You are here:  Ed9 07.2015 Guidebook »

37 C.F.R. (Rules) Frequency Charts (Revision 7.2015)

  Watch the 37 C.F.R. frequency chart video tutorial to learn more about this resource and how to use it for preparing for the exam.

 

General Information and Correspondence

37 CFR 1.5 Identification of patent, patent application, or patent-related proceeding.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.5
   

 

37 CFR 1.6 Receipt of correspondence.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.6
  (d)  

 

37 CFR 1.7 Times for taking action; Expiration on Saturday, Sunday or Federal holiday.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.7
   

 

37 CFR 1.8 Certificate of mailing or transmission.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.8
13 Questions
  

 

37 CFR 1.9 Definitions.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.9
   

 

37 CFR 1.10 Filing of correspondence by “Express Mail.”

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.10
  (a) (e)  

 

Records and Files of the Patent and Trademark Office

37 CFR 1.11 Files open to the public.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.11
   

 

37 CFR 1.14 Patent applications preserved in confidence.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.14
(b) (c) (e)  

 

Fees and Payment of Money

37 CFR 1.16 National application filing, search, and examination fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.16
  (a) (e)  

 

37 CFR 1.17 Patent application and reexamination processing fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.17
  (c) (e) (i)  

 

37 CFR 1.19 Document supply fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.19
(b)  

 

37 CFR 1.20 Post issuance fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.20
(a) (e)  

 

37 CFR 1.21 Miscellaneous fees and charges.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.21
(m)  

 

37 CFR 1.26 Refunds.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.26
   

 

37 CFR 1.27 Definition of small entities and establishing status as a small entity to permit payment of small entity fees; when a determination of entitlement to small entity status and notification of loss of entitlement to small entity status are required; fraud on the Office.

37 CFR 1.27 (pre-AIA)    Definition of small entities and establishing status as a small entity to permit payment of small entity fees; when a determination of entitlement to small entity status and notification of loss of entitlement to small entity status are required; fraud on the Office.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.27
   

 

37 CFR 1.28 Refunds when small entity status is later established; how errors in small entity status are excused.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.28
   

 

Prosecution of Application and Appointment of Attorney or Agent

37 CFR 1.31 Applicant may be represented by one or more patent practitioners or joint inventors.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.31
   

 

37 CFR 1.33 Correspondence respecting patent applications, reexamination proceedings, and other proceedings.

37 CFR 1.33 (pre-AIA)    Correspondence respecting patent applications, reexamination proceedings, and other proceedings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.33
  (a) (b) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.34 Acting in a representative capacity.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.34
   

 

37 CFR 1.36 Revocation of power of attorney; withdrawal of patent attorney or agent.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.36
   

 

Who May Apply for a Patent

37 CFR 1.41 Inventorship.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.41
(a)  

 

37 CFR 1.47 (pre-AIA) Filing when an inventor refuses to sign or cannot be reached.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.47
(b)  

 

37 CFR 1.48 Correction of inventorship pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 116 or correction of the name or order of names in a patent application, other than a reissue application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.48
   

 

The Application

37 CFR 1.51 General requisites of an application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.51
(b) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.52 Language, paper, writing, margins, compact disc specifications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.52
  (b) (e)  

 

37 CFR 1.53 Application number, filing date, and completion of application.

1.53 (pre-PLT (AIA)) Application number, filing date, and completion of application.

37 CFR 1.53 (pre-AIA) Application number, filing date, and completion of application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.53
   
1.53(b)
19 Questions
  
1.53(c)
   
1.53(d)
   
1.53(f)
   

 

37 CFR 1.55 Claim for foreign priority.

37 CFR 1.55 (pre-AIA) Claim for foreign priority.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.55
  (a)  

 

37 CFR 1.56 Duty to disclose information material to patentability.

37 CFR 1.56 (pre-AIA) Duty to disclose information material to patentability.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.56
  (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.58 Chemical and mathematical formulae and tables.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.58
   

 

Oath or Declaration

37 CFR 1.63 Inventor's oath or declaration.

37 CFR 1.63 (pre-AIA) Oath or declaration.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.63
   

 

37 CFR 1.67 Supplemental oath or declaration.

37 CFR 1.67 (pre-AIA) Supplemental oath or declaration.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.67
   

 

Specification

37 CFR 1.71 Detailed description and specification of the invention.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.71
   

 

37 CFR 1.72 Title and abstract.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.72
(b)  

 

37 CFR 1.75 Claim(s).

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.75
   
1.75(b)
   
1.75(c)
15 Questions
  
1.75(i)
   

 

37 CFR 1.76 Application data sheet.

37 CFR 1.76 (pre-AIA) Application data sheet.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.76
  (a) (d)  

 

37 CFR 1.78 Claiming benefit of earlier filing date and cross-references to other applications.

37 CFR 1.78 (2012-09-16 thru 2013-03-15) Claiming benefit of earlier filing date and cross-references to other applications.

