What is a confirmation number and why is it important?

A confirmation number is a four-digit number assigned by the USPTO to each newly filed patent application. According to MPEP 503, the confirmation number serves several important purposes:

• It is used in combination with the application number to verify the accuracy of the application number on correspondence filed with the Office.
• It helps avoid misidentification of an application due to transposition errors in the application number.
• It is included on the filing receipt, Office actions, and other USPTO communications.
• It is required when submitting an electronic copy of the application for publication to verify the correct application.

The MPEP recommends: “The Office also recommends that applicants include the application’s confirmation number (in addition to the application number) on all correspondence submitted to the Office concerning the application.”

The confirmation number can be found in the upper left-hand corner of the filing receipt and is also available through the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system.

For more information on application number, visit: application number.

For more information on confirmation number, visit: confirmation number.

For more information on USPTO correspondence, visit: USPTO correspondence.