[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 46042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21194]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket No. PTO-P-2017-0039]


Cash Payment Method Will No Longer Be Accepted

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will no 
longer accept cash, including coins, as payment for products and 
services for which fees are required.

DATES: Applicable Date: November 1, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Lee, Director, Receipts 
Accounting Division, Office of Finance, by email at 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7dad6c3c3dfd2c099dbd2d2f7c2c4c7c3d899d0d8c1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="731e1207071b16045d1f161633060003071c5d141c05">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective November 1, 2017, the USPTO will 
no longer accept cash, including coins, as payment for products and 
services for which fees are required. This change is being made to 
streamline the administrative fee collection process and is in 
accordance with the Department of the Treasury's policy on agencies 
adopting a no-cash policy. See https://tfm.fiscal.treasury.gov/v1/bull/17-12.pdf. There is no requirement that the USPTO accept cash payments. 
See, e.g., 37 CFR 1.23.
    The USPTO's total net revenue for the last three fiscal years 
exceeded $3.0 billion each year, and the cash payment method 
collections averaged less than $14,000 each year. In fiscal year (FY) 
2016, the cash payment method comprised less than $11,000, which 
represented less than 0.0004 percent of total net revenue collections. 
Furthermore, the USPTO processed over 4.95 million total fee 
transactions in FY 2016, and only 55 patent fees totaling under $5,000, 
and eleven trademark fees totally under $4,000, were paid by cash.
    The only other fees collected by cash in FY 2016 were about $1,500 
in copying fees. The current self-service copiers are to be 
discontinued as part of Office plans to enter a ``No Cost'' contract 
with a vendor who will keep all payments collected in exchange for 
providing this service. See Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees During 
Fiscal Year 2017, 81 FR 68150, 68168 (Oct. 3, 2016) (proposed rule).
    For the past three years, the overwhelming majority of fees have 
been paid to the USPTO using a payment method other than cash, and the 
costs of handling, safeguarding, auditing, transporting, and depositing 
of cash payments greatly outweigh the benefits of continuing to accept 
the cash payment method.
    While the USPTO will no longer accept the cash payment method on or 
after November 1, 2017, payments will continue to be accepted in-person 
and by mail when made by check or money order, credit/debit card, or 
deposit account. Payment of fees attempted with cash will be refused 
and returned. More information about all accepted payment methods is 
available at https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/fees-and-payment/accepted-payment-methods.

    Dated: September 25, 2017.
Joseph D. Matal,
Performing the Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce 
for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2017-21194 Filed 10-2-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P


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