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Novation Agreement
I need a novation agreement to transfer obligations from Company A to Company B, effective within 30 days, ensuring all parties consent and liabilities are clearly defined, with a 12-month warranty period.
What is a Novation Agreement?
A Novation Agreement transfers both the benefits and obligations of a contract from one party to another, effectively substituting someone new into the original deal. Think of it like a complete handover of a contract - not just assigning rights, but actually replacing one party with another while keeping the core agreement intact.
This legal tool proves essential when companies merge, sell divisions, or transfer major contracts. Unlike a simple assignment that only passes along rights, novation creates a fresh set of relationships by releasing the original party from their duties and binding the new party to fulfill them. Both existing parties must agree to the switch, making it a clean break that avoids future complications.
When should you use a Novation Agreement?
Use a Novation Agreement when your business needs to completely transfer a contract to someone new. Common triggers include selling part of your company, transferring major service contracts, or restructuring your organization. For example, if you're selling your maintenance division, you'll need novation to move all service contracts to the buyer.
This agreement becomes crucial during mergers, acquisitions, and corporate reorganizations where continuing business relationships smoothly is vital. It's particularly important for government contracts, construction projects, and long-term service arrangements where simply assigning rights isn't enough - you need a complete transfer of both obligations and benefits to maintain business continuity.
What are the different types of Novation Agreement?
- Tripartite Novation Agreement: The standard three-party format where all parties (original, new, and continuing) sign together, commonly used in commercial contracts
- Letter of Novation: A simpler, letter-style format for straightforward transfers, often used in smaller business dealings
- Novation Of Lease Agreement: Specifically designed for transferring lease obligations between parties, including property rights and responsibilities
- Novation Employment Contract: Used when transferring employees during business sales or restructuring, preserving employment terms and conditions
Who should typically use a Novation Agreement?
- Original Contract Parties: Companies, individuals, or organizations who want to transfer their existing contractual rights and obligations to someone else
- Incoming Parties: New entities taking over the contract responsibilities, often buyers in acquisitions or successor companies in reorganizations
- Corporate Lawyers: Draft and review Novation Agreements to ensure proper transfer of obligations and protect client interests
- Business Executives: Negotiate terms and sign off on behalf of their organizations during mergers, acquisitions, or restructuring
- Government Contracting Officers: Review and approve novations when federal contracts are transferred between contractors
How do you write a Novation Agreement?
- Original Contract Details: Gather the complete original agreement, including all amendments and key terms that need to transfer
- Party Information: Collect legal names, addresses, and authorized signatories for all three parties involved
- Transfer Scope: Clearly define which rights and obligations will transfer to the new party
- Effective Date: Determine when the transfer takes effect and any transition period requirements
- Consent Requirements: Check if the original contract requires third-party approval for novation
- Documentation: Use our platform to generate a legally sound Novation Agreement that includes all required elements and proper formatting
What should be included in a Novation Agreement?
- Identification Section: Full legal names and addresses of all three parties - outgoing, incoming, and continuing party
- Original Contract Reference: Details of the agreement being novated, including date and key terms
- Transfer Statement: Clear language transferring rights and obligations from outgoing to incoming party
- Release Clause: Explicit release of original party from future obligations
- Effective Date: Specific timing when the novation takes effect
- Consideration: Statement of value exchanged to make the agreement legally binding
- Governing Law: Jurisdiction and applicable state laws
- Signature Blocks: Properly formatted spaces for all three parties to execute
What's the difference between a Novation Agreement and an Assignment Agreement?
A Novation Agreement differs significantly from an Assignment Agreement, though they're often confused. The key distinction lies in how they handle contractual obligations.
- Transfer of Obligations: Novation completely transfers both rights AND obligations to a new party, while assignment only transfers rights while keeping original obligations with the first party
- Consent Requirements: Novation requires explicit consent from all parties involved, including the original contract partner. Assignment often needs only the assignor's approval
- Legal Relationship: Novation creates an entirely new contractual relationship, effectively terminating the original agreement. Assignment maintains the original contract while adding a new party
- Risk Profile: In novation, the original party is fully released from liability. With assignment, they remain potentially liable if the assignee fails to perform
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