Bounce house rental agreement: the clauses to include

Kelly Insurance Group's inflatable rental page lists a rental agreement among eight items to assemble before you apply, and describes it as a client-facing contract covering "use, supervision, and hold-harmless wording." Its declinations page puts "Rental agreement with hold-harmless wording" on the self-audit list. The customer signs this one when they book. The people on the unit sign a separate paper, the bounce house waiver.

None of the insurer pages we read publishes the wording itself. They name topics, and the clauses below follow them, along with what venues and CPSC guidance put in writing. Each clause ends with an example line to rewrite for your own units.

The clauses

1. Parties, event and equipment

Name the renter, the venue's exact legal name, the date, the setup and teardown window, and each unit by serial number. Venues want the same fields. El Paso County wants a certificate that shows "the dates, times, location and nature of the event" (El Paso County). Wilmington, North Carolina says setup and tear down times "must be specifically listed on the permit" and fall inside the rental time (Wilmington application). Bellevue, Washington asks for a copy of the order or contract, and says it needs to include a generator and company staff who stay on site (Bellevue special use form).

Example: Operator will deliver and set up one 15x15 castle (serial no. ____) at [address] between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. and remove it between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. on [date].

2. Setup surface and space

This clause gives you grounds to move or refuse a bad site. CPSC tells commercial operators to follow the manual for site layout, including "proximity to overhead wires and/or objects" (CPSC bulletin). Wilmington wants a flat surface, nothing on concrete or hard surfaces, and at least 8 feet from poles, walkways and similar objects. James City County, Virginia says no utility lines within 20 feet of the unit in any direction (inflatable guidelines). El Paso County bars bounce houses from grass altogether and puts them on the parking lot.

Wichita requires a call to Kansas 811 and the city's utility office before any stake goes in, and makes the vendor responsible for staking damage (Wichita vendor policy). First Commercial says to document the venue's condition before setup (First Commercial).

Example: Customer will provide a flat, clear area of at least ___ by ___ and will tell the operator where sprinklers, utility lines and septic lines run before any stake is driven. Operator may relocate or refuse setup if the site does not meet the manufacturer's layout requirements.

3. Anchoring and power

CPSC's rule is short: "ALWAYS anchor rides per manufacturer's requirements and instructions," using the number and type of anchors the manufacturer names. Venues often overrule the stake. Tampa's park rules say staking is "strictly prohibited" and require vendors to bring their own generators and weights (the page says "minimum of 500lbs" without saying per anchor or in total) (Tampa vendor rules). El Paso County says "NO STAKES." Wilmington and Bellevue require weights.

Sources differ on how much weight. North Royalton, Ohio's fire department reproduces ASTM F2374-22 and gives a minimum of 75 pounds per tie-down for bounce-type units, more where the manufacturer says so (North Royalton Fire Department). The anchoring guide from manufacturer JumpOrange, which also cites the standard, calls 75 pound sandbags insufficient for commercial use. The agreement should name who supplies weights and power, and say the operator picks the method for the site. Provo, Utah says park power will not support an inflatable and tells renters to provide their own power source, such as a generator (Provo FAQ).

Example: Operator chooses the anchoring method for the site (stakes, weights or both) and supplies blowers and a generator when the venue has no power. Customer will not move, disconnect or re-tether any part of the setup.

4. Wind and weather cancellation

Kelly says that if a submission "doesn't show a written wind-threshold policy" and a shutdown protocol, carriers assume none exists. On its party rental page, in a passage about tents, First Commercial says carriers want "weather cancellation language in your customer contracts."

Put the unit's wind limit in it. CPSC says manufacturers set maximum wind speeds from 15 to 25 mph depending on the ride, and that above 25 mph, gusts included, operating any inflatable is dangerous. JumpOrange says ASTM F2374-22 defaults to 15 mph when the manufacturer gives no limit. The North Royalton sheet, which cites the same standard, lists "a maximum allowed operational wind speed of at least 25 mph" and an operating limit at least 5 mph below the anchoring design speed. Ask the manufacturer for the number. Westfield, New Jersey's fire prevention rules bar operation at sustained winds or gusts of 25 mph or above (Westfield). Party Rental Insurance Advisors says to post the manufacturer's wind limit where attendants can see it (partyrentalinsurance.ai). Wilmington's permit gives the vendor "the final call" on weather, so say the same in your contract.

