# TMEP § 702.02: “Special” Applications

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.02

## Section

- **Citation:** TMEP § 702.02
- **Heading:** “Special” Applications
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO TMEP / Chapter 0700 - Procedure for Examining Applications / TMEP § 702.02

## Text

While the USPTO normally processes applications in the order
in which they are received, there are two procedures whereby an application can be made
“special,” so that initial examination will be expedited.
Request to Make Special - Registration
Inadvertently Cancelled or Expired Under
15 U.S.C.
§1058
,
§1059
, or
§1141k
.  A new application for registration of a
mark that was the subject of a previous registration that was inadvertently cancelled or
expired under
15 U.S.C. §1058
,
§1059
, or
§1141k
will be made special upon the request of the applicant if
the applicant is the prior registrant or the assignee of the prior registrant.  No
petition fee is required in this situation.  However,
the mark in the new
application must be identical to the mark in the cancelled or expired registration,
and the goods/services in the new application must be identical to or narrower than
the goods/services in the cancelled or expired registration.
A request to make an application special because a
registration was inadvertently cancelled is reviewed in the Office of the Deputy
Commissioner for Trademark Examination Policy.  The applicant must first file the
application via the trademark electronic filing system, except in limited circumstances.
See
37 C.F.R. §2.21(a)
;
TMEP §§301.01, 301.01(a)
.  The applicant should then
submit a request to make special that includes the newly assigned serial number and the
number of the cancelled registration. Generally, the request must be filed
electronically, using the Request to Make Special form in the trademark electronic
filing system.
See
37 C.F.R. §2.23(a)
;
TMEP §§301.01, 301.01(a)
.
Petition to Make Special.
A petition to
make special is a request to the Director under
37 C.F.R.
§2.146
to advance the initial examination of an application out of
its regular order.  See
TMEP §§1710–1710.02
regarding the
petition requirements and filing procedure.
The examining attorney must promptly examine any application
that has been made “special.”

## Nearby sections

- [TMEP § 701 Statutory Authority for Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S701.md)
- [TMEP § 702.01 Order of Examination](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.01.md)
- [TMEP § 702.02 “Special” Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.02.md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a) Companion Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(i) Companion Applications Not Previously Assigned for the Same or Similar Marks](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(i).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(ii) Companion Applications Previously Assigned](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(ii).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(iii) Companion Registrations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(iii).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(a)(iv) Classification and Identification in Companion Applications that Have Registered or Been Published for Opposition](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(a)(iv).md)
- [TMEP § 702.03(b) Conflicting Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.03(b).md)
- [TMEP § 703 USPTO Does Not Issue Duplicate Registrations](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S703.md)
- [TMEP § 704.01 Initial Examination Must Be Complete](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.01.md)
- [TMEP § 704.02 Examining Attorney’s Search](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.02.md)
- [TMEP § 704.03 Supervisory Examining Attorney May Indicate Action for Non-Signatory Examining Attorney](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S704.03.md)
- [TMEP § 705 The Examining Attorney’s Letter or Action](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S705.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S702.02. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.