ACORD 25 Form: 2025/12 Edition Guide to the Certificate of Liability Insurance
Commercial insurance · United States
If a client, landlord or general contractor has asked for a "COI," they almost certainly mean an ACORD 25. Here's what the form shows, what changed in the new 2025/12 edition, and how to request or check one.
Quick answer
The ACORD 25 is the standard US Certificate of Liability Insurance: a one-page summary, issued and signed by your insurance agent or broker, showing your general liability, commercial auto, umbrella and workers' compensation coverage, with policy numbers, dates and limits. The current edition is 2025/12. It proves coverage exists but doesn't create or change it, and it doesn't make anyone an additional insured on its own.
What is an ACORD 25?
ACORD (the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) publishes standard forms used across the US insurance industry. The ACORD 25 is its certificate of liability insurance, the most widely requested certificate of insurance. Construction, real estate, events and corporate procurement teams use it to confirm a business carries the coverage a contract requires before work starts. For the wider family of forms, see what ACORD insurance forms are, and for certificates in general, our certificate of insurance guide.
What changed in the 2025/12 edition
ACORD introduced the 2025/12 edition in December 2025, replacing the 2016/03 form. The key change is new wording in the "this is to certify" box:
New limits wording. The certificate now states that limits shown are inclusive of amounts requested by the certificate holder and may not reflect policy limits above those amounts. In plain terms, if your contract requires $1 million and the policy carries $2 million, the certificate may show $1 million. According to ACORD's explanation reported by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, the change clarifies existing practice rather than authorizing a new one (Big I on ACORD 25 changes).
The Big "I" recommends that agents keep showing actual policy limits where they can. If true limits matter to you, as with a large project or a lender, ask for them directly.
The long-running version of the ACORD 25 used for nearly a decade.
New edition released, with added wording on limits in the certification box.
Agencies switch to the new edition. New York's DFS removed the 2016/03 edition from its approved list.
ACORD's license allows a prior edition for about 12 months after a new one is published, so the 2016/03 edition should be retired.
Is the old form illegal? No. But ACORD's license permits a prior edition for only about 12 months after a new one is published, and New York's Department of Financial Services removed the 2016/03 edition from its approved list. Agencies are advised to stop using 2016/03 by December 2026 (Big I NY on the old ACORD 25).
ACORD 25 sections explained
You don't fill in an ACORD 25 yourself; your agent does. But you should know what each section means so you can check it.
| Section | What it shows | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Date, certificate number, revision number | When the certificate was issued and which version it is | The date is recent; a revision number means an earlier certificate was replaced |
| Producer | The agency or broker that issued it, with contact details | A real agency you can call to confirm coverage |
| Insured | The business's legal name and address | Exactly matches the contracting party's legal name |
| Insurers affording coverage (A–F) | Each insurance company and its NAIC number | Each insurer letter is used correctly in the coverage grid |
| Coverages | Commercial general liability, auto liability, umbrella/excess, workers' comp and employers' liability, plus an "other" line | Policy numbers, effective and expiration dates, and limits for each line |
| ADDL INSD and SUBR WVD columns | Whether additional insured status and waiver of subrogation apply | Backed by endorsements on the policy |
| Description of operations / locations / vehicles | Project, location or contract details and special wording | References the right project and any required endorsements |
| Certificate holder | The person or company the certificate is issued to | Your exact legal name and address |
| Cancellation | That notice will be given in line with policy provisions | Doesn't promise a set notice period; get an endorsement if you need one |
| Authorized representative | The agent's signature | Signed |
Insured: ABC Construction LLC | Certificate holder: XYZ Property Group
Commercial general liability (Insurer A): each occurrence $1,000,000; general aggregate $2,000,000; ADDL INSD ✓; SUBR WVD ✓; 01/01/2026–01/01/2027
Automobile liability (Insurer B): combined single limit $1,000,000
Umbrella (Insurer A): each occurrence $2,000,000
Workers' comp and employers' liability (Insurer C): statutory; E.L. each accident $1,000,000
Description of operations: "XYZ Property Group is an additional insured on a primary and noncontributory basis per the attached endorsement, as required by written contract, for work at 100 Main St."
What an ACORD 25 does not do
- It doesn't create coverage. It reports existing policies.
- It doesn't change coverage. Many states have certificate of insurance laws that bar certificates from altering or misrepresenting policy terms.
- It doesn't make you an additional insured. Only a policy endorsement does.
- It doesn't guarantee notice of cancellation. The standard wording refers to the policy's own provisions.
- It doesn't guarantee a claim will be paid. The policy terms decide that.
Who needs an ACORD 25?
| Situation | Usually requested? | Typical requester |
|---|---|---|
| Construction or trade contract | Yes | General contractor or property owner |
| Commercial lease | Yes | Landlord or property manager |
| Vendor or supplier agreement | Yes | The customer's procurement or risk team |
| Event vendor or venue booking | Often | Venue or event organizer |
| Independent consultant or freelancer | Often | Client, especially larger companies |
| Proof of personal auto insurance | No | Your auto ID card is used instead |
| Proof of property insurance for a lender | No | Lenders usually want an ACORD 27 or 28 instead |
How to request an ACORD 25
Get the requirements in writing. Ask the client or landlord for its insurance requirements: coverage types, limits, additional insured wording, waiver of subrogation and the exact certificate holder name.
Send them to your agent or broker. Forward the contract's insurance section so your agent can confirm your policies meet it.
