Online patent tools

We offer online tools to help you conduct business with the USPTO. Review them here:

eBusiness

You appreciate getting things done with efficiency and convenience. This set of tools will help you do so when paying fees, filing forms and applications, exchange documents, and more.

Fees

Fees Self-Service Portal

Receive convenient access to tools and information related to payment of fees.

Self-Service Fees Portal

Financial Manager

Manage financial accounts for transactions with the USPTO, manage permissions for users, receive notifications, and generate reports.

Financial Manager

Patent Maintenance Fees Storefront

Pay maintenance fees for one or more patents.

Patent Maintenance Fees Storefront

Filing

Biotechnology Sequence Checker

Check a Sequence Listing in Computer Readable Form (CRF) for compliance with WIPO standards before submission to the USPTO.

Biotechnology Sequence Checker

Common Citation Document (CCD)

Receive single-point access to up-to-date citation data on applications submitted to any IP5 Office (a cooperative effort of the leading IP [intellectual property] agencies worldwide). It consolidates the prior art cited by all participating offices for the family members of a patent application. This enables search results produced by several offices for the same invention to be seen on a single page.

Common Citation Document (CCD)

EFS-Web (Electronic Filing System)

File a patent application and related documents in PDF or DOCX format via the USPTO’s secure servers. EFS-Web can be used to file submissions such as:

New provisional and non-provisional utility patent applications and fees
New design patent applications and fees
Requests to enter the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371 , and related fees

EFS-Web (Electronic Filing System)

Electronic Patent Filing for Unregistered eFilers

Basic initial filing of new patent applications

Electronic Patent Filing for Registered eFilers

Enhanced filing, follow-on processing, and saved submissions using an assigned customer number

Electronic Filing System Contingency for Unregistered eFilers

Basic initial filing of new patent applications when the primary portal to EFS-Web has an unscheduled outage. Use this to file new patent applications in the event EFS-Web is unavailable.

Additional information about EFS-Web

EFS-Web is scheduled for retirement in 2023. It will be replaced by Patent Center, which applicants are encouraged to use for their filing needs.
About EFS-Web
Getting Started — New Users
EFS-Web Guidance and Resources

Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)

Order a certified priority document for each office of subsequent filing, while avoiding the costs of ordering and transmitting those documents to foreign associates or IP offices.

Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)

e-Office Action Program

This program will email you about downloading and viewing new office communications in Private PAIR and Patent Center. Opt into the program to receive a daily email, replacing postal mailings.

e-Office Action Program

MyUSPTO — USPTO.gov account

Create a single personalized place to actively manage your IP portfolio. Track patent applications and grants, check trademark registration and status, and access our services.

MyUSPTO

Patent Center

Registered and guest users may file applications and access information, easing the tracking of patents, and submit applications and follow-on documents through the approval process.

Patent Center

Patent Center will replace:

EFS-Web, the current web-based patent application and document submission tool
PAIR (Patent Application Information Retrieval), the current web-based system for retrieving and downloading patent application status information

Patent Forms

Download forms in PDF format. Open them using Adobe Acrobat Reader, and fill out and submit them electronically via the appropriate filing system (EFS-Web/Patent Center, PTAB), or use alternate filing methods (fax, postal mail, USPTO walk-up window).

Patent Forms

PatentIn Software

Prepare a sequence listing in Computer Readable Form (CRF) containing nucleic acid and amino acid sequences complying with all WIPO standard format requirements.

PatentIn Software

Private PAIR

Check your application status after you file, and access publicly available patents and applications.

Use Private PAIR to access information on your pending patent application.

Private PAIR

Other Resources

EPAS (Electronic Patent Assignment System)

Update assignment data for patent ownership (sale of a patent, change of company name, etc.).

EPAS

First Office Action Estimator

Estimate how long before a first office action is issued on an application by its serial number.

First Office Action Estimator

USPTO AIR (Automated Interview Request)

Request an interview with an examiner for your pending patent application.

USPTO AIR

USPTO Systems Status and Availability

See the latest on operating status, availability of online business systems, and planned outages.

USPTO Systems Status and Availability

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)

PTAB Decision Search

Search the electronic warehouse for the USPTO Patent Board (Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences — BPAI) and PTAB. Search for trial, appeal, and interference decisions and public documents issued after July 1997.

PTAB Decision Search

PTAB Decisions

Browse public, final decisions of the PTAB, including those designated precedential or informative.

PTAB Decisions

PTAB decision nomination form

Anonymously nominate a routine PTAB decision for designation as precedential or informative.

