What is the limit on the number of previously filed patent applications for micro entity status?
What is the limit on the number of previously filed patent applications for micro entity status?
For micro entity status, an applicant must not have been named as an inventor on more than four previously filed patent applications. The MPEP states:
“The applicant has not been named as an inventor on more than 4 previously filed patent applications, other than applications filed in another country, provisional applications under 35 U.S.C. 111(b), or international applications for which the basic national fee under 35 U.S.C. 41(a) was not paid.”
This limit helps ensure that micro entity status is reserved for truly small-scale inventors or businesses. It’s important to note that certain types of applications, such as provisional applications and international applications where the basic national fee wasn’t paid, don’t count towards this limit.
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