Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented a pilot program (Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program) in which an applicant, under certain conditions, can request a 12-month time period to pay the search fee, the examination fee, any excess claim fees, and the surcharge (for the late submission of the search fee and the examination fee) in a nonprovisional application. The Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program benefits applicants by permitting additional time to determine if patent protection should be sought--at a relatively low cost--and by permitting applicants to focus efforts on commercialization during this period. The Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program benefits the USPTO and the public by adding publications to the body of prior art, and by removing from the USPTO's workload those nonprovisional applications for which applicants later decide not to pursue examination. While the USPTO has not yet completed its evaluation of the program, the number of participants in the program over the past several years indicates that there may be sufficient benefits to the patent community. Thus, the USPTO is extending the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program until January 2, 2018, to allow the USPTO to continue its evaluation of the pilot program. The requirements of the program have not changed.
- Task
- Read the news
- Patent or trademark
- both
- Legacy system
- —
- Current entry point
- www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/12/21/2016-30733/extension-of-the-extended-missing-parts-pilot-program (permanent link in the Federal Register, verified 2026-09-30)
- Legacy system and where it moved
- No legacy system name mention in title or summary )
- Fee
- Fee mentioned in title or summary (Confirmed in the document text)
- What you need (account or API key)
- No account or key mention in title or summary )
- Published
- 2016-12-21
- Document type
- Notice
- Source
- USPTO documents published in the Federal Register (Federal Register API)(retrieved 2026-10-06)
Everything in the same category
Read the news (all 1988) · both (all 2333)
Related entry points
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Extension of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Pilot Program for Extended Time Period To Reply to a Notice To File Missing Parts of Nonprovisional Application
- Request for Comments on Proposed Change To Missing Parts Practice
- Request for Comments on the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Expiration of the Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program
- Enhanced Examination Timing Control Initiative; Notice of Public Meeting
- Request for Comments on a Proposed Track Three Pilot Program With a Pre-Examination Search Option
- Change in Practice Regarding Correction of Foreign Priority Claims
- Expansion and Extension of the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan
- After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0
- Extension of Period To Allow Submission of a PDF With a Patent Application Filed in DOCX Format