Does force majeure excuse payment obligations​?

However, payment obligations are typically treated differently. Unless your contract clearly says that payments can be paused or excused during a force majeure event, the duty to pay usually still applies under the contract, unless the language clearly says otherwise. For instance, if a hurricane halts a construction project, the contractor might be excused from finishing the work, but the customer likely still has to pay for work already done.

If you want payment obligations to be suspended during emergencies, that needs to be written into the contract. Courts generally don't treat financial duties as canceled unless the contract clearly says so.

What to consider in your specific situation

The general rule is that force majeure rarely excuses payment, but your situation may depend on:

• The specific wording of your contract's force majeure clause.
• The type and timing of the payment obligation.
• Applicable state or local contract laws.
• How both parties handled prior disruptions or amendments.
• The financial impact or size of the affected transaction.

Since every contract is unique, you can use Rocket Copilot to get legal information about force majeure and payment terms, or connect with a Legal Pro to learn more about your options.