# MPEP § 502.01: Correspondence Transmitted by Facsimile

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.01

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 502.01
- **Heading:** Correspondence Transmitted by Facsimile
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 0500 - Receipt and Handling of Mail and Papers / MPEP § 502.01

## Text

37 CFR 1.6  Receipt of correspondence.
*****
(d)
Facsimile transmission.
Except in the cases enumerated
below, correspondence, including authorizations to charge a deposit account,
may be transmitted by facsimile. The receipt date accorded to the
correspondence will be the date on which the complete transmission is received
in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, unless that date is a
Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia. See
paragraph (a)(3) of this section. To facilitate proper processing, each
transmission session should be limited to correspondence to be filed in a
single application or other proceeding before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office. The application number of a patent application, the control
number of a reexamination or supplemental examination proceeding, the
interference number of an interference proceeding, the trial number of a trial
proceeding before the Board, or the patent number of a patent should be entered
as a part of the sender's identification on a facsimile cover sheet. Facsimile
transmissions are not permitted and, if submitted, will not be accorded a date
of receipt in the following situations:
(1) [Reserved];
(2) Certified documents as specified in
§ 1.4(f)
;
(3) Correspondence which cannot receive the benefit of the
certificate of mailing or transmission as specified in
§ 1.8(a)(2)(i)(A)
through (D), (F), (I) and (K)
,
§ 1.8(a)(2)(iii)(A)
, except that a continued
prosecution application under
§ 1.53(d)
may be
transmitted to the Office by facsimile;
(4) Color drawings submitted under
§§
1.81
,
1.83
through
1.85
,
1.152
,
1.165
,
1.173
,
1.437
, or
1.1026
;
(5) A request for reexamination under
§ 1.510
or
§ 1.913
or a request
for supplemental examination under
§
1.610
;
(6) Correspondence to be filed in an application subject to a
secrecy order under
§§ 5.1
through
5.5
of this chapter and directly related to the
secrecy order content of the application;
drawings submitted under
§§
1.81
,
1.83
through
1.85
,
1.152
,
1.165
,
1.173
,
1.437
, or
1.1026
;
(5) A request for reexamination under
§ 1.510
or
§ 1.913
or a request
for supplemental examination under
§
1.610
;
(6) Correspondence to be filed in an application subject to a
secrecy order under
§§ 5.1
through
5.5
of this chapter and directly related to the
secrecy order content of the application;
(7) In contested cases and trials before the Patent Trial and
Appeal Board, except as the Board may expressly authorize.
*****
The date of receipt accorded to any correspondence permitted to be sent
by facsimile transmission, including a continued prosecution application (CPA) filed
under
37 CFR
1.53(d)
, (available for design applications only) is the date the
complete transmission is received by an Office facsimile unit, unless the transmission
is completed on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia.
Correspondence for which transmission was completed on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal
holiday within the District of Columbia, will be accorded a receipt date of the next
succeeding day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District
of Columbia. For example, a facsimile transmission to the Office from California
starting on a Friday at 8:45 p.m. Pacific time and taking 20 minutes, would be completed
at 9:05 p.m. Pacific time. The complete transmission would be received in the Office
around 12:05 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday. The receipt date accorded to the
correspondence is the date of the following business day, which in this case, would be
Monday (assuming that Monday was not a Federal holiday within the District of Columbia).
Note, however, that if the Certificate of Transmission is available (for documents not
proscribed by
37 CFR
1.8(a)(2)
), then the above facsimile may be considered timely
filed on Friday if it contains a Certificate of Transmission and is in compliance with
37 CFR
1.8(a)(1)(i)(B)
and
ich in this case, would be
Monday (assuming that Monday was not a Federal holiday within the District of Columbia).
Note, however, that if the Certificate of Transmission is available (for documents not
proscribed by
37 CFR
1.8(a)(2)
), then the above facsimile may be considered timely
filed on Friday if it contains a Certificate of Transmission and is in compliance with
37 CFR
1.8(a)(1)(i)(B)
and
(ii)
.
