Is an e-signature legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable in the United States when the parties show intent, consent, attribution, and retention per the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted by the state.

Do change orders need notarization?

Generally no. Change orders rarely require notarization to be valid; however, if the change order amends a recordable instrument or contains affidavits, notary or RON may be required under state law. Verify local requirements.

Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?

Where state law permits RON, remote notarization is acceptable. RON typically requires identity proofing, audio-video recording, and specific retention rules; confirm state notary commission guidance before relying on remote notarization.

How long should I retain change orders?

Retain change orders for the contract term plus a recommended minimum of three years; federal financial records must be kept at least three years per IRC §6501(a). For healthcare-related records retain six years per 45 CFR §164.530(j).

What if signer names or signatures do not match?

If signer names or signature images differ from authorized signatories, obtain confirmation of authority, attach delegation documentation, or request a corrected signed form. Mismatches can void approvals, delay payment, or create disputes.

How do I revoke or cancel a change order?

Revocation generally requires the same formality as authorization—a signed amendment or written rescission executed by all relevant parties. Document mutual agreement to cancel and update project records; consult counsel for disputed revocations or claims.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Project Management Change Order Form

Project Management Change Order Form

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHANGE ORDER FORM

WHEREAS

This Change Order is issued pursuant to the existing Contract between the parties. Client Name: and Contractor Name: entered into on Contract Date: (the "Contract").

WHEREAS, the parties desire to modify the Scope of Work, Price, and/or Schedule under the Contract as described in this Change Order No.: ; Project: ; Contract Reference No.:

DESCRIPTION OF CHANGE / SCOPE OF WORK

Detailed description of the work to be added, changed, or deleted:

COST IMPACT (ITEMIZED)

Provide itemized additions, credits, or adjustments. Round amounts to two decimals.

Description

Qty

Unit Price

Total

Net change to Contract Price (additions less credits):

SCHEDULE IMPACT

Description of schedule impact: Time extension requested (days):

PAYMENT TERMS

The parties agree that the Net Change Amount specified above shall be paid as follows:

Payment schedule / milestones: Late payment charge:

TERM AND TERMINATION

This Change Order modifies the Contract only as expressly set forth herein. All other terms and conditions of the Contract remain in full force and effect unless and until further modified in writing.

Effective start date of this Change Order: Anticipated completion date (if applicable): Notice period for termination related to this Change Order (days):

CONFIDENTIALITY

All non-public information, deliverables, pricing, and technical data exchanged in connection with this Change Order shall be treated as Confidential Information. Each party shall use Confidential Information only for performance under this Change Order and shall not disclose it to third parties except as required by law or with the other party's prior written consent. Confidential obligations survive termination of this Change Order for a period of three (3) years, unless a longer period is required by the Contract.

Acknowledgement of confidentiality obligations:

The undersigned acknowledge and agree to the confidentiality provisions above.

GOVERNING LAW

This Change Order shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of: , without regard to choice-of-law principles that would apply the laws of another jurisdiction.

ENTIRE AGREEMENT

Except as expressly modified by this Change Order, the Contract and its incorporated documents remain unchanged and constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. In the event of any conflict between this Change Order and the Contract, the terms of this Change Order shall control to the extent of the inconsistency.

AUTHORIZATION

By signing below, authorized representatives of the parties certify that they have authority to bind their respective organizations and that this Change Order is accepted and approved in accordance with the terms set forth herein.

Client / Owner:

By:

Date:

Contractor:

By:

Date:

What the Project Management Change Order Form Is

The Project Management Change Order Form documents agreed modifications to a project’s scope, schedule, budget, or deliverables after the original contract has been executed. It records who requested the change, a description of the change, cost and time impacts, and any updated approvals. Project managers, contractors, and clients use it to keep a clear audit trail, align expectations, and authorize work before execution. Properly completed change orders reduce disputes, enable accurate budget tracking, and provide evidence for claims or progress billing. This form can be issued multiple times as projects evolve.

Why Using a Standard Change Order Form Matters

Use a Project Management Change Order Form to document scope or schedule changes formally, assign cost responsibility, and secure approvals. A consistent, signed form protects all parties, improves traceability for audits and billing, and helps manage project risk.

Who Prepares and Signs Change Orders

Typical users who prepare, approve, or receive Project Management Change Order Forms include project managers, general contractors, subcontractors, and project owners.

