How is an applicant notified that a CPA has been established?

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.

Unlike regular patent applications, applicants are not typically notified when a Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) has been established. The MPEP ¶ 2.30 states: “This notice should be given, since applicant is not notified of the abandonment of the parent nor is a filing receipt normally sent for a CPA.”

Instead, the first notification an applicant usually receives is in the first Office action of the CPA. The examiner will use specific language to advise the applicant that the CPA request was acceptable and has been established.