Patent Law FAQ

What is the difference between a correspondence address and a fee address in USPTO filings?

In USPTO filings, the correspondence address and fee address serve different purposes:

• Correspondence Address: Where the USPTO sends all official communications regarding a patent application or patent.
• Fee Address: Where the USPTO sends maintenance fee reminders for granted patents.

The MPEP clarifies:

The correspondence address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which correspondence is directed. The fee address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which maintenance fee reminders are directed. (MPEP 403)

While these addresses can be the same, they don’t have to be. Applicants or patent owners might choose different addresses, for example, if a law firm handles prosecution but the company itself manages maintenance fees. Using a customer number allows for easy management of both addresses.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

A Customer Number is a USPTO-assigned number that can be used to:

• Designate the correspondence address for a patent application or patent
• Designate the fee address for a patent
• Submit a list of practitioners with power of attorney

According to MPEP 403: “A Customer Number may be used to designate the address associated with the Customer Number as the correspondence address of an application (or patent) or the fee address of a patent, and may also be used to submit a power of attorney in the application (or patent) to the registered practitioners associated with the Customer Number.”

Using a Customer Number simplifies making changes to correspondence addresses and practitioner information across multiple applications.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

For more information on power of attorney, visit: power of attorney.

The USPTO generally does not engage in double correspondence with applicants and their representatives. Specifically:

• The Office will not correspond with both an applicant and their attorney/agent.
• The Office will not correspond with more than one attorney/agent.
• If double correspondence is attempted, the examiner will include form paragraph 4.01 in the next Office action.

According to MPEP 403: “Double correspondence with an applicant and their attorney, or with two representatives, will not be undertaken. See MPEP §§ 403.01(a), 403.01(b), 403.02, and 714.01(d).”

Form paragraph 4.01 states: “Applicant has appointed an attorney or agent to conduct all business before the Patent and Trademark Office. Double correspondence with an applicant and applicant’s attorney or agent will not be undertaken. Accordingly, applicant is required to conduct all future correspondence with this Office through the attorney or agent of record. See 37 CFR 1.33.”

What is the difference between a correspondence address and a fee address in USPTO filings?

In USPTO filings, the correspondence address and fee address serve different purposes:

• Correspondence Address: Where the USPTO sends all official communications regarding a patent application or patent.
• Fee Address: Where the USPTO sends maintenance fee reminders for granted patents.

The MPEP clarifies:

The correspondence address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which correspondence is directed. The fee address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which maintenance fee reminders are directed. (MPEP 403)

While these addresses can be the same, they don’t have to be. Applicants or patent owners might choose different addresses, for example, if a law firm handles prosecution but the company itself manages maintenance fees. Using a customer number allows for easy management of both addresses.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

A Customer Number is a USPTO-assigned number that can be used to:

• Designate the correspondence address for a patent application or patent
• Designate the fee address for a patent
• Submit a list of practitioners with power of attorney

According to MPEP 403: “A Customer Number may be used to designate the address associated with the Customer Number as the correspondence address of an application (or patent) or the fee address of a patent, and may also be used to submit a power of attorney in the application (or patent) to the registered practitioners associated with the Customer Number.”

Using a Customer Number simplifies making changes to correspondence addresses and practitioner information across multiple applications.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

For more information on power of attorney, visit: power of attorney.

The USPTO generally does not engage in double correspondence with applicants and their representatives. Specifically:

• The Office will not correspond with both an applicant and their attorney/agent.
• The Office will not correspond with more than one attorney/agent.
• If double correspondence is attempted, the examiner will include form paragraph 4.01 in the next Office action.

According to MPEP 403: “Double correspondence with an applicant and their attorney, or with two representatives, will not be undertaken. See MPEP §§ 403.01(a), 403.01(b), 403.02, and 714.01(d).”

Form paragraph 4.01 states: “Applicant has appointed an attorney or agent to conduct all business before the Patent and Trademark Office. Double correspondence with an applicant and applicant’s attorney or agent will not be undertaken. Accordingly, applicant is required to conduct all future correspondence with this Office through the attorney or agent of record. See 37 CFR 1.33.”

What is the difference between a correspondence address and a fee address in USPTO filings?

