Can drawing objections be held in abeyance in a patent application?

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, drawing objections cannot typically be held in abeyance in a patent application. According to 37 CFR 1.85(a):

Unless applicant is otherwise notified in an Office action, objections to the drawings in a utility or plant application will not be held in abeyance, and a request to hold objections to the drawings in abeyance will not be considered a bona fide attempt to advance the application to final action.

This means that applicants must address drawing objections in their response to an Office action. Failing to do so may result in the response being considered incomplete or non-responsive.