Can third parties request maintenance fee status information for patents they don’t own?
Yes, third parties can request maintenance fee status information for patents they don’t own. The MPEP 2570 states:
“The Office will respond to requests for the maintenance fee status of patents.”
This statement does not limit requests to patent owners only. Third parties can use the following methods to obtain maintenance fee status information:
- Use the public Patent Maintenance Fees Storefront
- Access the public side of the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system
- Contact the USPTO’s Office of Finance at 571-272-6500
This accessibility allows interested parties, such as potential licensees or competitors, to verify the current status of a patent’s maintenance fee payments.
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 2500 - Maintenance Fees,
MPEP 2570 - Maintenance Fee Payment Status Requests,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure