What is a generic lien waiver?

A generic lien waiver is a non-statutory waiver form that can be used in many states when the state does not require a specific statutory format. Contracts may still impose required wording.

What should a generic lien waiver include?

Most generic lien waivers include the claimant name, project information, owner/GC/customer names, waiver amount, coverage period or through date, waiver type (conditional/unconditional and progress/final), and signature/date.

When should you not use a generic waiver?

If your state requires statutory waiver language or your contract specifies a required form, using a generic waiver can cause rejection or may be ineffective. Always follow state and contract requirements.

Generic (All States) Most Common

Generic Lien Waiver (All States)

In many states, lien waiver forms are not strictly statutory — which means a “generic” lien waiver can work. The catch is that contracts and GC portals often require specific wording, and some states do expect statutory language. This page covers the safest generic approach and when you should switch to a state-specific form.

State guides

“Generic lien waiver” usually means: no state-mandated statutory layout. That does not mean “anything goes.” The safest generic waivers are clear about: who is waiving rights, what project it applies to, what amount is covered, and whether it’s conditional or unconditional.

What a generic lien waiver should include

If you’re using a non-statutory waiver format, this is the minimum information that typically keeps GCs and owners happy:

Claimant (waiving party): legal business name (and address if required)
Project information: project name + job location/address
Owner / GC / customer: names that match the contract and pay application
Amount waived: the amount covered by this waiver (should match your pay app)
Coverage period: “through date” or invoice period
Waiver type: conditional vs unconditional
Billing stage: progress vs final
Signature + date: signer name + title

Pro tip for billing teams

The fastest way to get waivers rejected is to submit a waiver that doesn’t match your pay application. Keep party names, dates, and amounts consistent across your invoice/pay app and your waiver.

Choosing the right waiver type (generic rules)

Even in “generic” states, the waiver type matters. You’re still making two separate decisions:

Conditional vs unconditional → whether payment has actually cleared
Progress vs final → whether this is a partial billing or final billing

Safe default for most monthly billings

Progress + Conditional → most common and safest during the job
Final + Conditional → when requesting final payment (before it clears)
Final + Unconditional → after final payment clears

When a generic lien waiver is NOT enough

You should not rely on a generic waiver if either of these applies:

Your state has statutory lien waiver forms/language (or common statutory expectations)
Your contract/GC portal specifies a required form (very common)

In those cases, the “correct” waiver is the one that matches the legal and contract expectations — not the one that looks cleanest.

If you’re unsure

Start with these two guides and then choose the right state page:

Conditional vs Unconditional Progress vs Final Common Mistakes Get Launch Alerts

What LienWaiverPro will automate

LienWaiverPro is built to remove the “did we pick the right waiver?” guessing game by guiding users through:

Choosing conditional vs unconditional correctly
Choosing progress vs final correctly
Capturing the fields owners/GCs expect
Producing a clean PDF suitable for portals and pay apps

Get Launch Alerts Browse State Guides

Disclaimer: This content is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Lien waiver requirements vary by state, contract, and project. Consult a qualified construction attorney for guidance specific to your situation.