An Activity Waiver is an agreement between an activity provider and the participants, in which the participant agrees they understand the risks of the activity and will not sue the activity provider for any injuries or damages. Activity providers, such as businesses, sports teams, and organizations, will typically ask participants to sign a Waiver before an activity to protect themselves from liability. 

An Activity Waiver is also known as a:

• Liability form
• Liability waiver
• Liability release 
• Release of liability
• Sports waiver

An Activity Waiver can protect an activity provider against civil liability in case of an accident. In the case of an Activity Waiver, liability means being responsible for repairing a participant’s damage or injury. Activity Waivers create a legally-binding, written agreement between the activity provider and participant stating that the participant won’t hold the activity provider responsible for any harm done to the participant during the activity. 

For example, a stable that teaches horseback riding lessons may have students sign a waiver before riding in their facility. This way, if a participant falls off the horse and breaks their arm, the stable is protected against a lawsuit claiming they are responsible for the participant’s injury. 

An Activity Waiver can also educate the participant on the potential risks of the activity.

You can use an Activity Waiver for a variety of activities, such as:

• Sports or fitness, such as skydiving, rugby, or kayaking.
• Professional services, such as hair colouring.
• Parties or events, such as marathons.
• Vehicle rentals, such as motorcycles, boats, or cars. 
• Animal care or handling, such as horseback riding.
• Other activities,such as woodworking or welding classes.

Some provinces and territories have their own restrictions on what activities can utilize an Activity Waiver for release of liability. Check your province or territory’s laws for more guidance.

To write an Activity Waiver, complete the following steps:

1. State the location where the activity will take place.

Different jurisdictions have different rules and regulations. Our Activity Waiver template will customize your form for your location. 

If the activity takes place in more than one location, choose the province or territory where the parties reside or the location of the activity provider's business.

Where legislation is similar, the choice of jurisdiction may not make a difference. However, some provinces and territories have varying rules about Activity Waivers and the activities they can be used for. 

2. Provide the activity details 

If known, provide the date on which the activity is taking place. If not known, indicate the date is unspecified. 

Also, include details about the activity, including a brief description of what the activity involves. 

3. Provide the contact information for the activity provider

The activity provider is the party 'released' by the participant from a claim or legal right that the participant could have against the activity provider concerning their participation in the activity.

Provide the full name of the individual or corporation providing the activity along with their address. 

4. Invite participants to complete and eSign the Activity Waiver

Invite participants to complete the Activity Waiver by entering their names and emails into our questionnaire, or by copying and sharing the unique URL provided on the preview page, which participants can use to complete the waiver. 

When participants receive an email or enter through the provided link to eSign the Waiver, we’ll ask for their name and address along with their emergency contact details. Everyone will complete and eSign the waiver through LawDepot.

If you don’t invite participants immediately, you can return to your Activity Waiver to invite participants at any time. 

Once participants have received the online Activity Waiver through email or the custom URL link, they can navigate through the Waiver, input their address and emergency contact details, sign the document, and return it to the activity provider. 

eSign the Activity Waiver

To sign the Activity Waiver, a participant provides their full name on the eSign page and clicks “Sign Document.” The activity provider will immediately receive an email notification that the participant completed a waiver and be able to review the information. The activity provider will then need to eSign the Activity Waiver as well.