Western Regional Outreach Office

Patent one-on-one assistance

NOTE: The Western 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 website: filing patent applications or filing trademark applications.

The Pro Se Assistance Center is available to assist applicants (also known as "pro se" applicants) who file patent applications without the assistance of a registered patent attorney or agent 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).

Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the Western Office

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 PTAB re-established in-person hearings in July 2022 at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and at all USPTO regional outreach offices.

• Parties have the option to appear virtually for appeals and trials.
• Most in-person hearings will likely have one or more judges attending virtually.
• The 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.
• For public access to a PTAB hearing, either virtual or in person, submit a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least three days before the hearing.
• For more information about PTAB oral hearings, please contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9797.

PTAB hearings

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. 

Our public search room also has six Universal Public Workstations (UPWS) with the same search tools that patent and trademark employees use when examining applications. Access requirements and print capabilities for the workstations are the same as those in the Public Search Facility at USPTO headquarters. The search room is open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. 

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 visit a Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) if you are new to patent or trademark searching. PTRC librarians are trained by the USPTO to provide an introduction to the patent and trademark application process. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Public Library is a PTRC and is located a block away from the Western Office at 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose, CA 95112.

We have a number of collaboration spaces that are intended for public use. These rooms may 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 at western@uspto.gov or 408-918-9900 for more information and to reserve a space.

As the Director of the Western Regional Outreach Office, Mary Fuller 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.

Assistant Regional Director: Vacant

Address and contact info

Western Office, USPTO
26 S. Fourth St.
San Jose, CA 95112
See map for location 

Phone: 408-918-9900 
Email: western@uspto.gov

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT. Closed on federal holidays.

This office is available for visits and use by appointment only. We currently do not accept walk-ins. 

Building access instructions

The Western Office is a federal facility located in the Wing Building of San Jose City Hall. Visitors must have a valid form of government-issued identification (driver license or passport) to gain access and may be subject to security screening.  

Parking

There is metered street parking on S. Fourth Street and surrounding streets, as well as public parking garages, including the Fourth Street Garage (which is not available to motorcycles). The USPTO does not provide parking validation.

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 Western Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.