Form conformance
State-law conformance of the OpenAgreements invention-assignment agreement
Most free invention-assignment forms are written for California. For an employee in New Jersey, Kansas, or North Dakota, that can leave gaps a national form is built to close. This page maps the OpenAgreements agreement against invention-assignment law in all 50 states, D.C., and 5 U.S. territories: each requirement a sound form should meet, the clause that meets it, and the statute behind any state-specific tightening.
Related: The invention-assignment agreement · State-by-state law survey · How other providers’ forms compare
| Jurisdictions | Present assignmentassigns now, not a promise later | Independent development carve-outexcludes true own-time inventions | Written notice of the carve-outthe notice some states require | No claim to post-employment inventionsno holdover clause | Prior-inventions listspace to list earlier inventions | Invention disclosureso the carve-out can be applied | Post-employment cooperation kept reasonablebounded, reimbursed help | Further assurances & power of attorneysigns follow-up paperwork | Savings clausestays within each state's limits |
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| CaliforniaCarve-out statute · written notice · holdover clauses void | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded InventionsCal. Lab. Code §§ 2870–2872; Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600 — California practice guide | ✓statutory requirement“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention NoticeCal. Lab. Code §§ 2870–2872; Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600 — California practice guide | ✓statutory requirement“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of InventionsCal. Lab. Code §§ 2870–2872; Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 16600 — California practice guide | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |
| Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, UtahCarve-out statute | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded Inventions19 Del. C. section 805; Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011); Personalized User Model, LLP v. Google, Inc., 797 F.3d 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2015) — Delaware practice guide | ✓“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice | ✓“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓statutory requirement“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope19 Del. C. section 805; Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011); Personalized User Model, LLP v. Google, Inc., 797 F.3d 1341 (Fed. Cir. 2015) — Delaware practice guide |
| GuamUnsettled law · holdover clauses void | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded Inventions18 GCA §§ 55311, 88105; 19 GCA § 31301; Island Eye Ctr., Inc. v. Lombard, 2020 Guam 32 — Guam practice guide | ✓“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice | ✓statutory requirement“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions18 GCA §§ 55311, 88105; 19 GCA § 31301; Island Eye Ctr., Inc. v. Lombard, 2020 Guam 32 — Guam practice guide | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |
| Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, WashingtonCarve-out statute · written notice | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded Inventions765 ILCS 1060/2 (Employee Patent Act); Guth v. Minnesota Mining & Mfg. Co., 72 F.2d 385 (7th Cir. 1934); Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011) — Illinois practice guide | ✓statutory requirement“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice765 ILCS 1060/2 (Employee Patent Act); Guth v. Minnesota Mining & Mfg. Co., 72 F.2d 385 (7th Cir. 1934); Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011) — Illinois practice guide | ✓“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |
| MontanaUnsettled law | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded InventionsMont. Code Ann. §§ 39-2-102, 28-2-703; Associated Mgmt. Servs., Inc. v. Ruff, 2018 MT 182 — Montana practice guide | ✓“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice | ✓statutory requirement“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of InventionsMont. Code Ann. §§ 39-2-102, 28-2-703; Associated Mgmt. Servs., Inc. v. Ruff, 2018 MT 182 — Montana practice guide | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |
| NevadaEmployer-ownership statute | ✓“Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded InventionsNev. Rev. Stat. §§ 600.500, 613.195; Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011) — Nevada practice guide | n/aNot required in this state: no statute imposes this duty, so the form deliberately carries no such clause.Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 600.500, 613.195; Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011) — Nevada practice guide | ✓statutory requirement“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of InventionsNev. Rev. Stat. §§ 600.500, 613.195; Stanford v. Roche, 563 U.S. 776 (2011) — Nevada practice guide | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · Survival and Limited Scope |
| North DakotaEmployer-ownership statute · holdover clauses void | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓statutory requirement“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded InventionsN.D. Cent. Code §§ 34-02-11, 9-08-06; Keller v. Clark Equipment Co., 715 F.2d 1280 (8th Cir. 1983); First American Bank West v. Berdahl, 556 N.W.2d 63 (N.D. 1996) — North Dakota practice guide | ✓“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice | ✓statutory requirement“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of InventionsN.D. Cent. Code §§ 34-02-11, 9-08-06; Keller v. Clark Equipment Co., 715 F.2d 1280 (8th Cir. 1983); First American Bank West v. Berdahl, 556 N.W.2d 63 (N.D. 1996) — North Dakota practice guide | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |
| Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, Northern Mariana Islands, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, WyomingCommon law: no invention-assignment statute | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓“Prior and Excluded Inventions The assignment above does not apply to, and Covered Inventions do not include, (a) any invention that Employee develops entirely on Employee's own time without using Company equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information, and that neither (i) relates to Company business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, nor (ii) results from work performed by Employee for Company;”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Employee acknowledges that this clause is the written notification of that exclusion provided under California Labor Code Sections 2870 to 2872, 765 ILCS 1060/1 to 1060/3, Kan. Stat. Section 44-130, Minn. Stat. Section 181.78, and Wash. Rev. Code Section 49.44.140. For an Employee whose place of work is Kansas, Minnesota, or Washington, the exception in clause (a) applies only to an invention that relates directly to Company's business or to Company's actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development.”State Specific Invention Notice | ✓“This assignment covers all inventions Employee makes during employment, except for the inventions carved out under Prior and Excluded Inventions below. To the extent any moral rights or similar artist's rights in the Covered Inventions cannot be assigned, Employee waives and agrees not to enforce those rights against Company or its licensees and customers, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions | ✓“Employee represents that the Prior Inventions disclosure in Cover Terms is complete to Employee's knowledge as of the Effective Date.”Prior and Excluded Inventions | ✓“Disclosure and Documentation Employee will promptly disclose Covered Inventions and maintain reasonably complete records of their conception, authorship, development, and transfer, consistent with Company's written policies communicated to Employee and Employee's confidentiality obligations.”Disclosure and Documentation | ✓“Company will request that assistance only at reasonable times and on reasonable notice and will reimburse Employee's reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.”Records Cooperation and Post Termination Assistance | ✓“If any rights do not automatically vest in Company, Employee hereby assigns those rights and will sign additional documents reasonably requested to confirm ownership and record assignments.”Work Made for Hire and Further Assurances · Appointment as Attorney in Fact | ✓“Assignment of Inventions Employee hereby assigns, and agrees to assign, to Company all right, title, and interest in the Covered Inventions, to the extent permitted by law.”Assignment of Inventions · State Specific Invention Notice · Survival and Limited Scope |