# MPEP § 201.02: General Terms Used to Describe Applications

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.02

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 201.02
- **Heading:** General Terms Used to Describe Applications
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 0200 - Types and Status of Application › Benefit and Priority Claims / MPEP § 201.02

## Text

See
37 CFR 1.9(a)
for definitions of the
terms “national application,” “provisional application,” and “nonprovisional
application;” see
37 CFR 1.9(b)
for the definition of “international application;"
and see
37
CFR 1.9(n)
for the definition of ”international design
application." See also
MPEP
§ 201.01
.
“Original” application is used in the patent statutes and
rules to refer to an application which is not a reissue application. An original
application may be a first filing or a continuing application.
A continuing application is a continuation, divisional, or
continuation-in-part application filed under the conditions specified in
35 U.S.C.
120
,
121
,
365(c)
, or
386(c)
and
37 CFR 1.78
.
A “substitute” application is in essence the duplicate of
an application by the same applicant abandoned before the filing of the later
application. Current practice does not require applicant to insert in the specification
reference to the earlier application; however, attention should be called to the earlier
application. A substitute application does not obtain the benefit of the filing date of
the prior application. Use form paragraph
2.07
to remind applicant of possible substitute status.

## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 201 Types of Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.md)
- [MPEP § 201.01 National Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.01.md)
- [MPEP § 201.02 General Terms Used to Describe Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.02.md)
- [MPEP § 201.03 [Reserved] [R-]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.03.md)
- [MPEP § 201.04 Provisional Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.04.md)
- [MPEP § 201.05 Reissue Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.05.md)
- [MPEP § 201.06 Divisional Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.06.md)
- [MPEP § 201.06(a) Former 37 CFR 1.60 Divisional Continuation Procedure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.06(a).md)
- [MPEP § 201.06(b) Former 37 CFR 1.62 File Wrapper Continuing Procedure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.06(b).md)
- [MPEP § 201.06(c) 37 CFR 1.53(b) and 37 CFR 1.63(d) Divisional-Continuation Procedure](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.06(c).md)
- [MPEP § 201.06(d) 37 CFR 1.53(d) Continued Prosecution Application (CPA) Practice](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.06(d).md)
- [MPEP § 201.07 Continuation Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.07.md)
- [MPEP § 201.08 Continuation-in-Part Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.08.md)
- [MPEP § 202 Cross-Noting](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S202.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S201.02. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.