Release of liability, explained
A release of liability is a written agreement in which a participant accepts an activity's risks and gives up specified claims against the organizer. It usually names the parties and the activity, describes the risks, and is signed before taking part. Survtapp collects releases digitally — free for up to 100 signatures a month.
What does a release of liability typically include?
Most releases name the participant and the organization, describe the activity and its inherent risks, state that the participant accepts those risks voluntarily, and set out which claims are being released. Many add a medical-emergency authorization, a photo release, and a parent or guardian section for minors.
The wording is where releases live or die — vague risk descriptions and overbroad releases are the classic drafting failures. Have a lawyer review the text for your activity and jurisdiction. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Why collect releases digitally instead of on paper?
Paper releases get lost, misfiled, and signed illegibly at the exact moment a queue forms at your front desk. A digital release is signed on a tablet or from a link in seconds, filed automatically into a searchable register, and rendered to a PDF the signer receives by email.
A digital record is also more defensible on the facts: Survtapp keeps the signing timestamps, the IP address, and the exact release text as it was presented — and records are integrity-checked so later alteration is detectable.
How do I set a release up in Survtapp?
Start from the free liability waiver template, replace the placeholder wording with your own reviewed text, add initials or checkboxes where you want explicit acknowledgement, and publish. Collect signatures at a kiosk, on staff tablets, or by link — online or offline — and manage renewals from the register when releases expire.
This page is general information about releases of liability, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review your wording for your activity and jurisdiction.
Keep going: collect waivers digitally · free liability waiver template · free waiver generator · consent form app · pricing.
Questions, answered plainly
Is a release of liability the same as a waiver?
The terms are used almost interchangeably. Strictly, a waiver gives up a known right and a release gives up claims — most documents used at gyms, events and activity businesses do both in one form.
Does a release of liability need to be signed before the activity?
That is the standard practice — a release signed after the fact protects far less. Digital collection helps here: participants can sign from a link before they arrive.
Can a minor sign a release?
Minors generally cannot bind themselves; releases for minors are signed by a parent or guardian. How much protection that provides varies by jurisdiction — ask a lawyer for yours.
Is there a free release of liability template?
Yes — Survtapp publishes a free liability waiver template you can adapt, and a free waiver generator that drafts a starting point from a few questions about your activity.
How long should I keep signed releases?
At least as long as your jurisdiction’s limitation period for the claims involved, and often longer for minors. Survtapp stores signed releases in a searchable register so keeping them costs no filing cabinet.
Will a digital signature hold up?
Electronic signatures are widely recognized, and a well-kept record helps: Survtapp retains the signature, timestamps, IP and the exact text presented, integrity-checked so alteration is detectable. Enforceability still depends on your wording and jurisdiction — this is not legal advice.