The Architect's 7 days
Under AIA A201-2017 §9.4.1, the Architect must act within seven days after receiving the Contractor's Application for Payment. The Architect has three options:
- issue a Certificate for Payment in the full amount;
- certify the amount properly due and give reasons for withholding the balance;
- withhold the entire certificate, with reasons.
Forwarding the application to the Owner to decide the amount due is not an option. Certification is the Architect's duty.
Keep the other numbers apart: 14 days is the §3.7.4 concealed-conditions notice, 21 days is the §15.1.3.1 claim notice, and 30 days is the A101 §5.2.2 final-payment period.
Stopping the Work for nonpayment
Under §9.7, if the Architect does not issue a Certificate for Payment within the 7 days through no fault of the Contractor, the Contractor may stop the Work on seven additional days' notice to the Owner and Architect.
Worked example: application received May 1. The Architect had until May 1 + 7 = May 8. The Contractor delivers notice May 9. Earliest stop date: May 9 + 7 = May 16.
- May 9 would stop Work the same day notice is given, with no notice period.
- May 23 uses 14 days of notice instead of 7.
- May 31 treats notice as 30 days after May 1, which no §9.7 period supports.
Final payment: 30 days
AIA A101-2017 §5.2.2: unless the parties agree otherwise, the Owner's final payment is due no later than 30 days after the Architect issues the final Certificate for Payment.
Worked example: final Certificate issued October 1. October 1 + 30 = October 31.
- October 8 applies the 7-day §9.4.1 certification period.
- October 16 applies a 15-day period, which is the Georgia Prompt Pay Act default, not the A101 term the parties adopted.
- November 30 adds 60 days; a 60-day period from the Contractor's application is not in the form.
- One year after Substantial Completion is the A201 §12.2.2.1 correction period, not a payment deadline.
The trigger is the Architect's final Certificate, not the Contractor's application.