Can a juristic entity be an applicant for a patent application?

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 juristic entity cannot be an applicant for a patent application filed on or after September 16, 2012. The MPEP 605 clearly states: ‘A juristic entity (e.g., organizational assignee) cannot be named as the applicant for a patent application.’ This means that only natural persons, specifically the inventor(s), can be named as applicants. However, a juristic entity can be named as the assignee or applicant for other purposes, such as in an application for a reissue patent to replace an original patent granted on an application filed before September 16, 2012.