Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Making a Title Election Decision
The following steps are required to make a title election decision:
- Locate the "Title Election Status" dropdown menu
- Select the appropriate status
- Save the Invention Report
1. Locate the "Title Election Status" dropdown menu
To make a title election decision, open the invention record and click on "Invention Status." If a title election decision is pending, the "Title Election Status" field will read "Under Evaluation." Click on this field to open a dropdown menu of election status choices.
2. Select the appropriate status
You may select:
- Elect to Retain Title
- Does Not Retain Title
- Designated as Unpatented Biological Material or Research Tool*
*This option is only made available by certain Agencies.
Elect to Retain Title
If you select "Elect to Retain Title," today's date will auto-populate in the "Title Election Date" field and you may click the "Save Invention Report" button at the top of the window to record your selection. Once you have saved the report, your selection will be registered with the Agency and your title election decision is complete.
Does Not Retain Title
If you select "Does Not Retain Title," a dropdown menu will appear requiring you to select the reason. If you select "Other," explain the reason in the "Comments" box.
When you click "Save Invention Report," a popup window will appear warning you that by selecting "Does Not Retain Title," the Government may request the title to this invention, and you will no longer be able to make changes to the record.
Click "Yes" to confirm your selection and save the record. Once you have saved the report, your selection will be registered with the Agency.
Designated as Unpatented Biological Material or Research Tool
Some agencies may make this option available. You are not allowed to select this option if you have active patents associated with the technology.
When this option is selected, a popup box appears asking you to confirm the terms and conditions. Once agreed, the current date will auto-populate.
3. Save the Invention Report
Click "Save Invention Report" at the top of the window to record your selection if you have not already done so. Once you have saved the report, your selection will be registered with the Agency and your title election decision is complete.