# 37 C.F.R. § 5.4 (2026): Petition for rescission of secrecy order

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_4

## Section

- **Citation:** 37 C.F.R. § 5.4 (2026)
- **Heading:** Petition for rescission of secrecy order
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Title 37 CFR: Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights / Chapter I: UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE / Part 5: SECRECY OF CERTAIN INVENTIONS AND LICENSES TO EXPORT AND FILE APPLICATIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES / § 5.4: § 5.4   Petition for rescission of secrecy order.

## Text

(a) A petition for rescission or removal of a secrecy order may be filed by, or on behalf of, any principal affected thereby. Such petition may be in letter form, and it must be in duplicate.
(b) The petition must recite any and all facts that purport to render the order ineffectual or futile if this is the basis of the petition. When prior publications or patents are alleged the petition must give complete data as to such publications or patents and should be accompanied by copies thereof.
(c) The petition must identify any contract between the Government and any of the principals, under which the subject matter of the application or any significant part thereof was developed, or to which the subject matter is otherwise related. If there is no such contract, the petition must so state.
(d) Appeal to the Secretary of Commerce, as provided by 35 U.S.C. 181, from a secrecy order cannot be taken until after a petition for rescission of the secrecy order has been made and denied. Appeal must be taken within sixty days from the date of the denial, and the party appealing, as well as the department or agency which caused the order to be issued, will be notified of the time and place of hearing.
[24 FR 10381, Dec. 22, 1959, as amended at 62 FR 53204, Oct. 10, 1997]

## Nearby sections

- [37 C.F.R. § 5.1 (2026) § 5.1   Applications and correspondence involving national security.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_1.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.2 (2026) § 5.2   Secrecy order.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_2.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.3 (2026) § 5.3   Prosecution of application under secrecy orders; withholding patent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_3.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.4 (2026) § 5.4   Petition for rescission of secrecy order.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_4.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.5 (2026) § 5.5   Permit to disclose or modification of secrecy order.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_5.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.11 (2026) § 5.11   License for filing in, or exporting to, a foreign country an application on an invention made in the United States or technical data relating thereto.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_11.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.12 (2026) § 5.12   Petition for license.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_12.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.13 (2026) § 5.13   Petition for license; no corresponding application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_13.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.14 (2026) § 5.14   Petition for license; corresponding U.S. application.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_14.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.15 (2026) § 5.15   Scope of license.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_15.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.18 (2026) § 5.18   Arms, ammunition, and implements of war.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_18.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.19 (2026) § 5.19   Export of technical data.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_19.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.20 (2026) § 5.20   Export of technical data relating to sensitive nuclear technology.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_20.md)
- [37 C.F.R. § 5.25 (2026) § 5.25   Petition for retroactive license.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_25.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T37_P5_S5_4. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.