What is the Customer Number Practice for patent correspondence?

The Customer Number Practice is a system used by the USPTO to simplify the process of changing the correspondence address for multiple patent applications. According to MPEP 601.03:

“A Customer Number may be used to:

• Designate the correspondence address of a patent application by a Customer Number such that the correspondence address for the patent application would be the address associated with the Customer Number;
• Designate the fee address of a patent by a Customer Number such that the fee address for the patent would be the address associated with the Customer Number; and
• Submit a list of practitioners by Customer Number such that an applicant may in a Power of Attorney appoint those practitioners associated with the Customer Number.”

  This practice allows for easier management of correspondence addresses across multiple applications or patents.

  To learn more:

  • Customer Number Practice
  • patent correspondence
  • USPTO