CONTRACTORS STATE LICENSE BOARD STATE OF CALIFORNIA
9821 Business Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95827-1703
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 26000, Sacramento, California 95826-0026
1-800-321-CSLB (2752)
www.cslb.ca.gov
Conditional and Unconditional Waiver and Release Forms
Civil Code Section 3262
General Principles:
No lien release is binding unless the claimant executes (signs) and delivers a waiver
and release.
Be careful: paying your contractor (and/or getting a release from your contractor) does
not guarantee that other claimants, like subcontractors and suppliers, are paid. A claimant
is a person who, if not paid, can file a lien on your home.
To be effective, the waiver and release forms must follow substantially one of the forms
set forth in Civil Code Section 3262. The four forms are:
Conditional Waiver And Release Upon Progress Payment
Unconditional Waiver And Release Upon Progress Payment
Conditional Waiver And Release Upon Final Payment
Unconditional Waiver And Release Upon Final Payment
These forms are binding if signed by the claimant or his or her authorized agent. The
signed form is effective to release:
the owner;
the construction lender; and
the surety (in the case of a payment bond).
Caution: in the case of a conditional release, the release is only binding if there is
evidence of payment to the claimant. Evidence of payment may be demonstrated by:
the claimant’s endorsement on a single check or a joint payee check which has been
paid by the bank upon which it was drawn; or
written acknowledgment of payment given by the claimant.
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Conditional Waiver and Release Upon Progress Payment
Use this form when the claimant is required to execute a waiver and release in exchange for or in order to induce the
payment of a progress payment and the claimant has not been paid. This form is useful when the claimant has not
been paid yet, but will be paid out of a progress payment that is not the final payment. This conditional waiver and
release is only effective if the claimant is
actually paid
. This release does not cover all items. See the “Conditional
Waiver And Release Upon Progress Payment” form for more information.
CONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE UPON PROGRESS PAYMENT
Civil Code Section 3262(d)(1)
Upon receipt by the undersigned of a check from________________________________________
MAKER OF CHECK
in the sum of $____________________
AMOUNT OF CHECK
payable to _____________________________________
PAYEE OR PAYEES OF CHECK
and when the check has been properly endorsed and has been paid by the bank upon which it is
drawn, this document shall become effective to release any mechanic’s lien, stop notice, or bond right
the undersigned has on the job of ____________________________________________________
OWNER
located at_____________________________________________________
JOB DESCRIPTION
to the following extent.
This release covers a progress payment for labor, services, equipment, or material furnished to
_____________________________________________
YOUR CUSTOMER
through __________________________
DATE
only and does not cover any retentions retained before or after the release date; extras furnished
before the release date for which payment has not been received; extras or items furnished after the
release date. Rights based upon work performed or items furnished under a written change order
which has been fully executed by the parties prior to the release date are covered by this release
unless specifically reserved by the claimant in this release. This release of any mechanic’s lien, stop
notice, or bond right shall not otherwise affect the contract rights, including rights between parties to
the contract based upon a rescission, abandonment, or breach of the contract, or the right of the
undersigned to recover compensation for furnished labor, services, equipment, or material covered by
this release if that furnished labor, services, equipment, or material was not compensated by the progress
payment.
Before any recipient of this document relies on it, said party should verify evidence of payment to the
undersigned.
Dated: ________________________ ______________________________________________
COMPANY NAME
By ____________________________________________
TITLE
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NOTE: This form complies with the requirements of Civil Code Section 3262(d)(1). It is to be used by a party who applies for a progress payment when
the progress check has not yet cleared the bank. This release only becomes effective when the check, properly endorsed, has cleared the bank.
Unconditional Waiver and Release Upon Progress Payment
Use this form when the claimant is required to execute a waiver and release in exchange for or in order to induce
payment of a progress payment and the claimant asserts in the waiver that he or she has in fact been paid the
progress payment. This release does not cover all items. See the “Unconditional Waiver And Release Upon Progress
Payment” form for more information.
UNCONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE UPON PROGRESS PAYMENT
Civil Code Section 3262(d)(2)
The undersigned has been paid and has received a progress payment in the sum of
$ __________ for labor, services, equipment or material furnished to ______________________
YOUR CUSTOMER
on the job of ___________________
OWNER
located at _______________________________________
JOB DESCRIPTION
and does hereby release any mechanic’s lien, stop notice or bond right that the undersigned has on
the above referenced job to the following extent.
