How to Fill Out the AIA Short Form Contract (A105): Articles, Signing, Payments

To fill out the AIA A105 short form contract, purchase a one-time license from AIA Contract Documents, open the fillable file, and complete the blanks in each numbered article: list the contract documents, enter commencement and substantial completion dates, state the fixed contract sum with a schedule of values, set the payment procedure, enter insurance limits, add any extra terms in Article 17, then have both the owner and contractor sign.¹

The A105-2017 is a standalone agreement, meaning the general conditions are built in and you don’t attach the separate A201 document that larger AIA contracts require. A single-use license runs $179.99 and is delivered digitally through AIA’s online platform, where the blanks are filled in on screen.¹

When the A105 Is the Right Form

AIA describes the A105 as intended for projects “modest in size and brief in duration,” and it carries no stated dollar cap or maximum timeline.² It suits residential renovations, tenant build-outs, minor additions, and straightforward new construction where the price is a fixed sum.

Once a project involves complex engineering, multiple prime contractors, or significant financial exposure, the longer A101/A201 contract family is the better choice. If an architect is involved on an A105 project, pair it with B105 from the same Small Projects family rather than reaching into a different AIA family, which AIA cautions against without a careful comparison of terms.¹

What To Gather Before You Open the Form

Collect every item below before you start filling. Missing information produces blank fields, and blank fields produce ambiguity.

Full legal names and principal business addresses for the owner and the contractor, exactly as registered with the state.
The project location (street address or legal parcel description) and a brief description of the work.
The drawings, specifications, addenda, and supplementary conditions that make up the contract, each identified by title, number, and date.
A commencement date or the method for setting one (such as a notice to proceed), and a substantial completion target expressed as a date or a number of days.
The total contract sum, a schedule of values breaking that sum into portions of the work, and any unit prices, allowances, or accepted alternates.
Required insurance coverage limits for the contractor’s commercial general liability, automobile liability, employer’s liability, and any additional policies the owner wants.

Filling Out the Agreement Article by Article

The A105 is organized into numbered articles. Some contain preprinted general conditions you don’t edit; the articles below have blanks that require your input.

Article 1: Contract Documents

List every document that will form part of the contract: drawings, specifications, addenda, and any supplementary conditions. Use each document’s exact title, number, and date. Anything you leave off this list is not part of the deal, so check against the project file before you move on.²

Article 2: Commencement and Substantial Completion

Section 2.2 asks for the commencement date. If work will begin on the date both parties sign, you can key this to the agreement date. Otherwise, enter a specific calendar date or state that commencement follows a written notice to proceed from the owner. Section 2.3 asks for the substantial completion target, which can be either a fixed date or a number of calendar days from commencement. A number of days is easier to adjust if the start date shifts.²

Article 3: Contract Sum

Enter the fixed-price contract sum at Section 3.1. Section 3.2 asks you to break that lump sum into a schedule of values, which is an itemized list showing how much of the price is allocated to each major portion of the work (foundations, framing, finishes, and so on). The schedule drives progress payments later, so take time to get it right. Sections 3.3 through 3.5 are optional blanks for unit prices, allowances, and accepted alternates. Leave them blank if they don’t apply.²

Article 4: Payment

Section 4.1 is a blank for the payment procedure. You can set up monthly progress payments, milestone-based payments, or a combination. This is also where you state retainage terms if you plan to withhold a percentage of each payment until the project is complete. The form has no default retainage percentage, so if you want retainage you have to write it in. Section 4.2 provides a blank for the interest rate on late payments. Leave it empty and the applicable legal rate in your jurisdiction controls.²

Keep retainage reasonable. Many jurisdictions cap it at five or ten percent on private projects, and excessive withholding strains the contractor’s cash flow without meaningfully reducing owner risk.

Article 5: Insurance

Fill in coverage limits for each required insurance type. The form provides separate blanks for commercial general liability (Section 5.1.1), automobile liability (Section 5.1.2), and employer’s liability (Section 5.1.5). Section 5.1.7 is for other coverages, such as builder’s risk, umbrella policies, or professional liability if the contractor provides design services. Consult your insurance advisor or lender for limits appropriate to the project. Leaving these blanks empty does not mean insurance isn’t required; it means the contract is ambiguous on the point, which helps nobody if something goes wrong.²

Article 17: Other Terms and Conditions

Article 17 is the catch-all for anything the preprinted form doesn’t address. Common additions include liquidated damages for late completion, allowable working hours, specific permit responsibilities, and site cleanliness requirements. You can write terms directly into the blank or reference an attached exhibit.

Signing and Storing the Executed Contract

Both the owner and the contractor, or their authorized representatives, must sign the completed document. Ink signatures and electronic signatures both work. Federal law prohibits denying a contract legal effect solely because it was signed electronically, so either method produces an enforceable agreement.³

Each party should keep a fully executed copy, either an original or a high-quality digital scan, in permanent business records. If the project requires a building permit or construction financing, the local building department or lender will likely ask for a copy of the signed contract. The executed agreement is your reference point for every payment application, change order, and dispute that follows.

What To Expect After Signing

Progress Payments

Under Section 12.2.1 of the A105’s built-in general conditions, the contractor submits an itemized application for payment at least ten days before each scheduled payment date, showing work completed in accordance with the schedule of values you entered in Article 3. The owner or architect can request supporting documentation such as evidence of payments to subcontractors, lien waivers, or material delivery receipts. Materials stored on site are eligible for payment; materials stored off site qualify only if the owner approves the arrangement in advance and in writing.⁴

Change Orders

Almost every project involves at least one change to the original scope, price, or timeline. The A105 requires that changes be documented in writing and signed by both parties. AIA publishes Document G701 (Change Order) for use with A105 contracts; it records the description of the change, the adjustment to the contract sum, and any extension or reduction in the contract time.⁵ Get the signed G701 in place before the extra work starts. Verbal agreements to add work are where small projects most often go sideways.

Disputes

The general conditions require negotiation first, with both parties escalating to managers who have settlement authority within ten business days of a written claim. If negotiation fails, mediation is required before either party can go to court or arbitration. A checkbox lets you select binding arbitration or litigation as the final step; if neither box is checked, litigation controls. Mediation costs are shared equally.⁶

Substantial Completion and Final Payment

Substantial completion is the point at which the work is far enough along that the owner can occupy or use the space for its intended purpose. When the contractor believes it has reached that point, it notifies the architect, who inspects and, if satisfied, issues a Certificate of Substantial Completion. That certificate sets the official date, assigns remaining responsibilities, and sets a deadline for finishing punchlist items. Warranties begin running from the date of substantial completion unless the certificate says otherwise.⁴

For final payment, the contractor submits a final application along with lien waivers and documentation showing that subcontractors and suppliers have been paid or their claims satisfied. The architect then issues a final Certificate for Payment. Accepting final payment waives all contractor claims except those previously identified in writing as unsettled.⁴ Contractors commonly submit conditional lien waivers with progress payments (the waiver takes effect once the check clears) and unconditional waivers at final payment. Owners should insist on waivers from the general contractor and from each subcontractor and material supplier to prevent liens from being filed after the project is paid in full.⁷

1
AIA Contract Documents. A105 Owner and Contractor Agreement – Small Projects, Fixed Price
2
AIA Contract Documents. Instructions: A105-2017: Standard Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 96 – Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce
4
AIA Contract Documents. Document A105-2017
5
AIA Contract Documents. FAQs: Modifying and Amending AIA Contract Documents
6
AIA Contract Documents. AIA Document A105-2017
7
AIA Contract Documents. The Basics of Waivers and Releases of Lien or Payment Bond Rights in Construction