What is the standard patent term for utility and plant patents?
What is the standard patent term for utility and plant patents?
The standard patent term for utility and plant patents filed on or after June 8, 1995, is 20 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. This is established by 35 U.S.C. 154(a)(2), which states:
“Subject to the payment of fees under this title, such grant shall be for a term beginning on the date on which the patent issues and ending 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed in the United States or, if the application contains a specific reference to an earlier filed application or applications under section 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) from the date on which the earliest such application was filed.”
It’s important to note that this term can be subject to adjustments and extensions under certain circumstances.
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