What is the Technology Center responsible for plant patent applications?

Plant patent applications are assigned to Technology Center (TC) 1600 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). According to MPEP 909.02(a):

“New nonprovisional design and plant applications are assigned to Technology Centers (TCs) 2900 and 1600, respectively, in the first instance by the Office of Patent Application Processing (OPAP).”

TC 1600 specializes in biotechnology and organic chemistry, which makes it the appropriate center for examining plant patent applications due to the specialized nature of plant-related inventions.

To learn more:

• plant patents
• Technology Center 1600
• USPTO procedures
• patent examination
• biotechnology