General and misc. petitions

IPLA – International Patent Legal Administration
OPET – Office of Petitions
TC – Technology Center

Generally available

Petition typeAverage days pending of decided petitionsMedian days pending of decided petitionsGrant rate percentageDeciding office

ePetition option

259 - Relating to refund and fee problems965674%IPLA 
504 - Review of TC Director's petition decision under 37 CFR 1.18185820%*OPET 
515 - To invoke supervisory authority for non-patent examining related matters (37 CFR 1.181)824747%OPET 
520 - Questions not specifically provided for in the regulations (37 CFR 1.182)17510950%OPET 
610 - Invoking authority of commissioner under 37 CFR 1.181. Not specified in codes 611-617. MPEP general information and correspondence. 7837.536%*TC 
699 - For matters before Technology Center (37 CFR 1.181 MPEP 1002.02(c)(2))1184141%TC 
225 - To Make Special For Search Collaboration Pilot 513571%*OPET 


Prior to examination

Petition typeAverage days pending of decided petitionsMedian days pending of decided petitionsGrant rate percentageDeciding officeePetition option
262 - To invoke supervisory authority in an international application - 37 CFR 1.1819167.525%*IPLA 
270 - Relating to national stage application1096055%*IPLA 
274 - To invoke supervisory authority in national stage - 37 CFR 1.181745759%*IPLA 
276 - To decide matters before the Deputy Commissioner for Patents in national stage (IPLA)562591%IPLA 
284 - To decide matters before the Deputy Commissioner for Patents in international stage (37 CFR 1.182)603744%*IPLA 
299 - For other matters before the international divisionNoneNoneNoneIPLA 
Please scroll to the top of this page to view other petition types that are available during this stage.


After close of prosecution

Petition typeAverage days pending of decided petitionsMedian days pending of decided petitionsGrant rate percentageDeciding officeePetition option
608 - To reopen after a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision (37 CFR 1.198, MPEP 1002.02(d))NoneNoneNoneTC 
609 - For review of final restriction requirement  (37 CFR 1.144, MPEP 818.03(c))744876%*TC 
611 - Relating to prematureness of final rejection (37 CFR 1.181, MPEP 706.07c)493546%TC 
622 - Concerning appeal application before transfer of jurisdiction to Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) (MPEP 1206, MPEP 1002)NoneNoneNoneTC 
Please scroll to the top of this page to view other petition types that are available during this stage.

*Infrequently filed petition

Displayed are the 12-month rolling average and median values. When the median value is significantly different from the average value, the median value will better represent when a particular category of a petition has been decided. This is because a small number of outliers can disproportionately impact the average value. The values exclude ePetitions.

The data is current as of October 1, 2024, and is updated quarterly.