37 CFR
1.6(d)
specifies the types of correspondence which may be
transmitted by facsimile. These would include CPAs filed under
37 CFR 1.53(d)
(available for design applications only), amendments, declarations, petitions,
information disclosure statements (IDS), terminal disclaimers, notices of appeal and
appeal briefs, requests for continued examination (RCEs) under
37 CFR 1.114
,
assignment documents, issue fee transmittals and authorizations to charge deposit
accounts. The situations where transmissions by facsimile are prohibited are identified
in
37 CFR
1.6(d)(2)-(7)
. Prohibitions cover situations where originals are
required as specified in
37 CFR 1.4(f)
, and situations where
accepting a facsimile transmission would be unduly burdensome on the Office. As a
courtesy, the Office will attempt to notify senders whenever correspondence is sent to
the Office by facsimile transmission that falls within one of the prohibitions. Senders
are cautioned against submitting correspondence by facsimile transmission which is not
permitted under
37 CFR
1.6(d)
since such correspondence will not be accorded a receipt
date.
An applicant filing a CPA (available for a design application only) by
facsimile transmission must include an authorization to charge the basic filing fee to a
deposit account or to a credit card, or the application will be treated under
37 CFR
1.53(f)
as having been filed without the basic filing fee (as fees
cannot otherwise be transmitted by facsimile)
dence will not be accorded a receipt
date.
An applicant filing a CPA (available for a design application only) by
facsimile transmission must include an authorization to charge the basic filing fee to a
deposit account or to a credit card, or the application will be treated under
37 CFR
1.53(f)
as having been filed without the basic filing fee (as fees
cannot otherwise be transmitted by facsimile).
There is a special receipt procedure for filing a CPA by fax, whereby
the Office will fax back a receipt of the CPA filing if applicant submits the Office
receipt form along with the CPA filing.
37 CFR 1.6  Receipt of correspondence.
*****
(f)
Facsimile transmission of a patent application under
§ 1.53(d)
.
In the event that the Office has
no evidence of receipt of an application under
§ 1.53(d)
(a continued prosecution application) transmitted to the Office by facsimile
transmission, the party who transmitted the application under
§ 1.53(d)
may petition the Director to accord the application under
§ 1.53(d)
a filing date as of the date the application under
§ 1.53(d)
is shown to have been transmitted to and received in the Office,
(1) Provided that the party who transmitted such application
under
§
1.53(d)
:
(i) Informs the Office of the previous transmission of
the application under
§ 1.53(d)
promptly after becoming aware that the Office has no evidence of
receipt of the application under
§
1.53(d)
;
(ii) Supplies an additional copy of the previously
transmitted application under
§ 1.53(d)
;
and
(iii) Includes a statement which attests on a personal
knowledge basis or to the satisfaction of the Director to the
previous transmission of the application under
§ 1.53(d)
and is accompanied by a copy of
the sending unit’s report confirming transmission of the
application under
§ 1.53(d)
or
evidence that came into being after the complete transmission and
within one business day of the complete transmission of the
application under
§ 1.53(d)
.
sonal
knowledge basis or to the satisfaction of the Director to the
previous transmission of the application under
§ 1.53(d)
and is accompanied by a copy of
the sending unit’s report confirming transmission of the
application under
§ 1.53(d)
or
evidence that came into being after the complete transmission and
within one business day of the complete transmission of the
application under
§ 1.53(d)
.
(2) The Office may require additional evidence to determine
if the application under
§ 1.53(d)
was
transmitted to and received in the Office on the date in question.
37 CFR
1.6(f)
provides for the situation in which the Office has no
evidence of receipt of a CPA transmitted to the Office by facsimile transmission.
