MPEP § 2710 — Term Extensions or Adjustments for Delays Within the USPTO Under 35 U.S.C. 154 (Annotated Rules)

§2710 Term Extensions or Adjustments for Delays Within the USPTO Under 35 U.S.C. 154

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

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 2710, 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.

Term Extensions or Adjustments for Delays Within the USPTO Under 35 U.S.C. 154

This section addresses Term Extensions or Adjustments for Delays Within the USPTO Under 35 U.S.C. 154. Primary authority: 35 U.S.C. 154(b), 37 CFR 1.701, and 37 CFR 1.702. Contains: 2 permissions and 1 other statement.

Key Rules

Topic

PTE Determination Procedure

2 rules
StatutoryPermittedAlways
[mpep-2710-e007cb08208ec7a90408a543]
Patent Term Extension for Utility and Plant Patents Issued Between June 8, 1995, and May 29, 2000
Note:
Utility and plant patents issued on applications filed between June 8, 1995, and May 29, 2000, are eligible for patent term extension provisions.

Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, but before May 29, 2000, are eligible for the patent term extension provisions of former 35 U.S.C. 154(b) and 37 CFR 1.701. See MPEP § 2720. Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after May 29, 2000 are eligible for the patent term adjustment provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(b) (effective May 29, 2000 and amended thereafter) and 37 CFR 1.702 – 1.705. See MPEP § 2730. See Thomas D. Sykes v. Jon W. Dudas, 573 F. Supp. 2d 191, 89 USPQ2d 1423 (D.D.C. 2008).

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.701PTE Determination ProcedurePTE Eligibility RequirementsPre-GATT 17-Year Term
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-2710-e4329f7d9e0bfd580ee83674]
Patents Issued Before June 8, 1995 Not Eligible for Term Extensions
Note:
Patents issued on applications filed before June 8, 1995 with terms of at least seventeen years from grant are not eligible for additional term extensions or adjustments due to delays by the USPTO.

Plant and utility patents issuing on applications filed before June 8, 1995 which have a term that is the greater of the “twenty-year term” (see MPEP § 2701) or seventeen years from patent grant are not eligible for term extension or adjustment due to delays in processing the patent application by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Jump to MPEP SourcePTE Determination ProcedurePTE Eligibility RequirementsPre-GATT 17-Year Term
Topic

Request for Reconsideration of PTA

2 rules
StatutoryPermittedAlways
[mpep-2710-f37e5b0e11dc18bcada13240]
Patent Term Adjustment for Utility and Plant Patents Filed After May 29, 2000
Note:
Utility and plant patents issued from applications filed on or after May 29, 2000 are eligible for patent term adjustment provisions.

Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, but before May 29, 2000, are eligible for the patent term extension provisions of former 35 U.S.C. 154(b) and 37 CFR 1.701. See MPEP § 2720. Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after May 29, 2000 are eligible for the patent term adjustment provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(b) (effective May 29, 2000 and amended thereafter) and 37 CFR 1.702 – 1.705. See MPEP § 2730. See Thomas D. Sykes v. Jon W. Dudas, 573 F. Supp. 2d 191, 89 USPQ2d 1423 (D.D.C. 2008).

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.701Request for Reconsideration of PTAPTE Determination ProcedurePTE Eligibility Requirements
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-2710-98d1caf4dd69529ed11cf23d]
Utility and Plant Patents Issuing Before May 29, 2000 Eligible for PTE
Note:
Utility and plant patents issued between June 8, 1995, and May 28, 2000, are eligible for patent term extension under the provisions of former 35 U.S.C. 154(b) and 37 CFR 1.701.

Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after June 8, 1995, but before May 29, 2000, are eligible for the patent term extension provisions of former 35 U.S.C. 154(b) and 37 CFR 1.701. See MPEP § 2720. Utility and plant patents issuing on applications filed on or after May 29, 2000 are eligible for the patent term adjustment provisions of 35 U.S.C. 154(b) (effective May 29, 2000 and amended thereafter) and 37 CFR 1.702 – 1.705. See MPEP § 2730. See Thomas D. Sykes v. Jon W. Dudas, 573 F. Supp. 2d 191, 89 USPQ2d 1423 (D.D.C. 2008).

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 1.701Request for Reconsideration of PTAPTE Determination ProcedurePTE Eligibility Requirements
Topic

Design Patent Term

2 rules
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-2710-c6d29e962c6308169cf0cadc]
No Patent Term Adjustment for Design Patents
Note:
Design patents do not have patent term adjustments based on prosecution delays.

Since the term of a design patent is not affected by the length of time prosecution takes place, there are no patent term adjustment provisions for design patents. The term “design patents” includes patents issued from design applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111 and international design applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 385.

Jump to MPEP SourceDesign Patent TermPatent Term AdjustmentPatent Term Basics
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-2710-302e47726b2dbc1764d1c5d1]
Design Patents Include US and International Applications
Note:
This rule states that design patents encompass patents issued from both domestic design applications under 35 U.S.C. 111 and international design applications under 35 U.S.C. 385.

Since the term of a design patent is not affected by the length of time prosecution takes place, there are no patent term adjustment provisions for design patents. The term “design patents” includes patents issued from design applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111 and international design applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 385.

Jump to MPEP SourceDesign Patent TermInternational Design ExaminationPatent Term Basics

Citations

Primary topicCitation
Design Patent Term35 U.S.C. § 111
PTE Determination Procedure
Request for Reconsideration of PTA
35 U.S.C. § 154(b)
Design Patent Term35 U.S.C. § 385
PTE Determination Procedure
Request for Reconsideration of PTA
37 CFR § 1.701
PTE Determination Procedure
Request for Reconsideration of PTA
37 CFR § 1.702
PTE Determination ProcedureMPEP § 2701
PTE Determination Procedure
Request for Reconsideration of PTA
MPEP § 2720
PTE Determination Procedure
Request for Reconsideration of PTA
MPEP § 2730

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