MPEP § 714.20 — List of Amendments Entered in Part (Annotated Rules)

§714.20 List of Amendments Entered in Part

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

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 714.20, 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.

List of Amendments Entered in Part

This section addresses List of Amendments Entered in Part. Contains: 1 requirement, 2 guidance statements, 1 permission, and 3 other statements.

Key Rules

Topic

Amendments After Allowance

4 rules
MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-714-20-74e83f923ad3896aceb2c43a]
Amendment of Claims Near Reply Deadline
Note:
An amendment to claims near the reply deadline may be entered in part if it includes both acceptable and unacceptable changes.
To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:
  • (A) An “amendment” presenting an unacceptable substitute specification along with amendatory matter, as amendments to claims or new claims, should be entered in part, rather than refused entry in toto. The substitute specification should be denied entry and so marked, while the rest of the paper should be entered. The application as thus amended is acted on when reached in its turn, the applicant being advised that the substitute specification has not been entered.
    • See 37 CFR 1.125 and MPEP § 608.01(q) for information regarding the submission of a substitute specification.
    • Under current practice, substitute specifications may be voluntarily filed by the applicant if he or she desires. A proper substitute specification will normally be accepted by the Office even if it has not been required by the examiner. However, entry of a substitute specification filed after the notice of allowance has been mailed (37 CFR 1.312) is not a matter of right.
  • (B) An amendment under 37 CFR 1.312, which in part is approved and in other part disapproved, is entered only as to the approved part. See MPEP § 714.16(e).
  • (C) In an application in which prosecution on the merits is closed, i.e., after the issuance of an Ex Parte Quayle action, where an amendment is presented curing the noted formal defect and adding one or more claims some or all of which are in the opinion of the examiner not patentable, or will require a further search, the amendment in such a case will be entered only as to the formal matter. Applicant has no right to have new claims considered or entered at this point in the prosecution.
  • (D) In an amendment accompanying a motion granted only in part, the amendment is entered only to the extent that the motion was granted.
Jump to MPEP SourceAmendments After AllowancePatent Issue and PublicationPeriod for Reply (37 CFR 1.134)
MPEP GuidancePermittedAlways
[mpep-714-20-5753a01ae3cf5b858017d0fd]
Substitute Specification May Be Voluntarily Filed After Allowance
Note:
An applicant may submit a substitute specification after allowance if desired, though it is not required by the examiner.

To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:
(A) An “amendment” presenting an unacceptable substitute specification along with amendatory matter, as amendments to claims or new claims, should be entered in part, rather than refused entry in toto. The substitute specification should be denied entry and so marked, while the rest of the paper should be entered. The application as thus amended is acted on when reached in its turn, the applicant being advised that the substitute specification has not been entered. Under current practice, substitute specifications may be voluntarily filed by the applicant if he or she desires. A proper substitute specification will normally be accepted by the Office even if it has not been required by the examiner. However, entry of a substitute specification filed after the notice of allowance has been mailed (37 CFR 1.312) is not a matter of right.

Jump to MPEP SourceAmendments After AllowancePatent Issue and PublicationNotice of Allowance
MPEP GuidanceRequiredAlways
[mpep-714-20-9738694adb652754e54587fe]
Substitute Specification After Allowance Not Mandatory
Note:
A substitute specification can be filed after notice of allowance but is not required by the Office.

To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:
(A) An “amendment” presenting an unacceptable substitute specification along with amendatory matter, as amendments to claims or new claims, should be entered in part, rather than refused entry in toto. The substitute specification should be denied entry and so marked, while the rest of the paper should be entered. The application as thus amended is acted on when reached in its turn, the applicant being advised that the substitute specification has not been entered. Under current practice, substitute specifications may be voluntarily filed by the applicant if he or she desires. A proper substitute specification will normally be accepted by the Office even if it has not been required by the examiner. However, entry of a substitute specification filed after the notice of allowance has been mailed (37 CFR 1.312) is not a matter of right.

Jump to MPEP SourceAmendments After AllowancePatent Issue and PublicationNotice of Allowance
MPEP GuidanceRecommendedAlways
[mpep-714-20-34cd80ca01798f3d5f553395]
Part-Entry of Amendments with Unacceptable Specifications
Note:
An amendment presenting unacceptable specifications can be partially entered, while the specifications are marked as denied and the rest of the paper is processed normally.
(A) An “amendment” presenting an unacceptable substitute specification along with amendatory matter, as amendments to claims or new claims, should be entered in part, rather than refused entry in toto. The substitute specification should be denied entry and so marked, while the rest of the paper should be entered. The application as thus amended is acted on when reached in its turn, the applicant being advised that the substitute specification has not been entered.
  • See 37 CFR 1.125 and MPEP § 608.01(q) for information regarding the submission of a substitute specification.
  • Under current practice, substitute specifications may be voluntarily filed by the applicant if he or she desires. A proper substitute specification will normally be accepted by the Office even if it has not been required by the examiner. However, entry of a substitute specification filed after the notice of allowance has been mailed (37 CFR 1.312) is not a matter of right.
Jump to MPEP SourceAmendments After AllowancePatent Issue and PublicationPatent Application Content
Topic

Period for Reply (37 CFR 1.134)

3 rules
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-714-20-03480e53e133d23cacf6f63c]
Amendment Only for Formal Matters After Ex Parte Quayle
Note:
An amendment curing formal defects but adding non-patentable claims can only address the formal issues, not new claims, after an Ex Parte Quayle action.

To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:

(C) In an application in which prosecution on the merits is closed, i.e., after the issuance of an Ex Parte Quayle action, where an amendment is presented curing the noted formal defect and adding one or more claims some or all of which are in the opinion of the examiner not patentable, or will require a further search, the amendment in such a case will be entered only as to the formal matter.

Jump to MPEP SourcePeriod for Reply (37 CFR 1.134)
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-714-20-7516d73323b7ce6ea75884e0]
No New Claims at End of Prosecution
Note:
Applicants are not permitted to add new claims after an Ex Parte Quayle action, even if the amendments address formal defects.

To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:

Applicant has no right to have new claims considered or entered at this point in the prosecution.

Jump to MPEP SourcePeriod for Reply (37 CFR 1.134)
MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-714-20-58500bcce16d7b490cb00867]
Amendment Only Entered to Extent Motion Granted
Note:
An amendment accompanying a motion granted in part is entered only to the extent that the motion was granted, avoiding confusion of the record.

To avoid confusion of the record the general rule prevails that an amendment should not be entered in part. At times, the strict observance of its letter may sometimes work more harm than would result from its infraction, especially if the amendment in question is received at or near the end of the period for reply. Thus:

(D) In an amendment accompanying a motion granted only in part, the amendment is entered only to the extent that the motion was granted.

Jump to MPEP SourcePeriod for Reply (37 CFR 1.134)

Citations

Primary topicCitation
Amendments After Allowance37 CFR § 1.125
Amendments After Allowance37 CFR § 1.312
Amendments After AllowanceMPEP § 608.01(q)
Amendments After AllowanceMPEP § 714.16(e)

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