37 CFR
1.6(f)
requires a petition be filed requesting that the CPA be
accorded a filing date as of the date the CPA is shown to have been transmitted to and
received in the Office. The showing must include,
inter alia,
a copy
of the sending unit’s report confirming transmission of the application or evidence that
came into being after the complete transmission of the application and within one
business day of the complete transmission of the application.
I.
CENTRALIZED FACSIMILE NUMBER FOR OFFICIAL PATENT APPLICATION RELATED
CORRESPONDENCE
A.
Central Number
All patent application related correspondence transmitted by
facsimile must be directed to the central facsimile number, with a few exceptions
below. The central facsimile number is (571) 273-8300. Replies to Office actions
including after-final amendments that are transmitted by facsimile must be
directed to the central facsimile number. Correspondence such as draft proposed
amendments for interviews may continue to be transmitted by facsimile to the
Technology Centers (TCs) and should be made of record as part of the interview
summary record. See
MPEP § 713.04
. Office personnel should not use their
personal facsimile numbers for official application related correspondence
csimile must be
directed to the central facsimile number. Correspondence such as draft proposed
amendments for interviews may continue to be transmitted by facsimile to the
Technology Centers (TCs) and should be made of record as part of the interview
summary record. See
MPEP § 713.04
. Office personnel should not use their
personal facsimile numbers for official application related correspondence. Office
personnel that inadvertently receive official application related correspondence
on a personal facsimile number must either route (do not forward) the
correspondence to the official central facsimile number or they may, with
applicant’s (or applicant’s representative) permission, make the facsimile
amendment part of an examiner’s amendment.
B.
Correspondence Which May Be Sent by Facsimile to Other Than the Central
Facsimile Number
For each Office location listed below, only the particular type of
correspondence indicated may be transmitted to the specific facsimile number at
that Office location. All other types of facsimile transmitted correspondence must
be sent to the central facsimile number ((571) 273-8300).
(1)
International Patent Legal
Administration.
Responses to Decisions on Petition may be
submitted by facsimile to (571) 273-0459.
Note: An international application for patent or a copy
of the international application and the basic national fee necessary to
enter national stage, as specified in
37 CFR 1.495(b)
, may
not
be submitted by facsimile. See
37
CFR 1.6(d)(3)
(referencing
37 CFR 1.8(a)(2)(i)(D)
and (F)
). Subsequent correspondence may be
transmitted by facsimile in an application before the U.S. Receiving
Office, the U.S. International Searching Authority, or the U.S.
International Preliminary Examining Authority, but it will
not
receive the benefit of any certificate of
transmission (or mailing). See
37 CFR
1.8(a)(2)(i)(E)
. Correspondence subsequent to
filing in an international application before the U.S. Receiving Office,
the U.S. International Searching Authority, or the U.S
the U.S. Receiving
Office, the U.S. International Searching Authority, or the U.S.
International Preliminary Examining Authority, but it will
not
receive the benefit of any certificate of
transmission (or mailing). See
37 CFR
1.8(a)(2)(i)(E)
. Correspondence subsequent to
filing in an international application before the U.S. Receiving Office,
the U.S. International Searching Authority, or the U.S. International
Preliminary Examining Authority may be submitted by facsimile to PCT
Operations via the USPTO central facsimile number ((571) 273-8300).
Correspondence filed during the national stage, subsequent to entry, is
handled in the same manner as a U.S. national application.
-- PCT Help Desk contact information:
Telephone number: (571) 272-4300.
Facsimile number: (571) 273-0419.
(2)
Office of Data Management.
Payment of
an issue fee and any required publication fee by authorization to charge a
deposit account or credit card, and drawings may be submitted to facsimile
number (571) 273-2885.
Note: Although submission of drawings by facsimile may
reduce the quality of the drawings, the Office will generally print the
drawings as received.
Office of Data Management telephone numbers to check on
receipt of payment: (571) 272-4200 or 1-888-786-0101.
(3)
Electronic Business Center (EBC).
