Budget and financial information

Congressional Budget justifications

Fiscal Year 2027 USPTO Budget

The USPTO’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget estimates agency fee collections of $5,160 million, consisting of $4,473 million in patent fees and $687 million in trademark fees. The USPTO also expects to collect $55 million in other income (i.e., reimbursements). Estimated spending is $4,967 million (including the $2.45 million requested as a transfer to the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General)—consisting of $4,304 million for the Patent Program and $663 million for the Trademark Program—which supports 15,212 positions (14,752 FTE). The agency requests appropriation authority to spend the full fee collection estimate of $5,160 million to offset budgetary requirements (estimated spending and operating reserve deposits). Under this request, the USPTO’s FY 2027 net appropriation is $0. Absent congressional action, the agency’s fee setting authority will expire on September 15, 2026.

In accordance with presidential Executive Orders related to artificial intelligence (AI), workforce optimization, cost efficiency, and streamlining operations, the budget finances an aggressive, cost-effective strategy for reducing patent and trademark application inventory and pendency. Additionally, the budget provides funding for the USPTO to (a) accelerate the use of AI in patent and trademark examination processes; (b) implement other technological innovations to promote efficiencies via automation and innovation; (c) identify and prevent fraudulent and abusive practices, including those of sophisticated cyber adversaries; (d) cultivate evidence-based information in the knowledge economy; and (e) provide resources for Administration and other mission-critical agency priorities. Through the use of AI-supported examination, including pilot programs designed to introduce greater efficiencies into examination processes, the USPTO expects to make additional year-over-year improvements, with the goal of virtually eliminating the unexamined patent application inventory.

The patent and trademark fee collection estimates included in the budget reflect current fee rates. Aggregate fee collections will meet budgetary requirements and support continued examination improvements. The USPTO is committed to fiscal responsibility and makes prudent decisions to align spending priorities with projected fee collections while meeting workload requirements and maintaining sufficient operating reserve levels through the planning horizon. Fee setting authority, included in the 2011 Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) (Pub. L. 112-29) and extended in the Study of Underrepresented Classes Chasing Engineering and Science Success Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-273), enables the USPTO to set and adjust fees to align with costs. The AIA also created a successful framework to provide the USPTO full access to all fee collections. This authority to adjust both patent and trademark user fees via the regulatory rulemaking process enables the USPTO to set fees at an appropriate level to recover the aggregate costs of its operations, including investments in strategic agency goals, and to respond to changing legislative requirements and market conditions.

Download the USPTO FY 2027 President's Budget Request [PDF]

Prior year Budgets

Other USPTO Financial Information and Reports

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