MPEP § 510 — MPEP § 510
Current through: 2022-07-01

510-U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Business Hours 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 0500 

 Section 510 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 510 U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Business Hours [R-07.2022]

 The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) working hours are
 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays in the District
 of Columbia. Outside these hours, only USPTO employees are authorized to be in areas of the
 USPTO other than the Public Search Facilities.
 

 The hours for the Public Search Facility in Alexandria are 8:00 a.m. to
 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays in the District of
 Columbia.
 

 See subsections II and III below for information regarding public access
 to, and conduct on, USPTO premises. 
 

 I. FILING OF PAPERS DURING UNSCHEDULED CLOSINGS OF THE U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK
 OFFICE 37 CFR
 1.9(h) provides that the definition of “Federal holiday within the
 District of Columbia” includes an official closing of the Office. When the entire USPTO
 is officially closed for business for an entire day, for reasons due to adverse weather
 or other causes, the Office will consider each such day a “Federal holiday within the
 District of Columbia” under 35 U.S.C. 21 . Any action or fee due
 on such a day may be taken, or fee paid, on the next succeeding business day the Office
 is open. In addition, 37 CFR 1.6(a)(1) provides “[t]he Patent and Trademark Office is
 not open for the filing of correspondence on any day that is a Saturday, Sunday or
 Federal holiday within the District of Columbia” to clarify that any day that is a
 Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia is a day that the
 USPTO is not open for the filing of applications within the meaning of Article 4(C)(3) of
 the Paris Convention. Note further that in accordance with 37 CFR 1.6(a)(2) ,
 even when the Office is not open for the filing of correspondence on any day that is a
 Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday within the District of Columbia, correspondence
 deposited as Priority Mail Express ® with the United States
 Postal Service in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10 will be considered filed
 on the date of its deposit, regardless of whether that date is a Saturday, Sunday or
 federal holiday within the District of Columbia (under 35 U.S.C. 21(b) or
 37 CFR
 1.7 ).
 

 When the USPTO is open for business during any part of a business day
 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., papers are due on that day even though the Office may
 be officially closed for some period of time during the business day because of an
 unscheduled event. The procedures of 37 CFR 1.10 may be used for filing
 applications.
 

 Information regarding whether or not the Office is officially closed on
 any particular day may be obtained by calling 1-800-PTO(786)-9199 or (571) 272-1000.
 

 New patent applications filed in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10 will
 be stamped by the Office with the date of deposit as Priority Mail
 Express ® with the United States Postal Service. For
 example, if a new patent application is deposited in Priority Mail
 Express ® in accordance with 37 CFR 1.10 on a
 Saturday and the United States Postal Service gives it a date of deposit of Saturday,
 the Office will accord and stamp the correspondence with the Saturday date.
 37 CFR
 1.6(a)(2) .
 

 II. CONDUCT IN PUBLIC INFORMATION FACILITIES The USPTO has established procedures and regulations governing public
 conduct on all Office premises, and additional regulations specific to the use of public
 information facilities, including the Lutrelle F. Parker Sr. Public Search Facility and
 the the Scientific and Technical Information Center. See www.uspto.gov for more information.
 

 A valid Public User or Visitor’s badge is required to
 enter USPTO facilities. This badge can be obtained from the Office of Security next door
 to the Public Search Facility located on the first floor of the Madison East Building,
 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. User badges will be issued to persons not under
 prohibition from using the search facilities who sign an application form and
 acknowledge receipt of a copy of the noted regulations. User badges are nontransferable
 and are valid until reissue or revocation for cause. Office employees must show their
 Building badges in order to enter the Patent Search Room. An On-line Service Card is
 required for access to all Public Search Facilities and on-line systems. On-line Service
 Cards are obtained at the Public Search Facility Receptionist Desk on a user’s first
 visit.
 

 Persons violating the regulations governing public conduct on Office
 premises (reproduced below) may be denied the use of Office facilities, and may further
 be subjected to prosecution under the Criminal Code. Additionally, the name of any
 person violating these regulations who is registered to practice before the Office may
 be forwarded to the Office of Enrollment and Discipline for appropriate action under 37
 CFR Part 11.
 

 

 
 III. USE OF TECHNOLOGY CENTER FACILITIES In addition to the rules set forth above with regard to public conduct
 on USPTO premises, authorized members of the public using the facilities of the
 Technology Centers (TCs) are required to follow the rules set forth below.
 

 
 (A) TC facilities are defined as those areas in Carlyle (Alexandria,
 VA) where the TCs are located.
 