Requests for Customer Number Data Change (PTO/SB/124), and Requests for a
Customer Number (PTO/SB/125) may be submitted via facsimile to (571)
273-0177.
Note: The EBC may also be reached by email at:
ebc@uspto.gov. EBC telephone number for customer service and assistance:
866-217-9197.
e numbers to check on
receipt of payment: (571) 272-4200 or 1-888-786-0101.
(3)
Electronic Business Center (EBC).
Requests for Customer Number Data Change (PTO/SB/124), and Requests for a
Customer Number (PTO/SB/125) may be submitted via facsimile to (571)
273-0177.
Note: The EBC may also be reached by email at:
ebc@uspto.gov. EBC telephone number for customer service and assistance:
866-217-9197.
(4)
Assignment Recordation Branch.
Assignments or other documents affecting title may be submitted via
facsimile to (571) 273-0140.
Note: Only documents with an identified patent
application or patent number, a single cover sheet to record a single
type of transaction, and the fee paid by an authorization to charge a
USPTO deposit account or credit card may be submitted via facsimile.
Customers may submit documents directly into the automated Patent and
Trademark Assignment System and receive the resulting recordation notice
at their facsimile machine. (Assignment documents submitted through the
Electronic Patent Assignment System also permit the recordation notice to
be faxed to customers.) Credit card payments to record assignment
documents are acceptable, and use of the Credit Card form (PTO-2038) is
required for the credit card information to be separated from the
assignment records.
Assignment Recordation Branch telephone number for
assistance: (571) 272-3350.
(5)
Central Reexamination Unit (CRU).
Ex
parte and Inter partes reexamination correspondence, except for the initial
request: (571) 273-9900 facsimile number.
Note: Correspondence related to reexamination
proceedings will be separately scanned in the CRU.
CRU telephone number for customer service and
inquiries: (571) 272-7705.
(6)
Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Correspondence related to contested cases and trials permitted to be
transmitted by facsimile (only where expressly authorized, see 37 CFR
1.6(d)(7)): (571) 273-0042 facsimile number.
ile number.
Note: Correspondence related to reexamination
proceedings will be separately scanned in the CRU.
CRU telephone number for customer service and
inquiries: (571) 272-7705.
(6)
Patent Trial and Appeal Board.
Correspondence related to contested cases and trials permitted to be
transmitted by facsimile (only where expressly authorized, see 37 CFR
1.6(d)(7)): (571) 273-0042 facsimile number.
(7)
Office of the General Counsel.
Correspondence permitted to be transmitted by facsimile to the
Office of the General Counsel: (571) 273-0099 facsimile number.
(8)
Office of the Solicitor.
Correspondence permitted to be transmitted by facsimile to the Office of the
Solicitor: (571) 273-0373 facsimile number.
(9)
Licensing and Review.
Petitions for
a foreign filing license pursuant to 37 CFR 5.12(b), including a petition
for a foreign filing license where there is no corresponding U.S.
application (37 CFR 5.13): (571) 270-9959 (preferred) or (571) 273-0185
facsimile number.
Note: Correspondence to be filed in a patent application
subject to a secrecy order under
37 CFR 5.1
to
5.5
and directly related to the secrecy order
content of the application may
not
be transmitted
via facsimile. See
37 CFR 1.6(d)(6)
.
(10)
Office of Petitions.
Petitions to
withdraw from issue and petitions to defer issuance of patents: (571)
273-0025 facsimile number
Note: All other types of petitions must be directed to
the central facsimile number (571) 273-8300, with the exception of a
request for a retroactive filing license, which should be directed to
(571) 270-9959. Petitions sent to the central facsimile number should be
marked "Special Processing Submission."
(11)
Office of the Enrollment and Discipline.
Correspondence permitted to be transmitted to the Office of the
Enrollment and Discipline: (571) 273-0074 facsimile number.
number (571) 273-8300, with the exception of a
request for a retroactive filing license, which should be directed to
(571) 270-9959. Petitions sent to the central facsimile number should be
marked "Special Processing Submission."
