AIA Contract Documents typically updates documents on a 10-year cycle. However, not all documents are updated every 10 years and many documents with older dates continue to be relevant and current offerings. Once we publish an updated document, it replaces the former version of that document. From the date of replacement, users have an 18-month transition period to wrap up their work with the replaced document before it is retired. For example, A101®-2007 was replaced by A101®-2017 on April 27, 2017, but was not be retired until October 31, 2018, 18 months after the date it was replaced.
Documents that are being retired without a replacement will also receive an 18-month transition period. For example, AIA Contract Documents decided to retire B209-2007 in May of 2018 without offering a replacement document. B209-2007 was retired on November 30, 2019, 18 months after the decision to retire the document.
If a document is scheduled for retirement and is in its transition period, a pop-up message will appear in the AIA Contract Documents Software when it is selected to indicate the document’s retirement date. A document officially retires at midnight eastern standard time at the end of the day identified as the document’s retirement date. Retired documents will not appear in the AIA Contract Documents Software and will no longer be available for purchase in any medium. In addition, drafts of a retired document cannot be converted to a final document after it is retired in the online platforms. In some instances, AIA Contract Documents may make retired documents available as resource references as a locked PDF document. The following is a summary of how document retirement will be handled in each of the AIA’s purchase mediums:
Paper Documents. Those who purchase AIA Contract Documents in paper form will be able to buy documents during the 18-month transition period up until the document’s retirement, while available print supplies last. As the retirement date approaches, the AIA chapters may choose not to print a retiring document to avoid being stuck with a surplus after the retirement date. Documents purchased in paper form can be filled out and executed at any time, as they are not required to be finalized in the AIA Contract Documents Software.
Individual Digital Documents with Editable Legal Terms. Those who purchase AIA Contract Documents as individual digital documents with editable legal terms will be able to buy documents during the 18-month transition period up until the document’s retirement. Documents purchased in this manner must be finalized in the AIA Contract Documents Software within one year of purchase or before the document is retired, whichever occurs first. Users should take note that it is possible to purchase a document and have less than one year to finalize it if the document is scheduled for retirement at an earlier date.
Unlimited Digital License. Those who purchase AIA Contract Documents through an unlimited digital license will be able to create documents during the 18-month transition period up until the document’s retirement. Documents created in this manner must be finalized in the AIA Contract Documents Software before the document’s retirement.
