Sports waiver form for teams, leagues and clubs
A sports waiver form for leagues and youth teams, with season-long validity, guardian signing, medical details and concussion acknowledgment.
Updated Oct 23, 2026Quick answer
A martial arts waiver is a combat sports waiver signed before training at a dojo, BJJ academy, MMA or boxing gym. It covers classes, sparring and competitions, names contact risks such as fractures, dislocations, chokes and concussion, sets sparring rules like tapping and releasing submissions, requires good hygiene to prevent skin infections, asks health questions and releases the academy from ordinary negligence.
Why a combat sports waiver differs from a gym waiver
In most gyms, injury comes from the participant's own effort. In martial arts, it often comes from a partner: a throw, a joint lock, an accidental strike. That changes what a waiver needs to say. It must name contact risks, set rules for controlled sparring, and release training partners as well as the academy.
Combat sports also have a risk most gyms rarely think about: skin infections spread on mats. Hygiene rules belong in the waiver because they are a real safety issue, not a matter of manners.
Dojo release form template
For dojos, BJJ academies, MMA and boxing gyms. Adapt the risks and sparring rules to your discipline.
Student information
Full name: [Full name] Date of birth: [Date of birth]
Phone: [Phone] Emergency contact: [Name and phone]
Discipline and level: [e.g. Brazilian jiu-jitsu, white belt]
1. Training covered
This waiver covers classes, open mats, sparring, grading, seminars and competitions organized by [Academy name] at [Address] or elsewhere, for the length of my membership or 12 months.
2. Risks of martial arts
I understand martial arts and combat sports involve physical contact and risks, including bruises, cuts, sprains, dislocations, fractures, joint injuries from locks and throws, choke-related injury, concussion and, rarely, serious injury.
3. Sparring and control
I will spar only when the coach allows it, at the intensity agreed, tap or stop immediately when needed, release submissions as soon as a partner taps, and respect partners' safety at all times.
4. Hygiene and skin infections
I will train with clean gear and trimmed nails, and I will not train with open wounds, rashes or suspected skin infections such as ringworm, impetigo or staph, until cleared.
5. Health
Do you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, epilepsy, a neck or back problem, or a recent concussion? [Yes / No, details]
Do you have a joint or past injury the coach should know about? [Yes / No, details]
6. Release
To the fullest extent permitted by law, I release [Academy name], its instructors and training partners from claims arising from training and competition, including claims caused by their ordinary negligence. This does not apply to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
Signature
Signature: [Signature] Date: [Date]
Parent or guardian for students under 18: I am the parent or legal guardian and agree on the student's behalf and my own. [Name and signature]
Full name: [Full name] Date of birth: [Date of birth]
Phone: [Phone] Emergency contact: [Name and phone]
Discipline and level: [e.g. Brazilian jiu-jitsu, white belt]
1. Training covered
This waiver covers classes, open mats, sparring, grading, seminars and competitions organized by [Academy name] at [Address] or elsewhere, for the length of my membership or 12 months.
2. Risks of martial arts
I understand martial arts and combat sports involve physical contact and risks, including bruises, cuts, sprains, dislocations, fractures, joint injuries from locks and throws, choke-related injury, concussion and, rarely, serious injury.
3. Sparring and control
I will spar only when the coach allows it, at the intensity agreed, tap or stop immediately when needed, release submissions as soon as a partner taps, and respect partners' safety at all times.
4. Hygiene and skin infections
I will train with clean gear and trimmed nails, and I will not train with open wounds, rashes or suspected skin infections such as ringworm, impetigo or staph, until cleared.
