MPEP § 318 — Documents Not to be Placed in Files (Annotated Rules)

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 318, 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.

Documents Not to be Placed in Files

This section addresses Documents Not to be Placed in Files.

Key Rules

Mandatory Requirements (1)

MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-318-12f881722d2a6e1e498038ef]
Assignment Documents Must be Recorded Separately
Note:
Assignment documents should not be placed in application or patent files but must be forwarded to the Assignment Recordation Branch for recording.

Assignment documents submitted for recording should not be placed directly in application or patent files, but should be forwarded to Assignment Recordation Branch for recording.

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