This release covers a progress payment for labor, services, equipment, or material furnished
to __________________________________
YOUR CUSTOMER
through ___________________________________
DATE
only and does not cover any retentions retained before or after the release date; extras furnished
before the release date for which payment has not been received; extras or items furnished after the
release date. Rights based upon work performed or items furnished under a written change order
which has been fully executed by the parties prior to the release date are covered by this release
unless specifically reserved by the claimant in this release. This release of any mechanic’s lien, stop
notice, or bond right shall not otherwise affect the contract rights, including rights between parties to
the contract based upon a rescission, abandonment, or breach of the contract, or the right of the
undersigned to recover compensation for furnished labor, services, equipment, or material covered by
this release if that furnished labor,
services, equipment, or material was not compensated by the progress
payment.
Dated: ________________________ ______________________________________________
COMPANY NAME
By ____________________________________________
TITLE
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NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT WAIVES RIGHTS UNCONDITIONALLY AND STATES THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN PAID FOR GIVING UP THOSE RIGHTS. THIS DOCUMENT IS ENFORCEABLE AGAINST YOU
IF YOU SIGN IT, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAID. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAID, USE A
CONDITIONAL RELEASE FORM.
NOTE: This form complies with the requirements of Civil Code Section 3262(d)(2). It is to be used to release claims to the extent that a progress
payment has actually been received by the releasing party.
Conditional Waiver and Release Upon Final Payment
Use this form when the claimant is required to execute a waiver and release in exchange for or in order to induce the
payment of a final payment and the claimant has not been paid. This release is only binding if there is evidence of
payment to the claimant. Evidence of payment may be demonstrated by:
the claimant’s endorsement on a single check or a joint payee check which has been paid by the bank upon which
it was drawn; or
written acknowledgment of payment given by the claimant.
CONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE UPON FINAL PAYMENT
Civil Code Section 3262(d)(3)
Upon receipt by the undersigned of a check from________________________________________
MAKER OF CHECK
in the sum of $____________________
AMOUNT OF CHECK
payable to _____________________________________
PAYEE OR PAYEES
OF CHECK
and when the check has been properly endorsed and has been paid by the bank upon which it is
drawn, this document shall become effective to release any mechanic’s lien, stop notice, or bond right
the undersigned has on the job of ____________________________________________________
OWNER
located at_______________________________________________________________________
JOB DESCRIPTION
.
This release covers the final payment to the undersigned for all labor, services, equipment, or material
furnished on the job, except for disputed claims for additional work in the amount of $ ___________ .
Before any recipient of this document relies on it, the party should verify evidence of payment to the
undersigned.
Dated: ________________________ ______________________________________________
COMPANY
NAME
By ____________________________________________
TITLE
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NOTE: This form of release complies with the requirements of Civil Code Section 3262(d)(3). It is not effective until the check that constitutes final
payment has been properly endorsed and has cleared the bank.
Unconditional Waiver and Release Upon Final Payment
Use this form when the claimant is required to execute a waiver and release in exchange for, or in order to induce
payment of, a final payment
and
the claimant asserts in the waiver he or she has in fact been paid the final payment.
UNCONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE UPON FINAL PAYMENT
Civil Code Section 3262(d)(4)
The undersigned has been paid in full for all labor, services, equipment or material furnished
to ____________________________________
YOUR CUSTOMER
on the job of_____________________________
OWNER
located at______________________________
JOB DESCRIPTION
and does hereby waive and release any right to a
mechanic’s lien, stop notice, or any right against a labor and material bond on the job, except for
disputed claims for extra work in the amount of $_______________.
Dated: ________________________ ______________________________________________
COMPANY NAME
By ____________________________________________
TITLE
NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT WAIVES RIGHTS UNCONDITIONALLY AND STATES THAT YOU HAVE
BEEN PAID FOR GIVING UP THOSE RIGHTS. THIS DOCUMENT IS ENFORCEABLE AGAINST
YOU IF YOU SIGN IT, EVEN IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAID. IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAID, USE
A CONDITIONAL RELEASE FORM.
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NOTE: This form complies with the requirements of Civil Code Section 3262(d)(4).