What Is an Activity Waiver and Release Form?
An activity waiver and release form outlines the possible risks associated with an activity and records the participant’s agreement not to pursue legal claims. The individual or business hosting the activity often requires participants to sign a waiver to protect against claims.
Legal Templates’s free activity waiver and release form offers legal protection for the parties involved. Use our form to ensure proper information and clear terms.
When to Use an Activity Waiver and Release
An activity waiver and release can cover a variety of situations and should be used for any activity that involves risks. Use this form to reduce your liability in the following situations:
- Before sports, adventure sports, and outdoor activities.
- When offering activities, such as fitness classes, gym sessions, or team-building events.
- When organizing events involving potentially hazardous activities, such as obstacle courses, bungee jumping, or zip-lining.
- When renting out equipment such as bicycles, skateboards, or climbing gear.
- For activities involving animals, such as equine sports, horse riding, petting zoos, and dog training.
If the activity organizer intends to take photos of the event, they will also need to have the participants sign a photo release or media release form.
How to Write an Activity Waiver and Release Form
Writing an activity waiver and release form requires you to include the proper information and terms. Create an effective waiver that protects your interests with the following steps:
1. Identify the Parties
Provide the name and legal address of the releasor and releasee, and note whether each party is an individual or business entity. The releasor is the participant who agrees not to pursue legal action, and the releasee is the person or business providing the activity or equipment.
If the participant is younger than 18 years old, their parent or legal guardian must also provide their own information and sign the form.
2. Describe the Activity
Include an in-depth description of the activity or equipment being provided and the potential risks involved in each aspect. If there are any instructions for participants to reduce the risk of accidents, you can include them as well. Make it clear that the participant understands the risk involved in the activity and that they agree to voluntarily accept this risk. This section should state that the releasor cannot pursue claims related to incidents or damages.
3. Set Effective Date and Governing Law
Once you’ve described the risks and stated the participant’s release of liability, include the waiver’s effective date and governing laws. The effective date should reflect the beginning date of the event or equipment transfer. Also include the state where the activity takes place, as its laws will govern the agreement and any related disputes.
4. Gather Signatures
The participant must sign the waiver to display their understanding of the risks and their release of liability for the host. Also, gather any necessary additional signatures, such as those from parents, guardians, or business representatives. Notarization and witness signatures are not typically required for an activity waiver and release form.
Use Legal Templates’s e-sign tools to provide a digital form and reduce the need to print and store paper documents.
Sample Activity Waiver and Release Form
Legal Templates’s free activity waiver and release form includes the necessary terms and formatting for maximum legal protection. Use our customizable form, available in PDF and Word format.
