MPEP § 909.02(b) — Classification and Assignment to Examiner (Annotated Rules)

§909.02(b) Classification and Assignment to Examiner

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

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 909.02(b), 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.

Classification and Assignment to Examiner

This section addresses Classification and Assignment to Examiner. Contains: 1 requirement and 2 other statements.

Key Rules

Topic

Secrecy Orders

3 rules
MPEP GuidanceRequiredAlways
[mpep-909-02-b-1ea15000485f1feae179d04c]
Classification and Assignment to Examiner for Design and Plant Applications
Note:
All new or amended nonprovisional design and plant applications, including drawings if any, must be classified and assigned to an examiner upon first assignment to a Technology Center.

Every nonprovisional design and plant application, new or amended, and including the drawings, if any, when first assigned to a Technology Center (TC) must be classified and assigned to an examiner for examination. The supervisory patent examiner normally assigns the application to an examiner. Provisional applications (Plant only) are not classified or assigned since they are not examined.

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MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-909-02-b-d0c55c06db5e56c7294347e4]
Application Must Be Assigned to Examiner
Note:
Every nonprovisional design and plant application, new or amended, must be assigned to an examiner for examination.

Every nonprovisional design and plant application, new or amended, and including the drawings, if any, when first assigned to a Technology Center (TC) must be classified and assigned to an examiner for examination. The supervisory patent examiner normally assigns the application to an examiner. Provisional applications (Plant only) are not classified or assigned since they are not examined.

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MPEP GuidanceInformativeAlways
[mpep-909-02-b-1d80a776cdac3169714e9fb8]
Provisional Plant Not Classified or Assigned
Note:
Plant provisional applications are not classified or assigned as they are not examined.

Every nonprovisional design and plant application, new or amended, and including the drawings, if any, when first assigned to a Technology Center (TC) must be classified and assigned to an examiner for examination. The supervisory patent examiner normally assigns the application to an examiner. Provisional applications (Plant only) are not classified or assigned since they are not examined.

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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