How do I request a Certificate of Correction for an Office Mistake?

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.

To request a Certificate of Correction for an Office Mistake, follow these steps:

• Use the official form PTO/SB/44 (also known as PTO-1050) to submit your request.
• Identify the location of the error in the printed patent by column and line number or claim and line number.
• Submit the request via the USPTO patent electronic filing system using the document description: “Request for Certificate of Correction.”
• Alternatively, mail the request to:
  Commissioner for Patents
  Office of Data Management
  Attention: Certificates of Correction Branch
  P.O. Box 1450
  Alexandria, VA 22313-1450

As stated in MPEP 1480, “It is strongly advised that the text of the correction requested be submitted on a certificate of correction form, PTO/SB/44 (also referred to as PTO-1050).” For more details on preparing and submitting the request, refer to MPEP § 1485.