Sign waivers in seconds, not evenings
Notice Harbor generates California's four statutory waiver forms, e-signed and sent to your GC. Free and unlimited once you've filed a preliminary notice, and included with every plan.
Get StartedThe four statutory forms
- Conditional on progress payment (§ 8132) covers work through a stated date, but only becomes effective once you actually receive the payment. Safe to sign when the check is promised but hasn’t cleared.
- Unconditional on progress payment (§ 8134)is effective immediately on signing, whether or not you’re paid. Sign only after the money has cleared your account.
- Conditional on final payment (§ 8136) releases everything on the job, effective only when the final payment arrives.
- Unconditional on final payment (§ 8138) is the nuclear option: it releases all lien, stop notice, and bond rights on the job the moment you sign. Only sign once the final check has cleared.
Which form do I sign?
The decision comes down to two questions:
- Has the money actually cleared?Not “the check is in the mail,” but cleared. If no, sign conditional. If yes, unconditional is fine.
- Is this a progress payment or the final one? Progress waivers cover work through a stated date; final waivers cover the whole job.
The most common (and costly) mistake in the field: a GC withholds a progress check until you sign an unconditional waiver. Signing it means that if the check bounces or never comes, your lien rights for that work are already gone. The conditional form exists exactly for this situation. A GC who refuses to accept one is asking you to take all the risk.
What a waiver does not cover
The statutory forms themselves carve out retention, extras or change orders not included in the payment, and disputed claims. A progress waiver also only reaches work through its stated through-date, so always check that the date and dollar amount match what you’re actually being paid for.
Generating waivers with Notice Harbor
Notice Harbor generates all four California statutory forms with your job details filled in, lets you e-sign, and sends the waiver to your GC in seconds, from any device. Waivers are free and unlimited once you’ve filed a preliminary notice with us, and every Notice Harbor plan includes them from day one.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides
Sign waivers in seconds, not evenings
Notice Harbor generates California's four statutory waiver forms, e-signed and sent to your GC. Free and unlimited once you've filed a preliminary notice, and included with every plan.
Get StartedThis page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. California lien and notice deadlines are strict and fact-specific: “completion” alone can be triggered by actual completion, the owner’s occupancy or use, or a 60-day cessation of labor. Notice Harbor is not a law firm. Confirm any deadline that matters to your claim with a licensed California construction attorney.