Add any missing endorsements. If the contract needs additional insured status, waiver of subrogation or primary and noncontributory wording, your insurer must add an endorsement to the policy.
Agent issues the ACORD 25. Your agent completes and signs the current 2025/12 edition from your actual policies and sends it to you or directly to the certificate holder.
Check it before you send it. Confirm names, dates, limits and checkboxes match the contract.
Reissue at renewal. Ask for an updated certificate whenever a policy renews, changes or is replaced.
Tip: Many agencies and carriers offer online portals that issue standard certificates in minutes. Certificates with special wording or new endorsements take longer, so request them well before a project starts.
How to check a certificate you receive
If you're the certificate holder, review every ACORD 25 before work begins:
- The insured's name matches the contracting party exactly, including "LLC" or "Inc."
- Policy dates cover the whole contract or project period.
- Limits meet or exceed your contract requirements for every coverage line.
- Additional insured and waiver of subrogation boxes are checked where required, and you've seen the endorsements.
- The certificate holder is your exact legal name and address.
- The form is the 2025/12 edition (shown in the bottom corner) and is signed.
- You've called the producer to confirm the certificate is genuine if anything looks off.
ACORD 25 vs other forms
For cancellations, see our ACORD 35 guide.
| Form | Purpose | Typical user |
|---|---|---|
| ACORD 25 | Certificate of liability insurance | Contractors, vendors, tenants proving liability coverage |
| ACORD 27 | Evidence of property insurance | Property owners proving coverage to lenders or landlords |
| ACORD 28 | Evidence of commercial property insurance | Commercial property owners and their lenders |
| ACORD 35 | Cancellation request / policy release | Policyholders ending or releasing a policy |
| Certificate of insurance (generic) | Any proof-of-coverage document | The umbrella term that includes all of the above |
ACORD 25 myths vs facts
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| The ACORD 25 is an insurance policy. | It's a snapshot of coverage on the date issued. The policy and its endorsements control what's covered. |
| Listing me as certificate holder makes me an additional insured. | Only an endorsement on the policy does that. |
| The limits shown are always the full policy limits. | Under the 2025/12 edition, a certificate may show only the limits you requested. |
| I'll be told if the policy is cancelled. | The form only says notice will follow policy provisions. A notice endorsement is needed for a guarantee. |
| Any blank ACORD 25 PDF will do. | Only a certificate issued by the insured's agent or insurer is valid proof. |
| The old 2016/03 form is now illegal. | It isn't illegal, but ACORD's license window for it is closing and some states no longer list it as approved. |
Common mistakes
- Accepting a certificate without the endorsements. Ask for the additional insured and waiver of subrogation endorsements themselves.
- Not tracking expiration dates. Set reminders and request renewal certificates before policies lapse.
- Wrong legal names. A mismatch between the insured and the contracting entity can leave a gap.
- Assuming the limits are the full policy limits. Under the 2025/12 edition, ask for actual limits if they matter.
- Asking the agent to change coverage wording on the certificate. Many states prohibit certificates that alter or misstate the policy.
- Self-editing a certificate. Altering a certificate can be fraud. Always get a reissued one from the agent.
- Still using the 2016/03 edition. Switch to 2025/12 before ACORD's license window for the old edition ends.
FAQs
What is an ACORD 25 form?
The ACORD 25 is the standard US Certificate of Liability Insurance. It's a one-page summary, issued by an insurance agent or broker, showing that a business has liability coverage such as general liability, commercial auto, umbrella and workers' compensation, with policy numbers, dates and limits.
What is the current version of the ACORD 25?
The 2025/12 edition, introduced in December 2025. It replaced the 2016/03 edition. ACORD's license allows prior editions for only about 12 months after a new edition is published, so agencies are moving to 2025/12 before the end of 2026.
What changed in the ACORD 25 (2025/12)?
The main change is new wording in the certification box saying limits shown are inclusive of amounts requested by the certificate holder and may not reflect policy limits above those amounts. In other words, a certificate can show the contract-required limit rather than the full policy limit.
Who fills out the ACORD 25?
Your insurance agent or broker completes and signs it, as the authorized representative, based on your policies. You request it; you don't fill it out yourself.
Does an ACORD 25 make me an additional insured?
No. Additional insured status comes only from an endorsement on the insured's policy. The certificate can show that the endorsement exists, but it doesn't create it. Ask for a copy of the endorsement.
How much does an ACORD 25 cost?
Agents typically issue certificates to existing clients at no charge. Endorsements the certificate refers to, such as additional insured or waiver of subrogation, may increase your premium.
Can I download a blank ACORD 25 and fill it in myself?
No. ACORD forms are licensed to insurance agencies and carriers, and a certificate is only valid when issued by your agent or insurer from your actual policies. A self-completed form isn't proof of coverage.
What's the difference between an ACORD 25 and an ACORD 35?
The ACORD 25 is a certificate proving liability coverage to a third party. The ACORD 35 is a cancellation request or policy release, used to cancel or end a policy.
Related Eduyush guides
Need the bigger picture?
See how the ACORD 25 fits into certificates of insurance, and what every valid certificate must contain.
Read the certificate of insurance guideDisclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Certificate rules, required wording and endorsement practices vary by state, insurer and contract. Ask your agent or broker, or your attorney, about your specific requirements. ACORD and ACORD 25 are trademarks of ACORD Corporation; Eduyush is not affiliated with ACORD.
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