Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX) Program

This site provides useful information for applicants that wish to take advantage of the electronic priority document exchange (PDX) program.  Use of PDX avoids the fee associated with ordering a certified priority document for each office of subsequent filing and the costs of transmitting those certified copies to foreign associates or foreign intellectual property (IP) offices.  The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) transmits certain U.S. priority applications as-filed to any foreign IP office that participates in the priority document exchange program (participating office) and retrieves/accesses certain foreign priority applications as-filed from the participating offices.  For U.S. applications filed on or after January 01, 2022, the priority document exchange program is exclusively managed under the World Intellectual Property Organization Digital Access Service (WIPO DAS) Exchange.

 

Overview of participation by the USPTO

The USPTO exchanges priority documents with other foreign IP offices via the WIPO DAS Exchange (see WIPO DAS Exchange with Participating Offices below).  

 

Access to U.S. applications by participating offices

   AUTHORIZATION TO PERMIT ACCESS

Access to a U.S. priority application may be provided to a participating office pursuant to 37 CFR 1.14(h)(1) if the application contains written authority granting such access.  The ADS form (PTO/AIA/14) includes a section allowing applicants to provide the USPTO with authorization to permit a participating office access to a U.S. priority application.  To be effective, the ADS form containing the appropriate authorization language must be properly signed and be submitted with the filing of the U.S. priority application.   

Please note that an ADS submitted after the filing of an application CANNOT be used to provide or rescind the authorization to permit access.  Instead, applicants should use form PTO/SB/39 (or an applicant-generated equivalent) to provide or rescind the authorization for access under 37 CFR 1.14(h)(1) after the filing of the application.

   FILING RECEIPT INDICATION OF AUTHORIZATION TO PERMIT ACCESS

The filing receipt of the U.S. application will indicate whether applicant has provided written authority for access pursuant to 37 CFR 1.14(h)(1).  Applicants should inspect the application filing receipt and request a corrected filing receipt if authorization for access under 37 CFR 1.14(h)(1) was incorrectly captured.

   LIMITATIONS OF AUTHORIZATION

An authorization to permit access will not be recorded in international applications filed with the United States Receiving Office (RO/US).  Therefore, for these applications, the applicant must use alternative methods to obtain and transmit the certified copies to foreign IP offices. 

   ACCESS VIA WIPO DAS EXCHANGE

For WIPO DAS accessing offices where a subsequently filed application claims priority to an earlier filed U.S. application in which authorization for access is given, the applicant must provide the U.S. application number, filing date, and the WIPO DAS access code (i.e., the 4-digit confirmation number indicated on the filing receipt and electronic acknowledgement receipt of the U.S. application). 

The International Bureau, in its capacity as a WIPO DAS accessing office, may access U.S. applications in which authorization for access is given.  Therefore, for international applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), irrespective of the receiving office chosen, an applicant may request the IB to retrieve via the WIPO DAS Exchange a copy of an earlier U.S. application to which priority is claimed and in which authorization for access is given (PCT Rule 17.1(b-bis)).  In such case, the applicant must claim priority to the earlier U.S. application and provide the WIPO DAS access code (i.e., the 4-digit confirmation number) for the earlier U.S. application (see Box No. VI of the Request (Form PCT/RO/101)).

NOTE: For international applications filed with the RO/US, the applicant should check the appropriate item in Box No. VI of the Request (Form PCT/RO/101) to request the RO/US to prepare and transmit to the International Bureau a certified copy of any earlier U.S. application to which priority is claimed (PCT Rule 17.1(b)).  This service is independent from the PDX program. 

 

Retrieval of foreign priority applications by the USPTO  

   WIPO DAS EXCHANGE WITH PARTICIPATING OFFICES

By notification on April 20, 2009, the USPTO expanded its PDX program by agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to participate in the multilateral exchange of certain priority documents with other IP offices participating in the WIPO Digital Access Service (DAS) for Priority Documents.  The list of WIPO DAS participating offices and information concerning the scope of available priority documents are maintained by the WIPO.

For successful retrieval, it is important that the foreign priority claim identify the country/office code and the foreign priority application number in the recommended format.

