Florida Statutes 713.20 – Waiver or release of liens
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 713.20
- Claim of lien: means the claim recorded as provided in…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- contractor: includes an architect, landscape architect, or engineer who improves real property pursuant to a design-build contract authorized by…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- furnish: when used in connection with the words "labor" or "services" or "materials" means performance or furnishing by the lienor or by another for him or her. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Lienor: means a person who is:(a) A contractor;(b) A subcontractor;(c) A sub-subcontractor;(d) A laborer;(e) A materialman who contracts with the owner, a contractor, a subcontractor, or a sub-subcontractor; or(f) A professional lienor under…. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- materials: means performance or furnishing by the lienor or by another for him or her. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- Owner: means a person who is the owner of any legal or equitable interest in real property, which interest can be sold by legal process, and who enters into a contract for the improvement of the real property. See Florida Statutes 713.01
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- writing: includes handwriting, printing, typewriting, and all other methods and means of forming letters and characters upon paper, stone, wood, or other materials. See Florida Statutes 1.01
(1) The acceptance by the lienor of an unsecured note for all or any part of the amount of his or her demand shall not constitute a waiver of his or her lien therefor unless expressly so agreed in writing, nor shall it in any way affect the period for filing the notice under s. 713.06(2), or the claim of lien under s. 713.08.(2) A right to claim a lien may not be waived in advance. A lien right may be waived only to the extent of labor, services, or materials furnished. Any waiver of a right to claim a lien that is made in advance is unenforceable.(3) Any person may at any time waive, release, or satisfy any part of his or her lien under this part, either as to the amount due for labor, services, or materials furnished or for labor, services, or materials furnished through a certain date subject to exceptions specified at the time of release, or as to any part or parcel of the real property.(4) When a lienor is required to execute a waiver or release of lien in exchange for, or to induce payment of, a progress payment, the waiver or release may be in substantially the following form:WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIEN
UPON PROGRESS PAYMENTThe undersigned lienor, in consideration of the sum of $ , hereby waives and releases its lien and right to claim a lien for labor, services, or materials furnished through   (insert date)   to   (insert the name of your customer)   on the job of   (insert the name of the owner)   to the following property:
  (description of property)  
This waiver and release does not cover any retention or labor, services, or materials furnished after the date specified.
DATED on  ,   (year)  .       (Lienor)  
By:   
(5) When a lienor is required to execute a waiver or release of lien in exchange for, or to induce payment of, the final payment, the waiver and release may be in substantially the following form:WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIEN
UPON FINAL PAYMENTThe undersigned lienor, in consideration of the final payment in the amount of $  , hereby waives and releases its lien and right to claim a lien for labor, services, or materials furnished to   (insert the name of your customer)   on the job of   (insert the name of the owner)   to the following described property:
  (description of property)  
DATED on  ,   (year)  .       (Lienor)  
By:   
(6) A person may not require a lienor to furnish a lien waiver or release of lien that is different from the forms in subsection (4) or subsection (5).(7) A lienor who executes a lien waiver and release in exchange for a check may condition the waiver and release on payment of the check. However, in the absence of a payment bond protecting the owner, the owner may withhold from any payment to the contractor the amount of any such unpaid check until any such condition is satisfied.(8) A lien waiver or lien release that is not substantially similar to the forms in subsections (4) and (5) is enforceable in accordance with the terms of the lien waiver or lien release.