What are the signature requirements for papers filed in a patent application?
According to 37 CFR 11.18(a), all documents filed in the USPTO for patent matters must bear a signature, with some exceptions:
- Documents that are required to be signed by the applicant or party do not need a practitioner’s signature.
- For all other documents, each piece of correspondence filed by a practitioner must be personally signed or have their signature inserted in compliance with 37 CFR 1.4(d).
The MPEP states: “37 CFR 11.18(a) emphasizes that every paper filed by a practitioner must be personally signed by the practitioner, except those required to be signed by the applicant or party.”
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 400 - Representative of Applicant or Owner,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure