Are design patents eligible for patent term adjustment?
This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
No, design patents are not eligible for patent term adjustment. According to MPEP 2751:
“The patent term adjustment provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(b) as amended by the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 apply to original utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after May 29, 2000.“
This statement explicitly mentions utility and plant patents, excluding design patents from eligibility for patent term adjustment. Design patents have a fixed term of 15 years from the date of grant and are not subject to the same adjustment provisions as utility and plant patents.