37 CFR 1.78 (pre-AIA) Claiming benefit of earlier filing date and cross-references to other applications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.78
  (a)  

 

37 CFR 1.79 Reservation clauses not permitted.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.79
   

 

The Drawings

37 CFR 1.81 Drawings required in patent application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.81
  (a) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.83 Content of drawing.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.83
   

 

37 CFR 1.84 Standards for drawings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.84
  (a) + (k) (e)(f)(g)  

 

37 CFR 1.85 Corrections to drawings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.85
  (a)  

 

Models, Exhibits, Specimens

37 CFR 1.96 Submission of computer program listings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.96
(c)  

 

Information Disclosure Statement

37 CFR 1.97 Filing of information disclosure statement.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.97
  (b) (c) (e)  

 

37 CFR 1.98 Content of information disclosure statement.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.98
   

 

Examination of Applications

37 CFR 1.102 Advancement of examination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.102
   

 

37 CFR 1.103 Suspension of action by the Office.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.103
  (a) (b) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.104 Nature of examination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.104
  (a) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.105 Requirements for information.

37 CFR 1.105 (pre-AIA) Requirements for information.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.105
  (e)  

 

Action by Applicant and Further Consideration

37 CFR 1.111 Reply by applicant or patent owner to a non-final Office action.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.111
14 Questions
  
1.111(a)
   
1.111(b)
   
1.111(c)
   

 

37 CFR 1.113 Final rejection or action.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.113
   

 

37 CFR 1.114 Request for continued examination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.114
19 Questions
  
1.114(b)
   
1.114(e)
   

 

Amendments

37 CFR 1.115 Preliminary amendments.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.115
(b)  

 

37 CFR 1.116 Amendments and affidavits or other evidence after final action and prior to appeal.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.116
  (a) (b) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.121 Manner of making amendments in applications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.121
  (b) - (c)  

 

Affidavits Overcoming Rejections

37 CFR 1.130 Affidavit or declaration of attribution or prior public disclosure under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.130
   

 

37 CFR 1.131 Affidavit or declaration of prior invention or to disqualify commonly owned patent or published application as prior art.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.131
27 Questions
  
1.131(a)
   
1.131(b)
   

 

37 CFR 1.132 Affidavits or declarations traversing rejections or objections.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.132
19 Questions
  

 

Interviews

37 CFR 1.133 Interviews.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.133
   

 

Time for Reply by Applicant; Abandonment of Application

37 CFR 1.134 Time period for reply to an Office action.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.134
   

 

37 CFR 1.135 Abandonment for failure to reply within time period.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.135
  (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.136 Extensions of time.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.136
  (a) (b)  

 

37 CFR 1.137 Revival of abandoned application, terminated or limited reexamination prosecution, or lapsed patent.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.137
  (a) (b) (c)  

 

37 CFR 1.138 Express abandonment.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.138
   

 

Joinder of Inventions in one Application; Restriction

37 CFR 1.143 Reconsideration of requirement.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.143
   

 

37 CFR 1.144 Petition from requirement for restriction.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.144
   

 

Design Patents

37 CFR 1.152 Design drawings. 1.152(a)

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.152
   

 

37 CFR 1.153 (pre-AIA) Title, description and claim, oath or declaration.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.153
(a) (d)  

 

37 CFR 1.154 Arrangement of application elements in a design application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.154
   

 

Plant Patents

37 CFR 1.162 Applicant, oath or declaration.

37 CFR 1.162 (pre-AIA) Applicant, oath or declaration.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.162
   

 

37 CFR 1.163 Specification and arrangement of application elements in a plant application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.163
   

 

37 CFR 1.165 Plant Drawings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.165
   

 