Example: Operator decides when conditions are unsafe, including wind above the limit printed on the unit's label, lightning or heavy rain, and will deflate and clear the unit without notice. Refund or reschedule terms: ____.

5. Supervision and capacity

CPSC's operator guidance counts people: at least one operator for a bounce unit or small slide under 15 feet, two for a slide over 15 feet or a unit made for young children, always with a clear line of sight. It also says not to exceed the manufacturer's maximum loads. Its consumer guidance adds that riders should be similar in size and take off shoes and glasses.

Venues set adult minimums. Mt. Juliet, Tennessee requires someone at least 18 monitoring at all times (Mt. Juliet permit), and Florence County, South Carolina says the same (Florence County). Who supervises also moves your price. Kelly says customer pick-up with the customer supervising is "a high-risk modifier" many carriers decline, and Pro Insurance Group says operator-supervised events price 15 to 25 percent better (Pro Insurance Group).

CPSC also asks rental companies to give renters the operating materials and get "a written statement signed by the renter" confirming they received and understood the procedures.

Example: A responsible adult from the customer's party will watch the unit at all times. Maximum riders: ___ at a time, similar in size, no shoes, glasses or toys inside. Customer has received and understood the operating rules and signs below.

6. Damage and cleaning fees

Venues push damage onto whoever booked the park. Wilmington holds the applicant responsible for damage to park property, turf and irrigation. Florence County makes the user responsible for "any and all damages." El Paso County says a damage deposit may be withheld if spills occur. Wichita splits it: the vendor owns damage from its own stakes, and the customer owns the rest unless the vendor accepted it in a separate agreement between customer and vendor, which can be your rental agreement.

We found no insurer-published fee schedule for torn vinyl or a muddy unit, so set yours from your repair and replacement costs. First Commercial says lawn ruts and anchor holes are typically covered under general liability, so photograph the site first.

Example: Customer pays repair or replacement cost for damage beyond normal wear, including punctures, burns and stains, plus a cleaning fee of $___ if the unit comes back soiled.

7. Indemnity

This is the hold-harmless wording Kelly names. JumpOrange's insurance requirements guide says rental agreements should carry hold-harmless clauses and indemnification agreements that require insurance coverage. The venue documents show the pattern. Tampa's applicants "indemnify, defend and hold harmless" the city, Wichita's vendor does the same, and Rosenberg, Texas has renters sign an indemnity in its bounce house user's agreement. You may owe a venue that promise directly, so your own clause should pass the customer's share back to the customer.

Example: Customer agrees to hold the operator harmless from claims arising from the customer's or guests' failure to follow the posted rules, the operator's instructions or the shutdown call.

8. Additional insured and certificates

Venues want a certificate and, often, an endorsement naming them, on a deadline. Bellevue wants requirements met 21 days before park use, El Paso County 14 days, Provo eight days, Mt. Juliet seven. The additional insured guide has the full table.

Kelly's advice about certificates is to share venue requirements at placement, before a booking is confirmed. The same applies here. The customer should hand over the venue's exact legal name, mailing address and written requirements before the deposit is final.

Example: Customer will give the operator the venue's exact legal name, address and written insurance requirements at booking. Operator will send a certificate once those are received. Venues that need more than ___ days' notice may require a rescheduled date.

9. Payment and cancellation

The insurer pages we read are silent on deposits and refunds, so those terms are yours. Line them up with the venue's. Tampa tells bounce house companies they cannot take payment without proof of the customer's shelter permit, refunds shelter fees only up to 14 days before, and gives no refund for rain once a shelter is occupied. Wilmington wants cancellation notice within 48 hours of the event.

Example: A deposit of $___ holds the date. Balance is due ___ days before the event. Operator cancels for weather under clause 4. Customer cancellations within ___ days forfeit the deposit.

Where the clauses meet the rules

Some of these terms are not yours to negotiate: stakes banned, a generator required, an adult minimum. City and fire marshal pages are in the bounce house permit guide, state ride laws and venue insurance tables on requirements. For what the policy behind all of this needs to say, go to the coverage page.