PTOFinal Rule
Discontinuation of the Accelerated Examination Program for Utility Applications
TechnologyFinance & Banking
Ad Space (leaderboard)
Summary
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is ending its Accelerated Examination Program, which allowed companies to get their utility patent applications reviewed faster than normal. This means inventors and businesses seeking patents on new inventions will no longer have the option to pay extra fees to speed up the examination process.
Key Points
- 1The Patent Office is shutting down the program that let inventors pay extra money to have their patent applications reviewed more quickly
- 2Inventors and companies will now have to wait through the standard patent examination timeline, which typically takes several years
- 3This affects businesses, startups, and individual inventors who rely on getting patents approved quickly to protect their new technologies or products
- 4The program had allowed applicants to get their applications reviewed in about 12 months instead of the usual 3-4 years
- 5Anyone currently using the Accelerated Examination Program will need to transition their applications to standard processing
Impact Assessment
If you are a technology company or inventor, this means your utility patent applications will take longer to be reviewed since you can no longer pay extra fees to expedite the examination process.
Impact Level
Moderate
Geographic Scope
National
Compliance Cost
None
Who is Affected
Technology CompaniesSmall BusinessesManufacturers
Key Dates
Published
June 18, 2025
This summary is for informational purposes only. It may not capture all nuances of the regulation. Always refer to the official text for authoritative information.
The Digest Network
Ad Space (rectangle)
Related Regulations
FCCTechnology
Unlicensed Use of the 6 GHz Band: Expanding Flexible Use in Mid-Band Spectrum between 3.7 and 24 GHz
NISTTechnology
Eliminating Obsolete Regulations Related to the Advanced Technology Program and the Technology Innovation Program
DOCTechnology