Southeast Regional Outreach Office

The Southeast Regional Outreach Office is based in the Alexandria, Virginia, headquarters of the USPTO. We engage the public in the southeastern United States by bringing USPTO services and resources to the region. The Southeast Regional Outreach Office serves Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

Our goal is to promote innovation and stimulate the economy by connecting entrepreneurs to government resources, supporting students and teachers through our STEM education programs, gathering feedback from regional stakeholders, educating the public about intellectual property, and recruiting diverse talent from the region.

Browse the content below to learn more about what the Southeast Office can do for you..

New: Regional outreach office realignment

The creation of the Southeast Regional Outreach Office is part of the Unleashing American Innovators Act of 2022, which was signed into law in December 2022. With the launch of our Southeast Office, some states may now fall under a different regional outreach office. See below or visit our location map for more information.

U.S. map showing states grouped into different colors to outline what states fall under a particular regional office.

Schedule a one-on-one consultation

NOTE: The Southeast Office is unable to accept patent or trademark applications, correspondence related to prosecution, or fees. Please consider using our Patent Center for online filing. More information is available on our pages on filing patent applications and filing trademark applications.

Patent one-on-one assistance

The Pro Se Assistance Center is available to assist applicants who file patent applications without the assistance of a registered patent attorney or agent (also known as "pro se" applicants) with patent-related questions and with filing their patent applications. One-on-one video conference (WebEx) or telephone appointments are also available. For inquiries, please contact the Pro Se Assistance Center. One-on-one appointments may be scheduled online or by contacting the Pro Se Assistance Center.

Toll-free: 866-767-3848 or email proseassistancecenter@uspto.gov.
Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Schedule an appointment

Trademark one-on-one assistance

The Trademark Assistance Center (TAC) is the main support center for trademark customers, from first-time filers to legal professionals and experienced trademark applicants. You can call or email TAC if you have questions about the trademark registration process.

TAC specialists can also assist you via video chat on Microsoft Teams. Call or email to make an appointment.

Toll-free: 800-786-9199 or email TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov.
Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Inventors Assistance Center

The Inventors Assistance Center (IAC) provides patent assistance and information to the public. The IAC is staffed by former supervisory patent examiners and primary examiners who are available to answer questions and to help you make filing a patent application simple and efficient.

Visit the Inventors Assistance Center webpage for contact information and hours of operation.

View PTAB proceedings

Patent Trial and Appeal Board

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is located at our headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The 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.

Starting September 1, 2025, all PTAB hearings will be held in person. All parties will be expected to appear in person for hearings absent a showing of good cause. For more information visit the PTAB hearings page.

The public can access a hearing virtually—or in person— by submitting a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least three business days before the hearing.

For more information, contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov, or call 571-272-9797.

PTAB hearing schedule

Search patents or trademarks

Search patents Search trademarks

The USPTO collections can also be searched online. Learn how to use Patent Public Search to search for patents and Trademark Search system to search for trademarks.

Need to search our vast collection of patents and technical databases? The Northeast Office can also provide you with instructions to access the USPTO's Public Search Facility. The search room is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, except federal holidays. Trained staff are available to assist users with questions.

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.

We also encourage you to find a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) near you. PTRC librarians are trained by the USPTO to provide an introduction to the patent and trademark application process.

Use our space

At USPTO headquarters, we have collaboration spaces intended for public use. These rooms can be configured to suit events of all sizes and are equipped with whiteboards, easels, telephones, and A/V equipment. Typical uses include inventor organization meetings, business councils, and networking events. Please contact us for more information and to reserve a space.

Meet the leadership team

As the Interim Director of the Southeast Regional Outreach Office, Elizabeth Dougherty carries out the strategic outreach direction of the USPTO’s Office of Public Engagement, ensuring that the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders.

Visit us

We are located within the Madison West Building of USPTO headquarters, identifiable by its soaring glass atrium.

Address and contact info

Southeast Office, USPTO
600 Dulany St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
See map for location

Email: southeast@uspto.gov

Hours

Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Closed on federal holidays.

Building access instructions

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).

Parking

Public garage parking immediately adjacent to the Madison Building is available for purchase in the East Garage (recommended) and in the West Garage. Hourly and daily parking is on a first-come, first-served basis. Pay kiosks are located in the elevator landings of the P2 and P3 levels in the East Garage and P1 and P2 levels in the West Garage. In the uncommon event that both garages reach capacity, parking will be limited to monthly permit holders and USPTO employees, but other public garage parking is amply available in the immediate area.

Limited hourly pay street parking is also available.

Visit us on our USPTO headquarters page for more information, including transportation and parking, a campus map, and rules and regulations for visiting.

USPTO removable media policy

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect unauthorized or personal removable media storage to any USPTO computer, docking station, or monitor at the Southeast Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.