Project managers: coordinate approvals, update schedules, and issue change orders to control scope, cost, and timeline.
Contractors and subcontractors: submit proposals for additional work, estimate costs, and accept or reject changes.
Owners and clients: review impacts, authorize budget adjustments, and document formal acceptance for billing or claims.

Clear role assignment prevents unauthorized work and ensures the change order carries appropriate approvals before billable work begins.

How to Complete a Change Order — Step by Step

Follow these steps to complete a Project Management Change Order Form accurately and maintain a compliant project record.

01

Identify Change: Describe the change in scope, location, or specification with concise details.
02

Estimate Impact: Provide cost, time, and resource impacts as line items or totals.
03

Obtain Approvals: List required approvers and capture signatures or e-signature evidence.
04

Update Documents: Revise schedule, budget, and contract exhibits; circulate signed copies.

Configuring an Online Change Order Workflow

Set up an online workflow to populate fields, route approvals, and collect signatures for the Project Management Change Order Form.

Field	Configuration
Automatic Numbering	Enable sequential IDs for change orders
Conditional Fields	Show cost fields only when scope changes
Approval Routing	Route by role and monetary threshold
Signing Method	Allow e-signature with audit trail

Technical and Integration Considerations

Use eSignature-capable platforms that support audit trails, role-based routing, and secure storage for change orders.

Integrations: Integrates with Salesforce, NetSuite, Procore
Formats: PDF, DOCX, XLSX supported
Authentication: Email, SMS code, or advanced 2FA

Where to Send and File Completed Change Orders

After signatures, route the completed Project Management Change Order Form to contract administrators, finance, and the project file; keep copies for auditors.

Send to PM: Email signed copy to project manager and document repository.
Finance: Provide to accounting for budget updates and invoicing.
Owner/Client: Send approved change order to client for records.
Archive: Store final version in project file and cloud archive.

Essential Sections of a Professional Change Order

A professional Project Management Change Order Form includes standardized sections for identification, detailed description, cost and schedule impacts, approvals, and references to contract exhibits.

Header

Includes project name, contract number, change order number, effective date, and parties. This header ensures the change is linked to the correct contract and project for billing and audit purposes.

Change Description

Clear, specific description of the adjustment with references to original specifications, drawings, or contract clauses. Avoid vague terms; include location, scope, and measurable acceptance criteria for the changed work.

Cost Breakdown

Detailed line items for labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor costs, taxes, contingency, and total impact. Indicate whether costs are estimates, fixed-price, or time-and-materials with hourly rates.

Schedule Impact

State revised completion dates, critical path changes, and any required sequencing. Include logic for float consumption and revised milestones to support schedule recovery or claims.

Approvals

Designate approvers by role and signature block with dates. Record delegated authority limits and document any verbal approvals with subsequent written confirmation to maintain enforceability.

Attachments

Attach supporting documents such as revised drawings, proposals, cost worksheets, and communications. Reference exhibits explicitly to avoid disputes about which documents control.

Core Fields Required on the Form

Project ID: Contract number and project code

Requester Name: Full legal name and company

Change Summary: Short description of scope change

Cost Estimate: Line-item cost or approved total

Time Impact: New completion date and duration

Signatures: Printed name, role, signature, date

Timelines and Expected Response Deadlines

Timely issuance and processing of change orders affect authorization, billing cycles, and schedule recovery; track dates for request, approval, implementation, and invoicing.

Request Submitted to PM:

Within 5 business days of change discovery

Estimate Returned:

Provide cost/time estimate within 7–10 business days

Approval Decision:

Approver responds within contract-specified period or 10 business days

Implementation Start:

Begin work only after signed approval is received

Invoice Processing:

Submit change order invoice with approved reference within next billing cycle

Key Milestones from Request to Closure

A standard sequence of milestones guides a change order from request to contract amendment, clarifying responsibilities and control points for stakeholders and auditors.

01

Submit Request

Document requested change and submit to project manager.

02

Impact Analysis

Estimate cost, time, and risk; prepare supporting documents.

03

Approval

Authorized approvers review and sign change order.

04

Implement & Close

Update plans, execute work, and close the change order record.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Failing to describe the change clearly leads to disputes and improper billing; include references to contract sections and drawings to reduce ambiguity.
Not obtaining documented approvals before starting work risks nonpayment and breach claims; verbal authorizations are insufficient without follow-up written confirmation.
Poor cost breakdowns or omission of taxes and contingency result in cost overruns and unclear invoicing; provide line-item detail.
Losing version control of change orders creates audit problems; use sequential numbering and centralized storage to prevent duplicates or missing signatures.