The participating offices, the types of applications that may be available for retrieval by the USPTO from each participating office, and the recommended application number formats for each participating office are set forth in the table below: 

Table of WIPO DAS participating offices (as of November 01, 2023)
National/ RegionalUtility ModelIndustrial DesignHague International DesignPCT InternationalParticipating OfficeRecommended Application Number Format
AR
 

AR

   ArgentinaPYYYY01NNNNN
MYYYY01NNNNN
AT
 

AT

 
 

AT

 
 
 
 

RO/AT

AustriaA NNNNN/YYYY
GM NNNNN/YYYY
MU NNNN/YYYY
PCT/ATYYYY/NNNNNN
AU AU 
 

RO/AU

AustraliaYYYYNNNNNN
PCT/AUYYYY/NNNNNN
BR 
 

BR

 
 
 

RO/BR

Brazil10YYYYNNNNNNN
30YYYYNNNNNNN
PCT/BRYYYY/NNNNNN
CA 
 

CA

 
 
 

RO/CA

CanadaNNNNNNN
NNNNNN
PCT/CAYYYY/NNNNNN
CLCLCL 
 

RO/CL

ChileNNNNN-YYYY
PCT/CLYYYY/NNNNNN
CN
 

CN

 
 

CN

 
 
 
 

RO/CN

People's Republic of ChinaYYYY1NNNNNNN.X
YYYY2NNNNNNN.X
YYYY3NNNNNNN.X
PCT/CNYYYY/NNNNNN
COCOCO 
 

RO/CO

ColombiaNCYYYY/NNNNNNN
PCT/COYYYY/NNNNNN
DK
 

DK

 

DK         DK

 
 
 

 

RO/DK

DenmarkPA YYYY NNNNN
BA YYYY NNNNN
DA YYYY NNNNN       GD YYYY NNNNN PCT/DKYYYY/NNNNNN
EA 
 

EA

 
 
 

RO/EA

Eurasian Patent OrganizationYYYYNNNNN
YYYY4NNNN
PCT/EAYYYY/NNNNNN
EE
 

EE

   EstoniaPYYYYNNNNN
UYYYYNNNNN
  EM  European Union Intellectual Property OfficeNNNNNNNNN-NNNN
EP   
 

RO/EP

European Patent OfficeYYNNNNNN
PCT/EPYYYY/NNNNNN
ES
 

ES

 
 

ES

 
 
 
 

RO/ES

SpainPYYYYNNNNN
UYYYYNNNNN
DNNNNNNN
PCT/ESYYYY/NNNNNN
FI
 

FI

  
 
 

RO/FI

FinlandYYYYNNNN
UYYYYNNNN
PCT/FIYYYY/NNNNNN
FRFR
 

FR

 
 
 

RO/FR

FranceYYNNNNN
YYYYNNNN
PCT/FRYYYY/NNNNNN
GB    United KingdomYYNNNNN.X
GE
 

GE

 
 

GE

 
 
 
 

RO/GE

GeorgiaAP YYYYNNNNN
AU YYYYNNNNN
AD YYYYNNNNN
PCT/GEYYYY/NNNNNN
        IB          (Practice Tip #5)
 
 
 

RO/IB

International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property OrganizationWIPONNNNN
WIPONNNNNN
NNNNNNNNN
PCT/IBYYYY/NNNNNN
IL 
 

IL

 
 
 

RO/IL

IsraelNNNNNN
NNNNN
PCT/ILYYYY/NNNNNN
IN 
 

IN

 
 
 

RO/IN

IndiaYYYYNNNNNNNN
NNNNNN
PCT/INYYYY/NNNNNN
IR                RO/IRIranYYYY50140030NNNNN  PCT/IRYYYY/NNNNNN
IT
 

IT

 
 

IT

 
 
 
 

RO/IT

Italy10YYYYNNNNNNNNN
20YYYYNNNNNNNNN
40YYYYNNNNNNNNN
PCT/ITYYYY/NNNNNN
JP
 

JP

 
 

JP

  JapanYYYY-NNNNNN
YYYY-NNNNNN U
YYYY-NNNNNN D
KR
 

KR

 
 

KR

  Republic of Korea10-YYYY-NNNNNNN
20-YYYY-NNNNNNN
30-YYYY-NNNNNNN
LT LT  LithuaniaYYYYNNN
LV    LatviaPYYYYNNNNNN
MA   
 

RO/MA

MoroccoNNNNN
PCT/MAYYYY/NNNNNN
MC 

 

MC

  MonacoNNNN
NNNNN
MX
 

MX

 
 

MX

 
 
 
 

RO/MX

MexicoMX/A/YYYY/NNNNNN
MX/U/YYYY/NNNNNN
MX/F/YYYY/NNNNNN
PCT/MXYYYY/NNNNNN
NL   
 

RO/NL

NetherlandsNNNNNNN
PCT/NLYYYY/NNNNNN
NO NO 
 

RO/NO

NorwayYYYYNNNN
PCT/NOYYYY/NNNNNN
NZ    New ZealandNNNNNN
SE   
 

RO/SE

SwedenYYNNNNN-N
PCT/SEYYYY/NNNNNN
TRTRTR 
 

RO/TR

Tϋrkiye (Turkey)YYYY/NNNNNN
PCT/TRYYYY/NNNNNN

NOTE: The legacy Direct Bilateral Exchange mode (where retrieval was managed outside of the WIPO DAS and was based on the foreign priority claim information) only applies to EP applications to which priority is claimed in a U.S. application filed before January 01, 2022. For U.S. applications filed on or after January 01, 2022, successful retrieval of an EP application to which priority is claimed will require the EP application to be registered into the WIPO DAS exchange and the WIPO DAS access code must be provided to the USPTO.