 (B) The use of the TC facilities is strictly limited to the regular
 business hours of the USPTO, i.e., between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on
 regular business days (see subsection I above).
 

 (C) Authorized Officials, under these regulations, include Supervisory
 Patent Examiners and TC Directors.
 

 (D) Under applicable statutes and regulations, including Title 41,
 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 102-74, Subpart C:
 
 (1) No records, or other documents of the USPTO shall be removed
 from the TC facilities except by express written authorization by an
 authorized official in the TC where the material resides.
 

 (2) The presence or use of equipment such as dictation
 equipment, reproducing machines, typewriters, and photographic equipment is
 prohibited without prior permission from an authorized official in the TC
 where the use is intended.
 

 (3) All packages, briefcases, or other personal effects brought
 into the TC Facilities are subject to search by authorized officials upon
 request and must be removed when leaving the TC facilities.
 

 (4) All verbal requests for compliance with these regulations or
 other posted USPTO Notices pertaining to activity in the TC facilities, when
 made by authorized officials, must be promptly complied with.
 

 
 

 (E) Persons violating these regulations may be denied the use of the
 facilities in the TC and Office public information facilities, and may further be
 subject to prosecution under the Criminal Code. Additionally, the name of any
 person violating these regulations who is registered to practice before the USPTO
 may be forwarded to the Office of Enrollment and Discipline for appropriate action
 under 37 CFR Part 11.
 

 
 If any individual is observed in violation of any of the regulations,
 immediate compliance should be courteously requested. If a verbal request is not
 complied with, a note should be made of the individual’s name and Visitor or User badge
 number, if possible (the badge is required to be prominently displayed) and a report of
 the incident should be made to the Supervisory Patent Examiner, Supervisory Applications
 Examiner, or other appropriate supervisor who will take further action.
 

 In addition, if any individual in TC Facilities appears to be a stranger
 and is not wearing a Visitor badge or User badge, some identification, such as a
 Visitor, User, or Building badge (issued to Office employees and contractors), should be
 requested. If the individual refuses, notify a supervisor. Consequently, all Office
 employees are expected to carry their Building badge with them at all times.
 

 Supervisors, when aware of violations of the posted regulations, should
 prepare a memorandum detailing the facts of the incident and forward this memorandum to
 the Deputy Commissioner for Patents in their chain of command via their TC Director.
 Supervisory Patent Examiners and TC Directors are authorized to demand surrender of a
 User or Visitor badge on-the-spot. If the Supervisory Patent Examiner exercises this
 function, the TC Director should be immediately notified, followed up by a memorandum as
 previously set forth.
 

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 501-Filing Papers With the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

 502-Depositing Correspondence 
 502.01-Correspondence Transmitted by Facsimile 

 502.02-Correspondence Signature Requirements 

 502.03-Communications via Internet Electronic Mail (email) 

 502.04-Duplicate Copies of Correspondence 

 502.05-Correspondence Transmitted by EFS-Web 

 
 

 503-Application Number and Filing Receipt 

 504-Assignment of Application for Examination 

 505-Date of Receipt Stamp 

 506-Completeness of Original Application 
 506.01-[Reserved] 

 506.02-Review of Refusal To Accord Filing Date 

 
 

 507-Drawing Review in the Office of Patent Application Processing 

 508-Distribution 
 508.01-[Reserved] 

 508.02-Papers Received After Patenting or Abandonment 

 508.03-[Reserved] 

 508.04-Unlocatable Patent or Application Files 

 
 

 509-Payment of Fees 
 509.01-Deposit Accounts 

 509.02-Small Entity Status — Definitions 

 509.03-Claiming Small Entity Status 
 509.03(a)-Duty to Investigate Entitlement to Claim Small Entity Status 

 509.03(b)-Change or Correction of Status 

 
 

 509.04-Micro Entity Status — Definitions 
 509.04(a)-Gross Income Basis for Micro Entity Status 

 509.04(b) -Institution of Higher Education Basis for Micro Entity Status 

 509.04(c) -Parties Who Can Sign the Micro Entity Certification 

 509.04(d) -Continued Obligation to Determine Micro Entity Qualification 

 509.04(e) -Notification of Loss of Entitlement to Micro Entity Status 

 509.04(f) -Correcting Errors in Micro Entity Status 

 
 

 
 

 510-U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Business Hours 

 511-Postal Service Interruptions and Emergencies 

 512-Certificate of Mailing or Transmission 

 513-Deposit as Priority Mail Express® with U.S. Postal Service 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
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 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:50:52