MPEP § 214.04 — Proper Identification of Priority Application in Foreign Priority Claim (Annotated Rules)

§214.04 Proper Identification of Priority Application in Foreign Priority Claim

USPTO MPEP version: BlueIron's Update: 2025-12-31

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 214.04, including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Proper Identification of Priority Application in Foreign Priority Claim

This section addresses Proper Identification of Priority Application in Foreign Priority Claim. Contains: 1 requirement, 2 guidance statements, 1 permission, and 2 other statements.

Key Rules

Topic

Foreign Priority Claim Requirements

2 rules
MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-214-04-386131c84af909e029ddf874]
Proper Citation of Foreign Priority Application Numbers
Note:
Applicants must review and use the recommended presentation of foreign application numbers from the WIPO Handbook to ensure accurate citation in United States Patent and Trademark Office records.

To ensure an accurate and complete citation of a foreign priority application, applicants should review the list of the various intellectual property offices and the recommended presentation of a foreign application number for each, which can be found in the tables of the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation (www.wipo.int/standards/en/), Part 7: Examples and Industrial Property Offices Practices (www.wipo.int/standards/en/part_07.html), including Part 7.2.1: Presentation of Application Numbers (www.wipo.int/standards/en/pdf/_07-02- 01.pdf). The tables should enable applicants, examiners and others to extract from the various formats the minimum required data which comprises a proper citation. The “Minimum Significant Part of the Number” identified in the tables should be used in United States Patent and Trademark Office records. Proper identification of priority applications is essential to establishing accurate and complete relationships among various patent documents, especially in the context of electronic priority document exchange programs (see MPEP § 215.01).

Jump to MPEP SourceForeign Priority Claim RequirementsForeign Priority ClaimsPriority and Benefit Claims
MPEP GuidancePermittedAlways
[mpep-214-04-99f661589c90d11683241ad0]
Requirement for Updated Foreign Application Number Presentation
Note:
The rule requires using the updated presentation of foreign application numbers based on the numbering system used by the foreign intellectual property office, as maintained by WIPO.

The tables set forth below include only a partial list of recommended presentations of foreign application numbers. A complete updated list of the recommended presentation of a foreign application number based on the numbering system used by the foreign intellectual property office is maintained by the WIPO and can be found in the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation as explained above. See also www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/standards/ en/pdf_/07-02-06.pdf for a survey of current practices regarding the numbering of applications and priority applications.

Jump to MPEP SourceForeign Priority Claim RequirementsForeign Priority ClaimsPriority and Benefit Claims
Topic

Priority and Benefit Claims

2 rules
MPEP GuidanceRequiredAlways
[mpep-214-04-54c2495bbff36fb78a74e6fd]
Proper Identification of Foreign Priority Application
Note:
Applicants must use the minimum significant part of the number as identified in the tables to correctly cite foreign priority applications.

To ensure an accurate and complete citation of a foreign priority application, applicants should review the list of the various intellectual property offices and the recommended presentation of a foreign application number for each, which can be found in the tables of the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation (www.wipo.int/standards/en/), Part 7: Examples and Industrial Property Offices Practices (www.wipo.int/standards/en/part_07.html), including Part 7.2.1: Presentation of Application Numbers (www.wipo.int/standards/en/pdf/_07-02- 01.pdf). The tables should enable applicants, examiners and others to extract from the various formats the minimum required data which comprises a proper citation. The “Minimum Significant Part of the Number” identified in the tables should be used in United States Patent and Trademark Office records. Proper identification of priority applications is essential to establishing accurate and complete relationships among various patent documents, especially in the context of electronic priority document exchange programs (see MPEP § 215.01).

Jump to MPEP SourcePriority and Benefit ClaimsForeign Priority Claim RequirementsElectronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)
MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-214-04-c2e11b9855fae6d836690bf8]
Use Minimum Significant Part of Number in USPTO Records
Note:
The 'Minimum Significant Part of the Number' identified in tables should be used for accurate citation in United States Patent and Trademark Office records.

To ensure an accurate and complete citation of a foreign priority application, applicants should review the list of the various intellectual property offices and the recommended presentation of a foreign application number for each, which can be found in the tables of the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation (www.wipo.int/standards/en/), Part 7: Examples and Industrial Property Offices Practices (www.wipo.int/standards/en/part_07.html), including Part 7.2.1: Presentation of Application Numbers (www.wipo.int/standards/en/pdf/_07-02- 01.pdf). The tables should enable applicants, examiners and others to extract from the various formats the minimum required data which comprises a proper citation. The “Minimum Significant Part of the Number” identified in the tables should be used in United States Patent and Trademark Office records. Proper identification of priority applications is essential to establishing accurate and complete relationships among various patent documents, especially in the context of electronic priority document exchange programs (see MPEP § 215.01).

Jump to MPEP SourcePriority and Benefit ClaimsForeign Priority Claim RequirementsElectronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)
Topic

Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)

1 rules
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-214-04-f3919124a0162509365dc1e9]
Proper Identification of Priority Applications for PDX Programs
Note:
Ensure accurate and complete relationships among patent documents by correctly identifying priority applications, especially in electronic document exchange programs.

To ensure an accurate and complete citation of a foreign priority application, applicants should review the list of the various intellectual property offices and the recommended presentation of a foreign application number for each, which can be found in the tables of the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation (www.wipo.int/standards/en/), Part 7: Examples and Industrial Property Offices Practices (www.wipo.int/standards/en/part_07.html), including Part 7.2.1: Presentation of Application Numbers (www.wipo.int/standards/en/pdf/_07-02- 01.pdf). The tables should enable applicants, examiners and others to extract from the various formats the minimum required data which comprises a proper citation. The “Minimum Significant Part of the Number” identified in the tables should be used in United States Patent and Trademark Office records. Proper identification of priority applications is essential to establishing accurate and complete relationships among various patent documents, especially in the context of electronic priority document exchange programs (see MPEP § 215.01).

Jump to MPEP SourceElectronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)Priority Document (Certified Copy)Priority and Benefit Claims
Topic

Foreign Priority Claims

1 rules
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-214-04-2b24e483ce0704d3a1473ae1]
Partial List of Recommended Foreign Application Number Presentations
Note:
Provides a partial list of recommended ways to present foreign application numbers, with complete lists available from WIPO.

The tables set forth below include only a partial list of recommended presentations of foreign application numbers. A complete updated list of the recommended presentation of a foreign application number based on the numbering system used by the foreign intellectual property office is maintained by the WIPO and can be found in the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation as explained above. See also www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/standards/ en/pdf_/07-02-06.pdf for a survey of current practices regarding the numbering of applications and priority applications.

Jump to MPEP SourceForeign Priority ClaimsPriority and Benefit ClaimsForeign Priority Claim Requirements

Citations

Primary topicCitation
Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX)
Foreign Priority Claim Requirements
Priority and Benefit Claims
MPEP § 215.01

Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP

This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.

BlueIron Last Updated: 2025-12-31