Foreign-domiciled patent applicants and owners required to use a USPTO registered patent practitioner in correspondence with the USPTO beginning July 20
As previously announced, beginning Monday, July 20, 2026, patent applicants and patent owners who are not domiciled in the U.S. or its territories will be required to be represented by a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered patent practitioner.
This new requirement for representation is part of the USPTO’s ongoing efforts to improve efficiency, reduce the backlog, improve quality, and deter fraud and misrepresentation in patent matters. It also brings USPTO policies in line with most other countries, including in Japan and before the European Patent Office, that require such parties be represented by a licensed or registered person of that country or office for most filings.
When representation is required, papers submitted to the USPTO must be signed by a USPTO registered patent practitioner. The new requirement will apply to all papers received in patent matters on or after July 20, 2026, regardless of the filing date of the application. Therefore, foreign-domiciled applicants and patent owners should take appropriate steps to obtain representation well in advance of any currently pending time period for response.
For more information on this new rule and related policy information, please see the related Federal Register Notice. For information on selecting a registered patent practitioner, please visit the Patent Practitioner Home Page, which includes a directory of practitioners who are currently authorized to represent others before the USPTO in patent matters. The USPTO cannot aid in the selection or recommendation of an attorney or agent. For more information, please visit the related webpage.
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