Penalties and Risks of Incorrect or Unapproved Changes

Payment Delay: Delayed or withheld payments

Contract Dispute: Claims and arbitration risk

Cost Overrun: Unbudgeted expenses increase

Tax/Accounting: Incorrect records affect reporting

Lien Exposure: Contractors may file liens

Invalid Authorization: Work may be noncompensable

Representative Use Cases

Representative use cases show how change orders resolve scope shifts and protect budgets across projects.

Construction Project

On a mid-rise building job, an unforeseen structural conflict required design changes affecting multiple trades and schedule.

Contractor issued a consolidated change order with cost and delay estimates.
The formal change order documented approvals, updated payment schedules, and allowed billing for extra work without dispute; centralized records simplified invoicing and provided verifiable evidence for progress billing and insurance claims.

Software Implementation

During a software rollout, client requested additional integration features after initial acceptance testing.

Project manager prepared a scoped change order and revised timeline.
Clear acceptance criteria and a signed change order prevented scope creep, enabled prioritized resource allocation, and ensured the client approved additional fees before development commenced.

Saving, Exporting, and Supporting Documents

Export options and typical supporting documents associated with the Project Management Change Order Form help maintain clear records across systems.

Export Formats

Save signed change orders as PDF/A for archival, export DOCX for editable records, and attach XML/CSV extracts for integration with ERP or project controls software; maintain identical filenames for version control.

Supporting Docs

Attach revised drawings, vendor proposals, cost worksheets, correspondence logs, and prior approvals. Label exhibits consistently and reference them in the change order narrative to avoid disputes.

Versioning

Include version number, change order date, and author in filename and header. Retain previous versions in a read-only archive to preserve audit trail.

Cloud Storage

Store final signed copies in centralized cloud repository with access controls, retention policies, and audit logs to support compliance and retrieval.

Best Practices for Accurate and Efficient Change Orders

Follow these best practices to reduce errors, accelerate approvals, and improve auditability when using change orders.

Keep descriptions measurable and reference originals

Write measurable descriptions with reference to original contract clause numbers, drawings, or spec pages. Quantify areas, counts, and units so estimators and approvers can verify scope and prevent interpretation disputes during execution.

Use consistent numbering and version control

Assign unique sequential numbers and maintain a version history. Update related documents and notify stakeholders when new change orders supersede previous ones to avoid conflicting instructions on site.

Require role-based approvals before work starts

Define approval thresholds by role and monetary amount. Enforce that work does not commence until all required signatories have signed to reduce payment disputes and preserve contractual remedies.

Attach cost backup and acceptance criteria

Include vendor quotes, timesheets, and detailed cost worksheets. Define acceptance criteria and testing steps to demonstrate completed work meets the revised scope before approving final payment.

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison for Change Orders

Compare baseline pricing and feature availability across common eSignature vendors when handling Project Management Change Order Forms; signNow is listed first per table conventions.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	Yes, 7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

Frequently Asked Questions About Change Orders

Answers to common questions about completing, signing, and storing Project Management Change Order Forms, including e-signature and retention concerns.

Need help? Contact support

Is an e-signature legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable in the United States when the parties show intent, consent, attribution, and retention per the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA where adopted by the state.
Do change orders need notarization?
Generally no. Change orders rarely require notarization to be valid; however, if the change order amends a recordable instrument or contains affidavits, notary or RON may be required under state law. Verify local requirements.
Can I use remote online notarization (RON)?
Where state law permits RON, remote notarization is acceptable. RON typically requires identity proofing, audio-video recording, and specific retention rules; confirm state notary commission guidance before relying on remote notarization.
How long should I retain change orders?
Retain change orders for the contract term plus a recommended minimum of three years; federal financial records must be kept at least three years per IRC §6501(a). For healthcare-related records retain six years per 45 CFR §164.530(j).
What if signer names or signatures do not match?
If signer names or signature images differ from authorized signatories, obtain confirmation of authority, attach delegation documentation, or request a corrected signed form. Mismatches can void approvals, delay payment, or create disputes.
How do I revoke or cancel a change order?
Revocation generally requires the same formality as authorization—a signed amendment or written rescission executed by all relevant parties. Document mutual agreement to cancel and update project records; consult counsel for disputed revocations or claims.

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