In USPTO filings, the correspondence address and fee address serve different purposes:

• Correspondence Address: Where the USPTO sends all official communications regarding a patent application or patent.
• Fee Address: Where the USPTO sends maintenance fee reminders for granted patents.

The MPEP clarifies:

The correspondence address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which correspondence is directed. The fee address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which maintenance fee reminders are directed. (MPEP 403)

While these addresses can be the same, they don’t have to be. Applicants or patent owners might choose different addresses, for example, if a law firm handles prosecution but the company itself manages maintenance fees. Using a customer number allows for easy management of both addresses.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

A Customer Number is a USPTO-assigned number that can be used to:

• Designate the correspondence address for a patent application or patent
• Designate the fee address for a patent
• Submit a list of practitioners with power of attorney

According to MPEP 403: “A Customer Number may be used to designate the address associated with the Customer Number as the correspondence address of an application (or patent) or the fee address of a patent, and may also be used to submit a power of attorney in the application (or patent) to the registered practitioners associated with the Customer Number.”

Using a Customer Number simplifies making changes to correspondence addresses and practitioner information across multiple applications.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

For more information on power of attorney, visit: power of attorney.

The USPTO generally does not engage in double correspondence with applicants and their representatives. Specifically:

• The Office will not correspond with both an applicant and their attorney/agent.
• The Office will not correspond with more than one attorney/agent.
• If double correspondence is attempted, the examiner will include form paragraph 4.01 in the next Office action.

According to MPEP 403: “Double correspondence with an applicant and their attorney, or with two representatives, will not be undertaken. See MPEP §§ 403.01(a), 403.01(b), 403.02, and 714.01(d).”

Form paragraph 4.01 states: “Applicant has appointed an attorney or agent to conduct all business before the Patent and Trademark Office. Double correspondence with an applicant and applicant’s attorney or agent will not be undertaken. Accordingly, applicant is required to conduct all future correspondence with this Office through the attorney or agent of record. See 37 CFR 1.33.”

What is the difference between a correspondence address and a fee address in USPTO filings?

In USPTO filings, the correspondence address and fee address serve different purposes:

• Correspondence Address: Where the USPTO sends all official communications regarding a patent application or patent.
• Fee Address: Where the USPTO sends maintenance fee reminders for granted patents.

The MPEP clarifies:

The correspondence address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which correspondence is directed. The fee address is the address associated with the Customer Number to which maintenance fee reminders are directed. (MPEP 403)

While these addresses can be the same, they don’t have to be. Applicants or patent owners might choose different addresses, for example, if a law firm handles prosecution but the company itself manages maintenance fees. Using a customer number allows for easy management of both addresses.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

A Customer Number is a USPTO-assigned number that can be used to:

• Designate the correspondence address for a patent application or patent
• Designate the fee address for a patent
• Submit a list of practitioners with power of attorney

According to MPEP 403: “A Customer Number may be used to designate the address associated with the Customer Number as the correspondence address of an application (or patent) or the fee address of a patent, and may also be used to submit a power of attorney in the application (or patent) to the registered practitioners associated with the Customer Number.”

Using a Customer Number simplifies making changes to correspondence addresses and practitioner information across multiple applications.

For more information on Correspondence Address, visit: Correspondence Address.

For more information on Customer Number, visit: Customer Number.

For more information on Fee Address, visit: Fee Address.

For more information on power of attorney, visit: power of attorney.

The USPTO generally does not engage in double correspondence with applicants and their representatives. Specifically:

• The Office will not correspond with both an applicant and their attorney/agent.
• The Office will not correspond with more than one attorney/agent.
• If double correspondence is attempted, the examiner will include form paragraph 4.01 in the next Office action.

According to MPEP 403: “Double correspondence with an applicant and their attorney, or with two representatives, will not be undertaken. See MPEP §§ 403.01(a), 403.01(b), 403.02, and 714.01(d).”

Form paragraph 4.01 states: “Applicant has appointed an attorney or agent to conduct all business before the Patent and Trademark Office. Double correspondence with an applicant and applicant’s attorney or agent will not be undertaken. Accordingly, applicant is required to conduct all future correspondence with this Office through the attorney or agent of record. See 37 CFR 1.33.”