Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) - Fast Track Examination of Applications

Patent prosecution highway logo

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) speeds up the examination process for corresponding applications filed in participating intellectual property offices.

Under PPH, participating patent offices have agreed that when an applicant receives a ruling from a first patent office that at least one claim is allowable, the applicant may request fast track examination of corresponding claim(s) in a corresponding patent application that is pending in a second patent office. PPH leverages fast-track examination procedures already in place among participating patent offices to allow applicants to reach final disposition of a patent application more quickly and efficiently than standard examination processing.

There is no fee under the PPH programs. For further information, please see this Federal Register notice.

Flowchart of PPH examination process

 

Cumulative USPTO PPH Data for All Regions

As of February 29, 2024

  • 92,294 Total Applications with Petitions
  • 82,993 Total Applications with Petitions Granted

If you have specific questions about PPH, send an e-mail to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.

Electronic filing support is available through the Patent Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free) or 571-272-4100 from 6 a.m. to 12 Midnight Eastern Time, Monday - Friday, or by e-mail to ebc@uspto.gov.