What are the size limitations for submitting ASCII plain text files via the USPTO patent electronic filing system?

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.

The size limitations for submitting ASCII plain text files via the USPTO patent electronic filing system depend on the type of content:

• For “Computer Program Listing Appendix” files: The size limit is 25 MB, and file compression is not permitted. (37 CFR 1.96(c)(3))
• For “Large Tables” files: The size limit is 25 MB, and file compression is not permitted. (37 CFR 1.58(e))
• For “Sequence Listing” files: The size limit is 100 MB. (37 CFR 1.52(f)(1))

If a file exceeds these size limits, it may be possible to break it up into multiple smaller files for submission. For files larger than these limits, submission on read-only optical discs may be necessary.