(11)
Office of the Enrollment and Discipline.
Correspondence permitted to be transmitted to the Office of the
Enrollment and Discipline: (571) 273-0074 facsimile number.
(12)
Office of Finance.
Refund requests,
deposit account inquiries, and maintenance fee payments: (571) 273-6500
facsimile number. Office of Finance telephone number for customer service
and inquiries: (571) 272-6500.
(13)
Public Records Division.
Requests
for certified copies of Office records may be transmitted to: (571) 273-3250
facsimile number. The Public Records Division's Patent and Trademark Copy
Fulfillment Branch telephone number for customer service and inquiries:
(571) 272-3150.
II.
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS WHERE FILING BY
FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION IS NOT PERMITTED
As set forth in
37 CFR 1.6(d)
, facsimile
transmissions are not permitted and, if submitted, will not be accorded a date of
receipt in the following situations:
(A) A document that is required by statute to be certified (see
37 CFR
1.4(f)
);
(B) A national patent application specification and drawing
(provisional or nonprovisional) or other correspondence for the purpose of
obtaining an application filing date, other than a continued prosecution
application filed under
37 CFR 1.53(d)
;
(C) An international application for patent;
(D) An international design application;
(E) A copy of the international application and the basic national
fee necessary to enter the national stage, as specified in
37 CFR
1.495(b)
;
(F) A third-party submission under
37 CFR
1.290
;
(G) Correspondence relating to registration to practice before the
Patent and Trademark Office in patent cases, enrollment and disciplinary
investigations, or disciplinary proceedings;
(H) Color drawings submitted under
37 CFR
1.81
,
1.83
-
1.85
,
1.152
,
1.165
ic national
fee necessary to enter the national stage, as specified in
37 CFR
1.495(b)
;
(F) A third-party submission under
37 CFR
1.290
;
(G) Correspondence relating to registration to practice before the
Patent and Trademark Office in patent cases, enrollment and disciplinary
investigations, or disciplinary proceedings;
(H) Color drawings submitted under
37 CFR
1.81
,
1.83
-
1.85
,
1.152
,
1.165
,
1.173
,
1.437
, or
1.1026
;
(I) A request for reexamination under
37 CFR
1.510
or
37 CFR 1.913
;
(J) A request for supplemental examination under
37 CFR 1.610
;
(K) Correspondence to be filed in a patent application subject to a
secrecy order under
37 CFR 5.1
-
5.5
and directly related to the secrecy order content of
the application; and
(L) Correspondence to be filed in a contested case or trial before
the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, except as the Board may expressly authorize.
Applicants are reminded that the facsimile process may reduce the
quality of the drawings, and the Office will generally print the drawings as
received.
See
MPEP § 1834.01
for a discussion concerning facsimile
transmissions in PCT applications.

## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 501 Filing Papers With the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S501.md)
- [MPEP § 502 Depositing Correspondence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.md)
- [MPEP § 502.01 Correspondence Transmitted by Facsimile](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.01.md)
- [MPEP § 502.02 Correspondence Signature Requirements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.02.md)
- [MPEP § 502.03 Communications via Internet Electronic Mail (email)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.03.md)
- [MPEP § 502.04 Duplicate Copies of Correspondence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.04.md)
- [MPEP § 502.05 Correspondence Transmitted by EFS-Web](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.05.md)
- [MPEP § 503 Application Number and Filing Receipt](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S503.md)
- [MPEP § 504 Assignment of Application for Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S504.md)
- [MPEP § 505 Date of Receipt Stamp](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S505.md)
- [MPEP § 506 Completeness of Original Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S506.md)
- [MPEP § 506.01 [Reserved]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S506.01.md)
- [MPEP § 506.02 Review of Refusal To Accord Filing Date](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S506.02.md)
- [MPEP § 507 Drawing Review in the Office of Patent Application Processing](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S507.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S502.01. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.