# 35 U.S.C. § 103: Conditions for patentability; non-obvious subject matter

> Federal · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s103

## Section

- **Citation:** 35 U.S.C. § 103
- **Heading:** Conditions for patentability; non-obvious subject matter
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 9, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 35—PATENTS > PART II—PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS AND GRANT OF PATENTS > CHAPTER 10—PATENTABILITY OF INVENTIONS

## Text

A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.

( July 19, 1952, ch. 950 , 66 Stat. 798 ; Pub. L. 98–622, title I, § 103 , Nov. 8, 1984 , 98 Stat. 3384 ; Pub. L. 104–41, § 1 , Nov. 1, 1995 , 109 Stat. 351 ; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4807(a)] , Nov. 29, 1999 , 113 Stat. 1536 , 1501A–591; Pub. L. 108–453, § 2 , Dec. 10, 2004 , 118 Stat. 3596 ; Pub. L. 112–29 , §§ 3(c), 20(j), Sept. 16, 2011 , 125 Stat. 287 , 335.)

## Nearby sections

- [35 U.S.C. § 100 Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s100.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 101 Inventions patentable](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s101.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 102 Conditions for patentability; novelty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s102.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 103 Conditions for patentability; non-obvious subject matter](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s103.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 104 Repealed. Pub. L. 112–29, § 3(d) , Sept. 16, 2011 , 125 Stat. 287 ]](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s104.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 105 Inventions in outer space](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s105.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 111 Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s111.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 112 Specification](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s112.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 113 Drawings](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s113.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 114 Models, specimens](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s114.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 115 Inventor’s oath or declaration](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s115.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 116 Inventors](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s116.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 117 Death or incapacity of inventor](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s117.md)
- [35 U.S.C. § 118 Filing by other than inventor](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s118.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/usc_t35_s103. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.