF editor.
When you sell a vehicle, the legal formalities to transfer a vehicle may take some time even after the sale and purchase transaction is completed. Until the title and registration is transferred in accordance with state laws, you still remain the owner of the car. If the car hits someone, you can be legally held liable for the accident.
Therefore, a liability waiver is required to protect the seller against the risk of potential car accidents or parking traffic violations. Some states such as California require a mandatory release or waiver while the DMV processes the transfer. Even if not mandated under the state law, it is preferable to have a liability release or waiver in place. The waiver should include crucial details such as the odometer reading, vehicle identification number, and the date of sale.
Different states may have different sample release forms. To see an example notice of transfer and release of liability, visit the California DMV website.
A parental waiver is a release of liability signed by parents on behalf of their minor children. A liability release is a contract under law. Since contracts by minors are not valid, liability waivers signed by minors are also not valid.
When minors are involved in a risky activity such as recreation events, a liability release signed by their parent or guardians is required. For example, school trips may require parental waivers.
In 8 of the 49 states FormsPal's verified state data covers, the law lets a parent waive a child's claim for negligence in advance for certain activities.
Yes, you can create a legally valid release of liability online. After understanding its simple requirements described above, you can easily create this form by following the simple steps described above. Release of liability forms created online are perfectly valid under law and can be created at your own ease without spending unnecessary time and money.
You can use FormsPal’s free release of liability form, which is fillable and easy to use. You can also try creating the form with our simple document builder that will guide you through the process step-by-step.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
