Free Release Forms and Templates

What Is a Release Form? 

A Release Form is a legal instrument used to provide consent to a certain course of action or settle a debt with an individual or company identified in a contract. Whether your goal is to allow someone else to use your images, offer access to your medical records or employment history, or forgive a debt you are owed upon payment or promise or payment, this document will let you establish the limits of this authorization and be in control of the media content and personal information you share with other people or safeguard your own financial interests.

Alternate Names:

• Release of Liability;
• Hold Harmless Agreement;
• Indemnity Agreement.

Check out our library of templates and forms below to find the Release Form template you need. 

Release Form Types 

1. Release of Information Forms. These generic forms can be used to authorize any third party to access your persona, private, or sensitive information for a set period of time or indefinitely,
2. Media Release Forms. You can authorize an individual or organization to use images, sounds, and videos. Whether the authorized party will use the materials listed in the document without the purpose of obtaining profit or they expect to be able to use them commercially, it is necessary the company or individual that owns the rights to the subject of the contract specifically approves the release of the materials.
3. Lien Release Forms. It is possible to remove the claim against valuable items belonging to another party if the owner of the property has agreed to meet their financial obligations. Often used in construction and auto mechanics, this template will confirm the lienholder will not raise the matter of the lien in the future and the property owner is no longer responsible for repaying their debt.
4. HIPAA Medical Release Forms. In case you need to authorize your relative, friend, or attending physician to access your medical history and current health data, it is mandatory to explicitly state this wish in writing. You may choose what details will be available to the person or medical facility named in the form and revoke the consent when it is no longer required.
5. Authorization to Release Employee Information. The employer does not have the right to share the details of their former or current employee with other organizations - if you need your ex-employer to provide you with a Release of Information Form that confirms you have worked for them and carried out certain duties, it is your responsibility to authorize the release of these details.
6. Conditional and Unconditional Waiver and Release Forms. Widely used by builders and mechanics, this document will allow these lienholders to free property owners from their debts whether the debt is paid in full immediately, dealt with in installments, or the contractor trusts the other party to handle their obligations without mentioning this provision in writing. 

How to Write a Release Form?

Follow these steps to compose a legal Release Form:

1. Identify the parties - the one who provides the authorization and the one who is granted the rights to use the property you will list later or profit from it in any shape or form. Note that you may indicate several individuals or companies and give them the opportunity to share the right of usage with other people. 
2. Describe the subject matter of the agreement. Be as precise as you can and set limits for the usage - for example, you may agree to a one-time printing of a photo that contains your likeness to let the photographer earn money from it but they will not be allowed to do it again in the future without your unequivocal consent.
3. Indicate the compensation the authorized individual will have to pay the other party if necessary. Record the method of payment and the bank account details to facilitate the payment.
4. Include an exclusivity clause - for instance, the person pictured in the video might be allowed to sign similar contracts with other online media, television stations, and news outlets unless otherwise stated in the form. 
5. Confirm you do not have any claims against the individual or entity you authorize at the moment of the signing. If they will breach the terms of the release, you will be allowed to notify them about it and later file a lawsuit to protect your interests. 

Not what you were looking for? Check out these related topics:

• Evaluation Forms;
• Affidavits;
• Consent Forms.