What Is an AIA Application and Certificate for Payment?

A simple explanation of the AIA pay application process - what it means, how G702 and G703 fit together, and how to manage it online.

Create an AIA-Style Pay App

The AIA Application and Certificate for Payment is a standardized process used across the U.S. construction industry for requesting progress payments. Developed by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), it ensures that owners, architects, and contractors communicate consistently about how much work has been completed and how much money is due.

It’s composed of two key forms - G702 and G703 - which together document contract value, completed work, stored materials, retainage, and current payment due.

Purpose of the AIA Application and Certificate for Payment

The AIA forms provide a uniform, transparent way to confirm progress and payment. Contractors submit them monthly to show how much work has been completed. Architects or project managers then review and “certify” the payment, authorizing the owner to release funds.

Key goals:
  • Provide a clear, auditable record of billing progress.
  • Keep contract totals and change orders aligned.
  • Calculate retainage and balance to finish accurately.
  • Standardize approvals between contractors, architects, and owners.

How the Two Forms Work Together

Form G702 - Application for Payment

The G702 is the summary sheet. It rolls up the total contract amount, approved change orders, work completed, retainage, prior payments, and the current amount due. It’s the “invoice cover page” for your pay app.

Form G703 — Continuation Sheet

The G703 details each line of the Schedule of Values (SOV): description, scheduled value, completed work, stored materials, retainage, and balance to finish. Its totals feed directly into the G702 summary.

Together, they form a complete picture of the project’s progress and payment status. Many owners require this exact structure - or an equivalent “AIA-style” format - even when not using official AIA forms.

AIA-Style Software Simplifies the Process

While the AIA forms can be filled out manually or with spreadsheets, most contractors now use AIA-style pay application software to avoid math errors, automate cumulative totals, and generate professional exports.

Auto-calculated Totals

No more spreadsheet links or rounding errors. Software handles period and cumulative math automatically.

Consistent Retainage & Change Orders

Apply retainage evenly and track approved changes that flow into current billing and balance-to-finish.

Clean PDF/Excel Exports

Submission-ready layouts that match what reviewers expect - without copying licensed forms.

View Pricing Try for $7.99

Common Questions

Typically, the contractor or subcontractor prepares the application. The architect or owner’s representative reviews and certifies it for payment.

Not always. However, many public and private owners request AIA-style pay apps because they’re familiar and easy to audit.

Yes. Tools like PayAppPro create AIA-style outputs that match the layout reviewers expect, without requiring licensed templates.

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Learn more about G702 and G703.