Are Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs) still accepted by the USPTO?
This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
No, Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs) are no longer accepted by the USPTO. According to MPEP 901.06(d):
“However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed.”
This change was part of the America Invents Act (AIA) reforms. Inventors seeking to disclose their inventions without pursuing a full patent should consult with a patent attorney to explore alternative strategies, such as defensive publication through other means or considering provisional patent applications.