10 CFR § 784.7 - Class waiver.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t10/s784.7"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "10 CFR § 784.7 - Class waiver."
title_number: 10
title_name: "Energy"
section_number: "784.7"
section_name: "Class waiver."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY"
part_number: "784"
part_name: "PATENT WAIVER REGULATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "42 U.S.C. 7151; 42 U.S.C. 5908; 42 U.S.C. 2182; 35 U.S.C. 202 and 210; 42 U.S.C. 7261a."
regulatory_source: "61 FR 36614, July 12, 1996, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "784"
---


# 784.7 Class waiver.

This section covers relinquishing of patent title rights by the Government to a class of persons or to a class of inventions. The authorization for class waivers is to be found at 42 U.S.C. 5908(c). Class waivers may be appropriate in situations where all members of a particular class would likely qualify for an advance or identified invention waiver. Normally, class waivers are originated by the Department. However, any person with a direct and substantial interest in a DOE program may request a class waiver by forwarding a written request therefor to the Patent Counsel. While no particular format for requesting a class waiver is prescribed, any request for a class waiver and any resulting determination by the Secretary or designee must address the pertinent objectives and considerations set forth in §§ 784.3(a), 784.4, 784.5, and 784.6.