MPEP § 302.09 — Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents (Annotated Rules)
§302.09 Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents
This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 302.09, 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.
Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents
This section addresses Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents. Primary authority: 37 CFR 3.27 and 37 CFR 3.51. Contains: 2 requirements, 1 permission, and 2 other statements.
Key Rules
Assignment and Ownership (MPEP Chapter 300)
If a document submitted by fax is determined not to be recordable, the entire document, with its associated cover sheet, and the Office “Notice of Non-Recordation” will be transmitted via fax back to the sender. Once corrections are made, the initial submission, amended, may then be resubmitted by mailing the corrected submission to the address set forth in 37 CFR 3.27. Timely resubmission will provide the sender with the benefit of the initial receipt date as the recordation date in accordance with 37 CFR 3.51.
If a document submitted by fax is determined not to be recordable, the entire document, with its associated cover sheet, and the Office “Notice of Non-Recordation” will be transmitted via fax back to the sender. Once corrections are made, the initial submission, amended, may then be resubmitted by mailing the corrected submission to the address set forth in 37 CFR 3.27. Timely resubmission will provide the sender with the benefit of the initial receipt date as the recordation date in accordance with 37 CFR 3.51.
If a document submitted by fax is determined not to be recordable, the entire document, with its associated cover sheet, and the Office “Notice of Non-Recordation” will be transmitted via fax back to the sender. Once corrections are made, the initial submission, amended, may then be resubmitted by mailing the corrected submission to the address set forth in 37 CFR 3.27. Timely resubmission will provide the sender with the benefit of the initial receipt date as the recordation date in accordance with 37 CFR 3.51.
Certificate of Mailing
The date of receipt accorded to an assignment document sent to the Office by facsimile transmission is the date the complete transmission is received in the Office. See MPEP § 502.01. The benefits of a certificate of transmission under 37 CFR 1.8 are available.
The date of receipt accorded to an assignment document sent to the Office by facsimile transmission is the date the complete transmission is received in the Office. See MPEP § 502.01. The benefits of a certificate of transmission under 37 CFR 1.8 are available.
Fee Payment Methods
Any assignment-related document for patent matters submitted by facsimile must include:
- (A) an identified application or patent number;
- (B) one cover sheet to record a single transaction; and
- (C) payment of the recordation fee by a credit card (use of the Credit Card form, PTO-2038 (see MPEP § 509), is required for the credit card information to be kept separate from the assignment records) or a USPTO Deposit Account.
Any assignment-related document for patent matters submitted by facsimile must include:
…
(C) payment of the recordation fee by a credit card (use of the Credit Card form, PTO-2038 (see MPEP § 509), is required for the credit card information to be kept separate from the assignment records) or a USPTO Deposit Account.
Citations
| Primary topic | Citation |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Mailing | 37 CFR § 1.8 |
| Assignment and Ownership (MPEP Chapter 300) | 37 CFR § 3.27 |
| Assignment and Ownership (MPEP Chapter 300) | 37 CFR § 3.51 |
| – | MPEP § 1730 |
| Certificate of Mailing | MPEP § 502.01 |
| Fee Payment Methods | MPEP § 509 |
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.
Official MPEP § 302.09 — Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents
Source: USPTO302.09 Facsimile Submission of Assignment Documents [R-11.2013]
Assignments and other documents affecting title may be submitted to the Office via facsimile (fax). See the USPTO website or MPEP § 1730 for the facsimile number. This process allows customers to submit their documents directly into the automated Patent and Trademark Assignment System and receive the resulting recordation notice at their fax machine. The customer’s fax machine should be connected to a dedicated line because recordation notices will be returned automatically to the sending fax number through the Patent and Trademark Assignment System. If the Office system is unable to complete transmission of the recordation notice, the notice will be printed and mailed to the sender by U.S. Postal Service first class mail. Recorded documents will not be returned with the “Notice of Recordation.”
Any assignment-related document for patent matters submitted by facsimile must include:
- (A) an identified application or patent number;
- (B) one cover sheet to record a single transaction; and
- (C) payment of the recordation fee by a credit card (use of the Credit Card form, PTO-2038 (see MPEP § 509), is required for the credit card information to be kept separate from the assignment records) or a USPTO Deposit Account.
The following documents cannot be submitted via facsimile:
- (A) Assignments submitted concurrently with newly filed patent applications;
- (B) Documents with two or more cover sheets (e.g., a single document with one cover sheet to record an assignment, and a separate cover sheet to record separately a license relating to the same property); and
- (C) Requests for “at cost” recordation services.
The date of receipt accorded to an assignment document sent to the Office by facsimile transmission is the date the complete transmission is received in the Office. See MPEP § 502.01. The benefits of a certificate of transmission under 37 CFR 1.8 are available.
If a document submitted by fax is determined not to be recordable, the entire document, with its associated cover sheet, and the Office “Notice of Non-Recordation” will be transmitted via fax back to the sender. Once corrections are made, the initial submission, amended, may then be resubmitted by mailing the corrected submission to the address set forth in 37 CFR 3.27. Timely resubmission will provide the sender with the benefit of the initial receipt date as the recordation date in accordance with 37 CFR 3.51.
The Patent and Trademark Assignment System assigns reel and frame numbers and superimposes recordation stampings on the processed and stored electronic images. Accordingly, copies of all recorded documents will have the reel and frame numbers and recordation stampings.