Frequently asked questions
These are the questions tour, rental and activity operators ask us most often before they move their waivers to WaiverNorth. If yours isn't answered here, [send us a message](/contact). We read every message ourselves and reply personally, usually within two business days.
Questions
- Are electronic waivers legally valid in Canada?
Federal law and the electronic commerce laws of the provinces and territories generally recognize electronic signatures. Whether a particular waiver holds up depends mostly on its wording and on how it was presented to the guest, just as with paper.
- Do you provide the waiver text?
Not yet. You publish your own waiver wording, and WaiverNorth handles signing, storage and records. If you already use a paper or digital waiver, paste the text into the editor and it's ready to sign. WaiverNorth doesn't give legal advice, but we are working with a Canadian lawyer on an offer to customize a waiver for your business and your province or territory. Get in touch if you'd like to hear when it's available.
- Where are signed waivers stored?
Waivers are stored in Canada. This isn't legal advice, so have a lawyer in your province or territory review your waiver text.
- Can I import from Smartwaiver?
Yes, and we do it for you, free on every plan. We move your full history through the Smartwaiver API: the original signed PDFs byte for byte, signing dates, signature images and answers, reconciled against Smartwaiver's own counts. Imported waivers never count toward your monthly limit. See how the two compare.
- Does the kiosk work offline?
Yes. The kiosk keeps accepting waivers without a connection. Each waiver is encrypted on the tablet before it is stored, and the queue uploads on its own once the tablet is back online, so nothing is lost if the signal drops in the middle of a shift. If an admin has disconnected a tablet, its waivers still upload and then wait for an admin's decision. The kiosk runs on iPadOS 15.4 and later, so older iPads work too.
- Can I find a waiver quickly at the front desk?
Yes. Results appear as you type. The search matches the guest's name, email, booking number, waiver number, tags and date of birth, and you can open the signed PDF right in the console without downloading it.
- How long do you keep waivers?
For your retention period, which you set per company. The default is 7 years after signing, and you can choose to keep waivers permanently. Until the period ends, every signed waiver is locked against editing and deletion, with a second copy in a separate Canadian region. A claim can arrive years after a trip, and for guests who were minors the time limit to sue usually doesn't start until they come of age, so choose a period that covers that. Check with your lawyer which period fits your activities. You can export your waivers at any time.