Change Order Requirements by State (2026)
A change order is a signed amendment to a construction contract that changes the scope, price or schedule. In 9 jurisdictions a home improvement statute requires change orders in writing, and California also requires them to be signed before the changed work starts.
- Written change order required by statute: California, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin.
- Signed before work begins: California.
- Everywhere else: general contract law — the original contract's change clause controls, and a signed change order is the proof.
How to read this table
Written required means a state statute (usually the home improvement contractor law) makes written change orders mandatory for residential work. Must state lists what the statute says the change order has to show. Commercial contracts are generally governed by their own change clauses.
Make a change order for your state
Our change order generator adds the state's required wording and keeps a running contract sum across change orders.
Cite this page
FormsByState, "Change Order Requirements by State (2026): When a Construction Change Order Must Be Written and Signed," https://formsbystate.com/guides/change-order-requirements-by-state/ (reviewed September 2026). Free to link and quote with attribution.
Questions
Is a verbal change order enforceable?
In states with a home improvement statute that requires written change orders, a contractor who does extra work on a verbal OK may be unable to collect for it. Elsewhere a verbal change can be enforceable, but proving it is hard — a signed change order is the evidence.
What should a change order include?
The contract it amends, a description of the changed work, the price added or deducted, the revised contract sum, days added to the schedule, and both signatures with dates. Several statutes list these items explicitly.
Does work under a change order count for a mechanics lien?
Yes. Labor and materials furnished under a signed change order are part of the improvement and are lienable on the same terms as the original contract work.
This page is general information about state statutes, not legal advice, and FormsByState is not a law firm. Statutes change; verify the cited section for your situation.