Documents Committee Mission

Understand the AIA Documents Committee drafting principles to strive for the most fair and balanced legal documents for the design and construction industry.

In accordance with its bylaws, The American Institute of Architects has published, for 120 years, documents that serve as standard forms of agreement in the design and construction industry. During that time, owners, architects, contractors, attorneys, insurance experts, and many others have contributed to the development and revision of the AIA Contract Documents.

The AIA assembled the following documents drafting principles from various policies adopted by the AIA over the course of many years:

Where practices are consistent among regions, to reflect industry customs and practices, rather than to impose new ones; and where practices are inconsistent or no guidelines for practice exist, to provide a consensus-based model for practitioners to follow.