How to get a waiver signed online, before or at the door

What makes a waiver worth having

Courts look at how the waiver was presented as much as what it says. Rules vary by state, and a few states won't enforce a release of negligence at all, so have a local lawyer write the wording. The layout is in your hands, and it matters:

• Plain, readable language. Name the activity and its real risks: falls, collisions, equipment failure, water.
• A clear release clause, set apart with a heading or bold text, not buried in paragraph nine.
• Initials beside the clauses that matter most, such as assumption of risk and the release itself, so nobody can say they skimmed past them.
• A signature, the printed name and the date, plus the participant's date of birth so you can spot a minor.
• Emergency contact and medical notes, if your staff would need them on the day.

Set up the waiver in SignMaster

1. 1

   Make the waiver a template

   Click New template on the Templates page, upload the waiver your lawyer approved and click Create template. Name the signing role something clear, like Participant.

2. 2

   Place initials and the signature

   Put an Initials field next to each key clause, then Name, a Date field for date of birth, a Phone field and a Text field for the emergency contact, and finally Signature and Date signed at the end. Mark them Required.

3. 3

   Turn on the public link

   On the template's page, click Public link, choose the Participant role and click Turn on link. Download the QR code for a sign at the desk, and paste the link into your booking confirmation email.

4. 4

   Decide on the email check

   Confirm email with a code is on by default: each person types a code from their inbox before signing, which ties the waiver to a real address. For a busy walk-in counter you can switch it off to save a minute per person; the signature and its record are kept either way.

5. 5

   Check who has signed

   The public link page lists every response as it arrives. Each signed waiver is its own envelope, with the PDF and a certificate of completion that records the time, IP address and browser.

Groups, teams and repeat customers

When a school or company books a group, you often get the roster before the day. On a paid plan, bulk send turns that list into one waiver per person: upload a CSV with a name and email column for each participant, and each person gets their own link. A link in the organizer's email works too if you don't have addresses.

For members who come every week, write the waiver to cover future visits and ask for a fresh one once a year or when your wording changes. Name the template with its year so you know which version each person signed.

Participants under 18

A minor generally can't sign away their own claims, so a parent or guardian signs for them. Add a section to the waiver for the child's name and date of birth and the guardian's signature, and have the guardian fill it in. States differ on how far a parent's waiver reaches, which is one more reason to have a lawyer review the wording. Our guide on getting a parent's signature for a minor covers the setup.