Engineering & Change Management template
Deviation / Waiver Request Template: Build & Export Free
Request temporary permission to depart from a requirement (what, why, how much and for how long), then export a print-ready deviation/waiver as a PDF, free to start.
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Overview
What is a deviation or waiver request?
A deviation or waiver request is a controlled, temporary permission to depart from a requirement. A deviation is authorized before the work: permission to produce a limited quantity or for a limited time that won't meet a requirement. A waiver (or concession) is a disposition after the fact: a decision to accept product that already departs from its requirement. Either way, it's a bounded exception, not a permanent change.
A good request makes the exception safe to grant. It identifies the item and the exact requirement being departed from, explains why, bounds the exception by quantity and/or time, assesses the risk and any interim controls, and is approved by the right authority, with a clear expiry or close-out so it doesn't quietly become permanent.
Deviations and waivers are standard in manufacturing, aerospace, defense and regulated production. They sit alongside the engineering change process but do a distinct job: a deviation/waiver is a temporary exception to a requirement, while an engineering change request is how you'd change the requirement itself (more below).
The fields
What to include in a deviation / waiver request
A request an authority can grant is bounded, justified and risk-aware. These are the fields they expect, and all of them are in the template.
Request number, date and requester
A unique number, the date and who's requesting, so the exception is tracked and attributable.
Affected item and requirement
The item or part and the exact requirement, spec or drawing feature being departed from.
Type: deviation or waiver
Whether this is a deviation (before production) or a waiver/concession (accepting existing product).
Nature of the departure
Exactly how the product departs from the requirement: the actual condition versus the required one.
Reason and justification
Why the departure is needed and why it's acceptable to grant.
Quantity and time limit
The number of units and/or the time period the exception covers: the bounds that keep it temporary.
Risk and impact assessment
The risk to fit, function, safety and the customer, and any interim controls to manage it.
Disposition
The decision (approved, rejected or conditional) with any conditions attached.
Expiry and close-out
When the exception expires and how it's closed out, so it doesn't become a permanent workaround.
Approvals
The authority, and where required the customer, that approves the exception.
Step by step
How to fill out a deviation / waiver request
Four passes take you from a blank template to an approved, bounded exception.
Identify the requirement and departure
Add the request number, date and requester, identify the item and the exact requirement, and mark whether it's a deviation or a waiver.
Justify and bound it
Explain the reason and justification, and bound the exception by quantity and/or time so it stays temporary.
Assess risk and controls
Assess the risk to fit, function, safety and the customer, and define any interim controls to manage it.
Route for approval and export
State the disposition and the expiry/close-out, route it to the approving authority (and customer if required), then export a print-ready PDF.
Which one
Deviation / waiver vs. engineering change request
Both handle a departure from a requirement, but for how long. One is a temporary exception; the other changes the requirement for good.
Deviation / Waiver
A temporary, bounded permission to depart from a requirement for a limited quantity or time: a controlled exception, not a change.
Use for a one-off, time- or quantity-limited exception to a requirement.
Engineering Change Request
A proposal to change the requirement itself, evaluated and, if approved, implemented permanently through an engineering change order.
Use when the requirement should change permanently, not just this once.
See the Engineering Change Request template →Get it right
Common mistakes to avoid
- No quantity or time limit, so a temporary exception becomes permanent.
- Using a deviation where a permanent engineering change is actually needed.
- No risk assessment or interim controls for the departure.
- No expiry or close-out, so the exception is never resolved.
- Missing the required approvals, including the customer where the contract requires it.
- Confusing a deviation (granted before) with a waiver or concession (granted after).
Questions
Frequently asked
What is a deviation?
A deviation is a controlled, pre-authorized permission to depart from a requirement for a limited quantity or time, granted before the product is made. It lets you knowingly produce something that won't fully meet a requirement, under a bounded, risk-assessed exception, without changing the requirement itself.
What's the difference between a deviation, a waiver and a concession?
A deviation is granted before production: permission to depart from a requirement going forward. A waiver or concession is granted afterwards: a decision to accept product that already departs from its requirement. All three are bounded exceptions rather than permanent changes; the terms vary by industry and standard.
What's the difference between a deviation and an engineering change?
A deviation or waiver is a temporary, bounded exception to a requirement. An engineering change (via an ECR/ECN) changes the requirement itself, permanently. If you keep needing deviations for the same thing, that's usually a sign the requirement should be changed.
What should a deviation or waiver request include?
A request number, date and requester, the affected item and requirement, whether it's a deviation or waiver, the nature of the departure, the justification, a quantity and/or time limit, a risk assessment and interim controls, the disposition, an expiry/close-out, and approvals. This template includes all of them.
Who approves a deviation or waiver?
The authority defined by your quality system, often engineering and quality, and, where the departure affects a delivered product, the customer. The point is that someone with the authority to accept the risk formally approves the bounded exception before it's used.
Related templates
Documents that go with a Deviation / Waiver Request
Engineering Change Request (ECR)
Proposes and evaluates a potential engineering change before formal approval, including rationale, affected items, impact and requested action.
Open template →Engineering Change Notice (ECN)
Communicates an approved engineering change, affected items, before-and-after details, effectivity, implementation and release information.
Open template →Inspection Report
Records inspection characteristics, requirements, measurements, methods, evidence and acceptance results for a part, lot or product.
Open template →Build your Deviation / Waiver Request now
Fill in the fields, apply your brand, and export a clean PDF. Free to start.
Note: This template gives you a structured starting point for a deviation or waiver request. You remain responsible for the accuracy of the risk assessment and the bounds of the exception, and for routing it through your organization's (and, where required, your customer's) approval process before relying on it.