Need to FAST Track Your Patent? The USPTO increases the Annual Limit to 20,000

Effective July 8, 2025, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) expanded the availability of prioritized examination, increasing the limit on the number of requests from 15,000 to 20,000 in a fiscal year. The 20,000 limit applies to the sum of all granted requests for prioritized examination, including Track One requests for new applications and requests for prioritized examination in pending applications where a request for continued examination (RCE) has been filed. This change was adopted in a final rule implemented immediately by the USPTO without prior notice or opportunity for comment, as an effort to continue to accommodate the number of applicants wishing to utilize this program. Prioritized examination is a tool used by many companies, including life sciences companies, to expedite issuance of key patents.

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