LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeCivil CodeDiv. 4Pt. 6Ch. 3§ 8136 Final Payment Waiver Rules

§ 8136 Final Payment Waiver Rules

Civil Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 8136 Final Payment Waiver Rules

Key Takeaways

  • •If you sign a paper saying you won't ask for more money after getting paid, but you don't actually get the money, that paper doesn't count.
  • •The paper must have specific words and details to be valid, like who is paying, how much, and when.
  • •If you get a check that needs two people to sign, and you sign the paper, but the check isn't paid, the paper is not valid.
  • •The paper must say clearly that it only works if you actually get the money.

Example

You fix someone's house and they ask you to sign a paper saying you won't ask for more money after they pay you. They give you a check, but when you try to cash it, the bank says there's no money in their account.

The paper you signed doesn't count because you didn't actually get the money. The paper must say that it only works if you get paid, and it has to have details like the check amount and who it's from.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 8136 Final Payment Waiver Rules

If the claimant is required to execute a waiver and release in exchange for, or in order to induce payment of, a final payment and the claimant is not, in fact, paid in exchange for the waiver and release or a single payee check or joint payee check is given in exchange for the waiver and release, the waiver and release shall be null, void, and unenforceable unless it is in substantially the following form: CONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE ON FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE: THIS DOCUMENT WAIVES THE CLAIMANT’S LIEN, STOP PAYMENT NOTICE, AND PAYMENT BOND RIGHTS EFFECTIVE ON RECEIPT OF PAYMENT. A PERSON SHOULD NOT RELY ON THIS DOCUMENT UNLESS SATISFIED THAT THE CLAIMANT HAS RECEIVED PAYMENT. Identifying Information Name of Claimant: Name of Customer: Job Location: Owner: Conditional Waiver and Release This document waives and releases lien, stop payment notice, and payment bond rights the claimant has for labor and service provided, and equipment and material delivered, to the customer on this job. Rights based upon labor or service provided, or equipment or material delivered, pursuant to a written change order that has been fully executed by the parties prior to the date that this document is signed by the claimant, are waived and released by this document, unless listed as an Exception below. This document is effective only on the claimant’s receipt of payment from the financial institution on which the following check is drawn:   Maker of Check: Amount of Check: $ Check Payable to: Exceptions This document does not affect any of the following: Disputed claims for extras in the amount of: $ Signature Claimant’s Signature: Claimant’s Title: Date of Signature: (Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 697, Sec. 20. (SB 189) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative July 1, 2012, by Sec. 105 of Ch. 697 and by Section 8052.)

Last verified: January 21, 2026

Key Terms

waiver and releaseCONDITIONAL WAIVER AND RELEASE ON FINAL PAYMENTclaimantsingle payee checkjoint payee check

Related Statutes

  • § 8124 Lien Waiver Release Requirements
  • § 8122 Contract Claimant Rights Protection
  • § 8126 Lien Waiver Void Without Payment
  • § 8128 Stop Payment Notice Release
  • § 8132 Progress Payment Waiver Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Civil Code. Section 8136.
View Official Source