USPTO

Patent Bar

USPTO Registration Examination

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registration exam — the licensure gateway to practice as a patent agent or patent attorney before the USPTO. It tests patent law, rules, and procedure as set out in the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP).

$480Six hours of testing (two three-hour sessions) plus a breakRequired to practice

What's on the exam

USPTO Registration Exam — MPEP-based content (Ninth Edition, Rev. 01.2024)

Patentability and Examination

~30%

Novelty and statutory bars under 35 U.S.C. 102 · Obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 · Patent-eligible subject matter (101) · Specification, enablement, and written description (112) · Rejections and responses

Application Filing and Prosecution

~25%

Parts of a patent application and filing requirements · Claims drafting and amendments · Restriction and election practice · Information disclosure statements · Continuations, divisionals, and CIPs

Post-Filing Procedure and PTAB

~15%

Appeals to the PTAB · Reissue and certificates of correction · Reexamination · Post-grant and inter partes review · Petitions practice

PCT and International Practice

~12%

PCT filing and the international phase · National stage entry under 371 · Priority claims and benefit (119/120) · Foreign filing licenses · Time periods and deadlines

USPTO Rules, Ethics, and Practitioner Conduct

~10%

USPTO Rules of Professional Conduct · Duty of disclosure and candor · Representation and powers of attorney · Signature and certification requirements · Discipline and OED procedures

Fees, Maintenance, and Administrative Procedure

~8%

Entity status and fee reductions · Maintenance fees · Extensions of time and revival · Correspondence and filing methods · Assignment and recordation

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Patent Bar cost?

The Patent Bar costs $480. USPTO examination fee plus a $40 application fee; Prometric also charges a separate test-center administration fee. Confirm current amounts in the General Requirements Bulletin.

How long is the Patent Bar and how many questions does it have?

100 items total; 90 scored, 10 unscored pretest items — Six hours of testing (two three-hour sessions) plus a break.

What do you need to pass the Patent Bar?

70% of scored questions correct (63 of 90).

Can you retake the Patent Bar?

Permitted after a 30-day (60-day for further attempts) waiting period with a new application and fee.

What is the best way to study for the Patent Bar?

Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Patentability and Examination ~30%, Application Filing and Prosecution ~25%, Post-Filing Procedure and PTAB ~15%, PCT and International Practice ~12%, USPTO Rules, Ethics, and Practitioner Conduct ~10%, Fees, Maintenance, and Administrative Procedure ~8%). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.

Program in development

We're building a blueprint-complete program for this exam. Meanwhile, explore live programs across 11 exam.

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