For U.S. applications filed prior to January 01, 2022, the WIPO DAS access code will not be required; however, effective June 30, 2023, the USPTO will be unable to retrieve EP priority applications without a WIPO DAS access code. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to review U.S. applications filed prior to January 01, 2022, that claim priority to an EP application for which a WIPO DAS access code was not provided, to enable successful retrieval by the USPTO of the EP priority application. 

   RETRIEVAL PROCESS

The retrieval process for electronic priority document exchange includes several practice tips that will help applicants promptly identify potential problems.  If retrieval fails applicants remain responsible for the submission of the certified copy of the foreign application.

For foreign applications filed in a participating foreign IP office to which priority is properly claimed in a U.S. application and the corresponding WIPO DAS access code is provided, retrieval will be automatically attempted by the USPTO via the WIPO DAS Exchange when the U.S. application is released from the Office of Patent Application Processing. The “Foreign Priority Information” section of the ADS form includes an Access Code field for providing the required WIPO DAS access code.

A separate written request to retrieve is required under 37 CFR 1.55(i)(4) where a certified copy of a foreign application (to which priority is claimed in a U.S. application) filed in a nonparticipating foreign IP office is contained in an EP or JP application file.  The applicant must use form PTO/SB/38 (or an applicant-generated equivalent) to identify the EP or JP application as well as the nonparticipating office certified copy contained in that EP or JP application file.  For example, where the applicant claims priority to a DE (German Patent and Trademark Office) application, a certified copy of which is contained in an EP application the applicant can file form PTO/SB/38 and, under Option A of that form, request the USPTO to obtain from the EP application file (indicate the country, application number, and filing date) an electronic copy of the certified copy of the DE application (indicate the country and application number).

   FILING RECEIPT INDICATION THAT RETRIEVAL WILL BE ATTEMPTED BY THE USPTO

The U.S. application filing receipt will indicate whether applicant has complied with a request to retrieve pursuant to 37 CFR 1.55(i).  Applicants should inspect the application filing receipt and request a corrected filing receipt if a request to retrieve under 37 CFR 1.55(i) is incorrectly captured.

• For the WIPO DAS Exchange, the WIPO DAS access code is required. When the WIPO DAS access code is provided, “Access Code Provided” will appear on the filing receipt for the relevant foreign application as well as the “Request to Retrieve” paragraph set forth below. When the WIPO DAS access code is not provided, “No Access Code Provided” will appear on the filing receipt for the relevant foreign application.

Request to Retrieve – This application either claims priority to one or more applications filed in an intellectual property Office that participates in the Priority Document Exchange (PDX) program or contains a proper Request to Retrieve Electronic Priority Application(s) (PTO/SB/38 or its equivalent).  Consequently, the USPTO will attempt to electronically retrieve these priority documents.

     CERTIFIED COPY REQUIREMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS ENTERING THE U.S. NATIONAL PHASE UNDER 35 U.S.C. 371

For a majority of international applications filed under the PCT, the applicant has complied with the certified copy requirement during the international phase by submitting the certified copy to the International Bureau as set forth in PCT Rule 17.1(a), (b) and/or (b-bis).  When the applicant submits a U.S. national phase application the USPTO in its capacity as a designated/elected office receives directly from the International Bureau a copy of the priority documents furnished during the international phase, along with the other national phase documents.  The copy of a priority document received directly from the International Bureau satisfies the requirement for a certified copy in the national phase application.  Receipt of the priority document from the International Bureau should be acknowledged on the notice of acceptance (Form PTO/DO/EO/903).  This service is independent from the PDX program.

For the few international applications filed under the PCT where the applicant has not complied with the certified copy requirement during the international phase, the applicant may wish to satisfy the certified copy requirement by using the Direct Bilateral Exchange or the WIPO DAS Exchange of the PDX program as discussed above. 

 

Practice tips for priority document exchange

 

Announcements

OG Notices Related to Electronic Priority Document Exchange Program

Using the WIPO DAS to Provide Priority Documents Under PCT Rule 17.1 [December 2011]

 

Forms

Authorization or Rescission of Authorization to Permit Access to a U.S. Application-as-Filed by Participating Offices, PTO/SB/39

USPTO Retrieval of a Foreign Priority Document from a Participating Office, PTO/SB/38

 

More WIPO DAS Exchange Information

WIPO DAS Participating Offices 

WIPO DAS Portal (provides online access to data concerning available priority documents added to your WIPO Account workbench)

 

Support

EBC Customer Support Center
1-866-217-9197 (toll-free)
571-272-4100 (local)
M-F 6AM - Midnight (Eastern Time)

Email: PDX@uspto.gov