MPEP § 2406 — Time of Making an Original Deposit (Annotated Rules)

§2406 Time of Making an Original Deposit

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

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 2406, 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.

Time of Making an Original Deposit

This section addresses Time of Making an Original Deposit. Primary authority: 37 CFR 1.804. Contains: 1 prohibition.

Key Rules

Topic

Notice of Allowance Form and Content

4 rules
StatutoryPermittedAlways
[mpep-2406-9dbd60dbb63eea58fc5c15e8]
Deposit of Biological Material Before Filing or During Pendency
Note:
A deposit of biological material must be made before filing the application or during its pendency, subject to specific conditions.

37 CFR 1.804 specifies the time for making an original deposit to fulfill the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112. For the reasons discussed throughout this section, it is recommended that a deposit be made before the filing date of the application. However, for the purposes of complying with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, a deposit of a biological material may be made at any time before filing the application for patent or during the pendency of the application subject to the conditions of 37 CFR 1.809. Where a deposit is needed to satisfy the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 and it is made during the pendency of the application, it must be made no later than the time period set by the examiner at the time the Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due is mailed. However, a necessary deposit need not be made by an applicant until the application is in condition for allowance so long as the applicant provides a written assurance that an acceptable deposit will be made on or before the payment of the issue fee. This written assurance must provide sufficiently detailed information to convince the examiner that there is no outstanding issue regarding deposits that needs to be resolved. Note that while 37 CFR 1.804 permits making a deposit after the filing date of an application, in many countries the deposit must be made before the filing date of the application. See MPEP § 2406.03.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Notice of Allowance Form and ContentIssue FeesMaintenance Fee Amounts
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-2406-1b69dcbd1d9b9eb8733761ee]
Deposit Requirement Before Issue Fee Payment
Note:
An applicant must provide a deposit of biological material no later than the time period set by the examiner at the Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due, or provide written assurance that it will be made on or before payment of the issue fee.

37 CFR 1.804 specifies the time for making an original deposit to fulfill the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112. For the reasons discussed throughout this section, it is recommended that a deposit be made before the filing date of the application. However, for the purposes of complying with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, a deposit of a biological material may be made at any time before filing the application for patent or during the pendency of the application subject to the conditions of 37 CFR 1.809. Where a deposit is needed to satisfy the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 and it is made during the pendency of the application, it must be made no later than the time period set by the examiner at the time the Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due is mailed. However, a necessary deposit need not be made by an applicant until the application is in condition for allowance so long as the applicant provides a written assurance that an acceptable deposit will be made on or before the payment of the issue fee. This written assurance must provide sufficiently detailed information to convince the examiner that there is no outstanding issue regarding deposits that needs to be resolved. Note that while 37 CFR 1.804 permits making a deposit after the filing date of an application, in many countries the deposit must be made before the filing date of the application. See MPEP § 2406.03.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Notice of Allowance Form and ContentIssue FeesMaintenance Fee Amounts
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-2406-c970ca984ecffc66bf20d5f5]
Written Assurance Must Detail Deposit Resolution
Note:
The rule requires a written assurance providing detailed information to convince the examiner that no outstanding deposit issues exist.

37 CFR 1.804 specifies the time for making an original deposit to fulfill the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112. For the reasons discussed throughout this section, it is recommended that a deposit be made before the filing date of the application. However, for the purposes of complying with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, a deposit of a biological material may be made at any time before filing the application for patent or during the pendency of the application subject to the conditions of 37 CFR 1.809. Where a deposit is needed to satisfy the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 and it is made during the pendency of the application, it must be made no later than the time period set by the examiner at the time the Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due is mailed. However, a necessary deposit need not be made by an applicant until the application is in condition for allowance so long as the applicant provides a written assurance that an acceptable deposit will be made on or before the payment of the issue fee. This written assurance must provide sufficiently detailed information to convince the examiner that there is no outstanding issue regarding deposits that needs to be resolved. Note that while 37 CFR 1.804 permits making a deposit after the filing date of an application, in many countries the deposit must be made before the filing date of the application. See MPEP § 2406.03.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Notice of Allowance Form and ContentIssue FeesMaintenance Fee Amounts
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-2406-d21b9fb84da2f58055d7ab26]
Deposit Before Filing Date Required In Many Countries
Note:
The rule requires that a deposit of biological material be made before the filing date in many countries, though it permits making a deposit after the filing date for compliance with U.S. requirements.

37 CFR 1.804 specifies the time for making an original deposit to fulfill the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112. For the reasons discussed throughout this section, it is recommended that a deposit be made before the filing date of the application. However, for the purposes of complying with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112, a deposit of a biological material may be made at any time before filing the application for patent or during the pendency of the application subject to the conditions of 37 CFR 1.809. Where a deposit is needed to satisfy the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112 and it is made during the pendency of the application, it must be made no later than the time period set by the examiner at the time the Notice of Allowance and Issue Fee Due is mailed. However, a necessary deposit need not be made by an applicant until the application is in condition for allowance so long as the applicant provides a written assurance that an acceptable deposit will be made on or before the payment of the issue fee. This written assurance must provide sufficiently detailed information to convince the examiner that there is no outstanding issue regarding deposits that needs to be resolved. Note that while 37 CFR 1.804 permits making a deposit after the filing date of an application, in many countries the deposit must be made before the filing date of the application. See MPEP § 2406.03.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Notice of Allowance Form and ContentIssue FeesMaintenance Fee Amounts
Topic

Reference to Deposit in Specification

1 rules
StatutoryPermittedAlways
[mpep-2406-a082b4f4d488db253c72aea0]
Requirement for Deposit of Biological Material
Note:
The rule requires that a biological material must be deposited before filing an application for patent if it is specifically identified in the specification.

(a) Whenever a biological material is specifically identified in an application for patent as filed, an original deposit thereof may be made at any time before filing the application for patent or, subject to § 1.809, during pendency of the application for patent.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.809Reference to Deposit in SpecificationDeposit of Biological Materials
Topic

Deposit of Biological Materials

1 rules
StatutoryRequiredAlways
[mpep-2406-e05ec5b3feb177c78e37c3f7]
Statement Required for Post-Filing Deposit of Biological Material
Note:
Applicant must submit a statement from someone qualified to confirm the deposited biological material matches that specified in the application after the filing date.

(b) When the original deposit is made after the effective filing date of an application for patent, the applicant must promptly submit a statement from a person in a position to corroborate the fact, stating that the biological material which is deposited is a biological material specifically identified in the application as filed.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Deposit of Biological MaterialsTime of Making Deposit
Topic

Reissue and Reexamination

1 rules
StatutoryProhibitedAlways
[mpep-2406-d6c020a5dfc8ad0b7a5603eb]
Original Deposit During Reexamination If Claims Amended
Note:
An original deposit may be made during reexamination if claims are amended, even though post-issuance deposits are not permitted otherwise.

Insofar as the rules do not permit post-issuance original deposits, the failure to make an original deposit in an application cannot be cured by filing a reissue application or instituting a reexamination proceeding. However, if an amendment of claims in a reexamination proceeding raises the need for a deposit, an original deposit may be made during the reexamination proceeding.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.804Reissue and ReexaminationConcurrent Reissue ProceedingsReissue Patent Practice

Citations

Primary topicCitation
Notice of Allowance Form and Content35 U.S.C. § 112
Notice of Allowance Form and Content37 CFR § 1.804
Notice of Allowance Form and Content
Reference to Deposit in Specification
37 CFR § 1.809
Notice of Allowance Form and ContentMPEP § 2406.03

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