How to handle maintenance fee payments for reissued patents?

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.

For reissued patents, maintenance fee payments have specific requirements. The MPEP provides guidance:

“For reissue patents, the patentee must identify the reissue patent number and the corresponding original patent number.” (MPEP 2515)

When submitting maintenance fee payments for reissued patents:

• Include the reissue patent number
• Provide the original patent number
• Ensure the fee amount corresponds to the original patent’s issue date
• Use the standard fee transmittal form, clearly indicating it’s for a reissue patent

This information helps the USPTO properly process the payment and maintain accurate records for both the original and reissued patents.