What is a reexamination certificate?

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.

A reexamination certificate is a document issued by the USPTO after the completion of a patent reexamination process. It confirms the patentability of the original patent claims, cancels any unpatentable claims, or incorporates allowed amended or new claims.

The distribution of this certificate is crucial, as outlined in MPEP 2292: “An e-copy of the reexamination certificate will be associated with the e-copy of the patent in the search files.” This ensures that the updated patent information is readily available to the public and patent examiners.