USPTO headquarters

• Attend an upcoming event
• Consult on-site patent and trademark experts
• Pick up free publications
• Request a speaker at your event
• Conduct an interview (select "Public Interview Room," then "Alexandria")
• Tour the office
• Attend a Patent Trial and Appeal Board hearing. Visit the Hearing Schedule page for information on upcoming hearings

Trying to file a patent or trademark application? The regional offices are unable to accept patent or trademark applications or related correspondence. Please consider using our online filing options: Patent Center for patents or TEAS for trademarks. More about filing trademark applications. More about filing patent applications.

• The Inventors Assistance Center (IAC) provides patent assistance and information to the public. 
• For trademark specific questions, we can arrange a virtual consultation in our office with the Trademark Assistance Center (TAC). 

Patent Trial and Appeal Board

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) conducts trials, including inter partes, post-grant, and covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings, hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings, and renders decisions in interferences.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) plans to re-establish in-person hearings starting July 11, 2022, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) headquarters in Alexandria, VA, and at all USPTO regional offices.  

• Parties will still have the option to appear virtually for appeals and trials. 
• Most in-person hearings will still likely have one or more judges attending virtually. 
• At least initially, PTAB will only conduct an in-person hearing when requested by all parties. 
• Specific details of each hearing may vary, and will be subject to hearing room availability, agency operating status, and guidelines. Parties should refer to their Scheduling Orders and Hearing Orders for details.  
• Information about accessing USPTO facilities can be found at https://www.uspto.gov/coronavirus.
• For public access to a PTAB hearing, either virtual or in-person, submit a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least 3 days before the hearing.
• For more information about PTAB oral hearings, please contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9797.

PTAB homepage

Our Public Search Facility provides public access to patent and trademark information in a variety of formats including online, microfilm, and print. Trained staff are available to assist public users. 

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect a removable media device—such as a thumb drive or your personal phone—to our USPTO computers for the purpose of downloading your search results. Please see the USPTO removable media policy for more information.

If you are not located near our headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, you can visit one of our Patent and Trademark Resource Centers. DPL librarians are trained by the USPTO to provide an introduction to the patent and trademark application process. The USPTO collections can also be searched online using Patent Public Search for patents and TESS for trademarks. We have locations in all 50 states.

Kathi Vidal is the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The Director is supported by an executive committee, comprised of business unit heads and advisors that support the USPTO’s mission as America’s innovation agency.

USPTO's COVID status

On May 25, 2022, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) fully reopened all locations to employees and resumed some in-person events and appointments for the public. Visitors should review this health questionnaire prior to entering and may not enter facilities if they answer "yes" to any of the questions. 

We continue to monitor local conditions for all locations as determined by the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) COVID-19 community levels. Levels can be low, medium, or high. In communities with low or medium transmission levels, wearing a mask in our buildings is optional. In communities with high transmission levels, wearing a mask in our buildings is mandatory.   

Check COVID-19 community levels

Visitor ID requirements

Access to non-public USPTO facilities is granted to visitors who are escorted by a USPTO employee and show acceptable government-issued picture identification, such as a state “Real ID” driver’s license, or other state or federal picture identification.

The visitor and their sponsor must report to the guard station in the Madison East Building to be issued a visitor’s badge.

For additional information, please call the Security Services Center at (571) 272-8000, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (except federal holidays). 

• Map of our Alexandria, Virginia, campus
• Transportation and parking details
• USPTO removable media policy
• Accessibility and reasonable accommodations at the USPTO
• Rules and regulations for non-USPTO personnel visiting USPTO buildings