5. Health
Do you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, epilepsy, a neck or back problem, or a recent concussion? [Yes / No, details]
Do you have a joint or past injury the coach should know about? [Yes / No, details]
6. Release
To the fullest extent permitted by law, I release [Academy name], its instructors and training partners from claims arising from training and competition, including claims caused by their ordinary negligence. This does not apply to gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
Signature
Signature: [Signature] Date: [Date]
Parent or guardian for students under 18: I am the parent or legal guardian and agree on the student's behalf and my own. [Name and signature]
BJJ waiver and other disciplines compared
| Discipline | Main risks to name | Rule to add |
|---|---|---|
| Brazilian jiu-jitsu | Joint locks, chokes, neck strain, skin infections | Tap and release immediately |
| Boxing and kickboxing | Concussion, facial injuries, hand fractures | Headgear and gloves for sparring |
| MMA | All of the above plus takedowns | Sparring intensity set by coach |
| Karate and taekwondo | Kicks, falls, foot and hand injuries | Controlled contact in kumite |
| Judo | Throws, falls, shoulder and collarbone injury | Breakfalls before throws |
Martial arts waiver for junior students
Kids classes are often the largest part of a martial arts school. Parents sign for their children, ideally once a year, with each child named. Add age-appropriate rules: no head contact in sparring, no neck cranks or certain submissions below a set age, and supervision ratios. Many schools also add a pickup policy for younger students.
A parent with two children in classes can sign once and create a record for each child. The legal reasoning is in can a minor sign a waiver.
Combat sports waiver and concussion
Striking sports carry a real concussion risk. Name it in the waiver, ask about recent concussions in the health section, and have a written rule: anyone with suspected concussion stops training and returns only with medical clearance. For youth programs, check whether your state's youth concussion law applies to your school and follow its requirements.
Martial arts waivers for competitions and gradings
Competitions organized by other bodies usually have their own waivers, which students sign separately. Your academy's waiver should still cover travel and coaching at events you organize or attend as a team. Gradings and belt tests often involve harder sparring or breaking techniques, so mention them in the scope.
Martial arts waiver for private lessons and open mats
Open mats are often the least supervised sessions in a martial arts school, with students rolling or sparring at their own pace. Name open mats explicitly in the scope, set a rule that a coach or senior student must be present, and remind students that intensity rules still apply. Private lessons need no separate waiver if the scope covers them, but instructors should still check flagged health answers before the session, because one-to-one training is often harder.
Dojo release form and facility safety
The waiver works best when the facility shows ordinary care. Clean mats daily with a suitable disinfectant, inspect mats for gaps and tears, keep a first aid kit and ice packs on hand, and log cleaning and inspections. These records support the academy if an injury or infection complaint arises, and they reinforce the hygiene rules students agree to in the waiver.
Martial arts waiver: an example scenario
A BJJ academy used a generic gym waiver that mentioned "exercise" and "equipment" but nothing about joint locks, chokes or skin infections. After a ringworm outbreak and a dislocated elbow in the same month, the owner rewrote it.
The new waiver names joint locks and chokes, includes a tap-and-release rule and a hygiene clause, asks about recent concussions and past injuries, and covers kids classes with guardian signing. Coaches see flags for past injuries on a tablet before class and pair those students carefully. Mat infections dropped after the hygiene clause was enforced at the door.
Best practices for a martial arts waiver
- Name contact risks specific to your discipline.
- Write clear sparring and tap-and-release rules.
- Include hygiene rules to prevent skin infections.
- Release training partners as well as the academy.
- Have parents sign for every junior student.
- Require medical clearance after suspected concussion.
Running a general gym alongside your dojo? See the fitness waiver form.
Martial arts waiver: FAQ
Yes. Visitors and drop-in students should sign the martial arts waiver before stepping on the mat, even for a single class.
Yes. If your academy organizes or attends competitions as a team, name them in the scope of the martial arts waiver.
Most academies ask students to renew their dojo release form every 12 months, with updated health and injury information.
It cannot prevent them, but a hygiene clause sets clear rules, and students who agree to stay off the mat with rashes reduce outbreaks.
A martial arts waiver is a combat sports waiver covering classes, sparring and competitions, with contact risks, sparring rules, hygiene rules, health questions and a release.
A BJJ waiver should name joint locks, chokes and skin infections, include a tap-and-release rule and hygiene clause, and ask about past injuries and concussions.
Yes. A parent or legal guardian should sign a martial arts waiver for every junior student, ideally once a year with each child named.
A good dojo release form releases training partners as well as the academy, because many injuries in martial arts come from partners.
Yes. A combat sports waiver should name concussion as a risk, ask about recent concussions and require medical clearance before returning to training.
Yes. Students and parents can sign a martial arts waiver online, and coaches see flagged health answers before class.
This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Laws on waivers vary by country and state, so have a local attorney review any waiver before you rely on it. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.