What are the different types of patent applications recognized by the USPTO?

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.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recognizes several types of patent applications. According to MPEP 201, these include:

• Nonprovisional applications for patent, including utility, design, and plant patent applications
• Provisional applications for patent
• International applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
• Reissue applications
• Divisional applications
• Continuation applications
• Continuation-in-part applications

Each type of application serves a specific purpose in the patent process and has its own requirements and procedures.

For more information on divisional, visit: divisional.

For more information on patent applications, visit: patent applications.

For more information on reissue, visit: reissue.

For more information on USPTO, visit: USPTO.