Can a fee address be directed to multiple addresses?

Source: FAQ (MPEP-Based)BlueIron Update: 2024-09-29

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, a fee address cannot be directed to multiple addresses. According to MPEP 2540:

“Maintenance fee correspondence will not be directed to more than one address.”

This means that all communications related to maintenance fees will be sent to a single designated fee address. It’s important for patent owners to ensure that the designated fee address is current and capable of receiving all necessary correspondence.

Topics: MPEP 2500 - Maintenance Fees MPEP 2540 - Fee Address For Maintenance Fee Purposes Patent Law Patent Procedure
Tags: Correspondence General, Customer Number