MPEP § 605 — Applicant (Annotated Rules)

§605 Applicant

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

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 605, 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.

Applicant

This section addresses Applicant.

Key Rules

Topic

AIA Effective Dates

2 rules
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-605-e55fc41c14cd5e32aeffe790]
Assignment of Invention Permits Patent Application Filing
Note:
Permits a person assigned an invention to file and prosecute a patent application on behalf of the inventor, effective September 16, 2012.

Effective September 16, 2012, the Office revised the rules of practice to permit a person to whom the inventor has assigned or is under an obligation to assign an invention to file and prosecute an application for patent as the applicant, and to permit a person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter to file and prosecute an application for patent as the applicant on behalf of the inventor. See MPEP § 605.01 for information regarding the applicant in applications filed on or after September 16, 2012.

Jump to MPEP SourceAIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant SignatureAIA Overview and Effective Dates
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-605-ae22b95bf7d353cf839ed53c]
Assignee Can File Before September 16, 2012
Note:
An assignee of an invention can file and prosecute a patent application before the AIA effective date, with the inventor considered as the applicant.

For applications filed before September 16, 2012, a person to whom the inventor assigned an invention could file and prosecute an application for patent, but the inventor is considered the applicant. See MPEP § 605.02 for information regarding the applicant in applications filed before September 16, 2012.

Jump to MPEP SourceAIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant SignatureAIA Overview and Effective Dates

Citations

Primary topicCitation
AIA Effective DatesMPEP § 605.01
AIA Effective DatesMPEP § 605.02

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