How is the receipt date determined for documents transmitted by facsimile to the USPTO?
The receipt date for documents transmitted by facsimile to the USPTO is determined according to specific rules. The MPEP section 1834.01 states:
“The receipt date of a document transmitted via facsimile is the date in the USPTO on which the transmission is completed, unless the receipt date is a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday in which case the date of receipt will be the next succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday (37 CFR 1.6(a)(3)).”
This means that the official receipt date is typically the day the fax transmission is completed at the USPTO. However, if that day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the receipt date will be the next business day. It’s important to note that the time of transmission can be crucial, especially for deadline-sensitive documents.
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