PTAB decision nomination form

PTAB ex parte appeal brief tool

Use this instructional video, template, and guidance to help prepare an ex parte appeal brief.

PTAB ex parte appeal brief tool

PTAB POP Request: Amicus Form

Use this form to submit amicus support or opposition to a pending request for Precedential Opinion Panel (POP) review.

PTAB POP Request: Amicus Form

PTAB Statistics

View and download PTAB statistics and special reports.

PTAB Statistics

Patent Information

An informed patent applicant is more likely to succeed. These tools will help you learn about important aspects of applying for a patent.

Data

Bulk Data Storage System (BDSS)

Download bulk data for these products: Patent Grant, Patent Application, Patent Assignments, Cooperative Patent Classification Text, and Maintenance Fee Events.

Bulk Data Storage System (BDSS)

Data Visualization Center

View and download data on key performance indicators, such as patent term adjustment (PTA), inventory, quality, pendency petitions, etc.

Data Visualization Center

General Patent Statistics Reports

View and download statistical information on your patent.

General Patent Statistics Reports

PatentsView

Access IP data products such as patent visualization, community collaborative, API tool, data query builder, bulk data download, and more.

PatentsView

USPTO Open Data Portal

Download datasets, learn about available APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and access information about patent data

USPTO Open Data Portal

Additional resources

Employee Locator

Search for contact information for USPTO employees.

Employee Locator

Glossary

Find definitions for IP terms.

Glossary

MPEP (Manual of Patent Examining Procedure)

Read and search the manual as needed.

MPEP (Manual of Patent Examining Procedure)

USPTO Publications

Order frequently requested USPTO publications.

USPTO Publications

Patent Practitioner Homepage

Find a patent agent or attorney, view information about publicly disciplined practitioners, and apply for registration to practice in patent matters before the USPTO.

Patent Practitioner Homepage

Patent Term Calculator

Estimate the expiration dates of utility, plant, and design patents.

Patent Term Calculator

Patents 4 Partnerships (IP Marketplace Platform)

Search for listed patented technologies and identify people for discussing licensing availability.

Patents 4 Partnerships

USPTO Subscription Center

Subscribe and unsubscribe to USPTO newsletters or alerts, which include:

USPTO News and Updates
USPTO Director’s Forum Blog
USPTO Monthly Review
USPTO Events
Patent Alerts
Patent Trial and Appeal Board
Intellectual Property for K-12 Educators
Journeys of Innovation
Intellectual Property for Colleges and Universities
USPTO Awards
Eastern Regional Outreach Office
Midwest Regional Office
Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Silicon Valley Regional Office
Texas Regional Office

USPTO Subscription Center

Patent Searches

Searching for information affecting your patent application is a necessary task. These tools will help you perform a patent search.

Certified Copy Center

Purchase certified patent and trademark documents.

Certified Copy Center

Global Dossier

The Global Dossier looks at dossiers/file wrappers for applications from EPO, JPO, KIPO, SIPO, USPTO, and WIPO, and allows you to view prosecution details, relevant reference citations, and identify areas to begin or supplement searches.

Global Dossier

Patent Assignment Search

Search for owner information on patent documents since August 1980.

Patent Assignment Search

Patent Classification System

Classification resources are available for CPC, IPC, Locarno, and USPC — learn about and search for the patent classification scheme (schedule) and definitions.

Patent Classification System

Patent Examination Data System (PEDS)

Securely search, view, and download data for all publicly available applications. Search and download in bulk, and manage the volume of data downloaded in any time period.

Patent Examination Data System (PEDS)

Patent Official Gazette

Browse through issued patents for the current week by classification or type of patent (for example, utility, design, and plant).

Patent Official Gazette

Patent Public Search Tool

Search for and access prior art for patents (replacing PubEast, PubWest, PatFT, and AppFT).

Patent Public Search Tool

PSIPS (Publication Site for Issued and Published Sequences)

Sequence listings, tables, and other items for granted patents or published applications (all sequences and tables available to view without downloading — access the proper document detail page and then submit a SEQ ID NO or a mega table ID number).

PSIPS (Publication Site for Issued and Published Sequences)

Search for Class/Subclass and Art Units

Search for old patent classes, subclasses, and Art Units.

Search for Class/Subclass and Art Units

Training

Proper training equips professionals for success, and that includes patent applicants. These tools will help you access training resources, including materials and events.

Examiner Training Materials

Computer-based training (CBT) modules — practice and procedure for patent examiners