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.
An ‘allowed’ application is a nonprovisional patent application that has been examined and determined to meet all statutory requirements. The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) states:
“An ‘allowed’ nonprovisional application or an application ‘in issue’ is one which has been examined and determined to meet all statutory requirements, and in which a notice of allowance has been sent to the applicant.”
This means that the patent examiner has reviewed the application and found it to be in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and has subsequently issued a notice of allowance to the applicant.