Reissues

37 CFR 1.173 Reissue specification, drawings, and amendments.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.173
  (a)  

 

37 CFR 1.176 Examination of reissue.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.176
  (b)  

 

Petitions and Action by the Director

37 CFR 1.181 Petition to the Director.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.181
   

 

37 CFR 1.182 Questions not specifically provided for.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.182
   

 

37 CFR 1.183 Suspension of rules.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.183
   

 

Appeal to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

37 CFR 1.191 Appeal to Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.191
   

 

Publication of Applications

37 CFR 1.211 Publication of applications.

37 CFR 1.211 (pre-AIA) Publication of applications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.211
(b)  

 

37 CFR 1.213 Nonpublication request.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.213
   

 

37 CFR 1.217 Publication of a redacted copy of an application.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.217
(a)  

 

37 CFR 1.221 Voluntary publication or republication of patent application publication.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.221
(b)  

 

Miscellaneous Provisions

37 CFR 1.248 Service of papers; manner of service; proof of service in cases other than interferences and trials.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.248
   

 

37 CFR 1.251 Unlocatable file.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.251
(a)  

 

Preissuance Submissions and Protests by Third Parties

37 CFR 1.290 Submissions by third parties in applications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.290
   

 

37 CFR 1.291 Protests by the public against pending applications.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.291
   

 

Allowance and Issue of Patent

37 CFR 1.311 Notice of Allowance.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.311
   

 

37 CFR 1.312 Amendments after allowance.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.312
  (b)  

 

37 CFR 1.313 Withdrawal from issue.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.313
   
1.313(a)(c)
   
1.313(b)
   

 

37 CFR 1.316 Application abandoned for failure to pay issue fee.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.316
   

 

Disclaimer

37 CFR 1.321 Statutory disclaimers, including terminal disclaimers.

37 CFR 1.321 (pre-AIA) Statutory disclaimers, including terminal disclaimers.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.321
  (a) (c)  

 

Correction of Errors in Patent

37 CFR 1.322 Certificate of correction of Office mistake.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.322
   

 

37 CFR 1.324 Correction of inventorship in patent, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 256.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.324
   

 

Maintenance Fees

37 CFR 1.366 Submission of maintenance fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.366
(c)  

 

The International Application

37 CFR 1.437 The drawings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.437
   

 

International Preliminary Examination

37 CFR 1.485 Amendments by applicant during international preliminary examination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.485
(a)  

 

National Stage

37 CFR 1.491 National stage commencement, entry, and fulfillment.

37 CFR 1.491 (pre-AIA) National stage commencement and entry.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.491
   

 

37 CFR 1.495 Entering the national stage in the United States of America.

37 CFR 1.495 (pre-AIA) Entering the national stage in the United States of America.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.495
   

 

Citation of Prior Art and Written Statements

37 CFR 1.501 Citation of prior art and written statements in patent files.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.501
   

 

Ex Parte Reexamination

37 CFR 1.550 Conduct of ex parte reexamination proceedings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.550
(d)  

 

37 CFR 1.552 Scope of reexamination in ex parte reexamination proceedings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.552
   

 

37 CFR 1.560 Interviews in ex parte reexamination proceedings.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.560
(a)+(b)  

 

Supplemental Examination of Patents

37 CFR 1.601 Filing of papers in supplemental examination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.601
(n)  

 

Adjustment of Patent Term Due to Examination Delay

37 CFR 1.704 Reduction of period of adjustment of patent term.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.704
   

 

37 CFR 1.913 Persons eligible to file, and time for filing, a request for inter partes reexamination.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
1.913
   

 

Date and Effect of Recording

37 CFR 3.56 Conditional assignments.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
3.56
   

 

Action Taken by Assignee

37 CFR 3.73 Establishing right of assignee to take action.

37 CFR 3.73 (pre-AIA) Establishing right of assignee to take action.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
3.73
  (b)  

 

Licenses for Foreign Exporting and Filing

37 CFR 5.25 Petition for retroactive license.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
5.25
(a)  

 

Practice Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

37 CFR 41.20 Fees.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
41.20
   

 

Ex Parte Appeals

41.35 Jurisdiction over appeal.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
41.35
   

 

41.37 Appeal brief.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
41.37
  (a)  

 

41.47 Oral hearing.

Key
2
4
6
8
10
41.47