United States Patent and Trademark Office

An Agency of the Department of Commerce

Skip over navigation

Home Help Site Index Contact Us

Notifications related to Security issues and Emergencies


  • Processing of, and Requirements for, the Filing of Duplicate Applications and Papers in Patent Applications in view of USPS Mail Delays (21Dec2001)
    Although mailed correspondence is being received by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office), many papers that were mailed by first class mail or Express Mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS) in October and November of 2001 have had their delivery delayed.
  • Questions and Answers Concerning Express Mail Temporary Address (05Dec2001)
    On Friday, November 16, 2001, the United States Postal Service (USPS) temporarily and immediately suspended Express Mail service to Washington, D.C., ZIP Codes 202xx through 205xx (e.g., 20231). On Tuesday, November 20, 2001, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) posted a notice ...The USPTO received the following questions concerning the above-mentioned notice :... . READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • Office of Enrollment and Discipline Address Change (21Nov2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since October 21, 2001, has been experiencing an interruption in delivery of United States Mail sent to the 20231 zip code. ... In view of the foregoing, OED is requesting that all mail for enrollment and disciplinary matters be addressed to the following new address.
  • [Use of Mail, FAX, E-Mail & Other Delivery methods]
    Mitigation of Delays in Mail Deliveries to the USPTO (09Nov2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) since October 21, 2001, has been experiencing an interruption in delivery of United States Mail sent to our 20231 zip code. The USPTO has received very little correspondence sent to the 20231 zip code in the past few weeks. In view of these circumstances..... READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is pleased to announce that, over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that all 88 samples taken at the USPTO tested negative for Anthrax. ... READ FULL NOTICE>>>
  • United States Postal Service Interruptions and Emergency Terminated (31Oct2001)
    The tragic events in New York City on September 11, 2001, resulted in all Post Offices in the borough of Manhattan being closed. Currently, only the Church Street Post Office in Manhattan remains closed as a result of the events of September 11, 2001, and all other Post Offices throughout Manhattan are open for business.
  • Notice Concerning Safety of USPTO Mailings - UPDATE (25Oct2001)
    As has been previously announced, non-trademark communications mailed from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) before October 20, 2001, were routed through the U.S. Postal Service's Brentwood Sorting Station in Washington, D.C., where workers are diagnosed as having contracted anthrax. On October 22, 2001, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advised us that it was highly unlikely that mail passing through the Brentwood postal facility was contaminated and poses any threat.. ... READ FULL NOTICE >>>
  • Notice Concerning Safety of USPTO Mailings (24Oct2001)
    In response to inquiries that the Office has received from its customers, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has obtained reassurance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about the safety of mailings from the USPTO. ... READ FULL NOTICE >>>
  • Notice of U.S. Postal Service Interruptions (13Sep2001)
    The United States Postal Service (USPS) has informed the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that as a result of the tragic event in New York City on September 11, 2001, all post offices in the borough of Manhattan are closed on September 12, 2001. These post offices will remain closed until further notice.

    The USPTO is designating the interruption in the service of the USPS in the borough of Manhattan as a postal service interruption and an emergency within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 21(a). Accordingly, the USPTO will consider the provisions of 37 C.F.R. 1.6(e) as now in effect. As soon as the USPTO receives further information from the USPS as to when postal services in the borough of Manhattan will be resumed, the USPTO will post the information on the USPTO website at www.uspto.gov and a final notice will be published in the Official Gazette regarding the postal interruption in New York City.

    It would be appreciated if members of the public would bring to the USPTO's attention any other post office closings related to current events. Such information can be brought to the USPTO's attention by contacting Eugenia Jones by e-mail at eugenia.jones@uspto.gov or telephone at 703-306-5586, or by contacting Carol Smith by e-mail at carol.smith@uspto.gov or by telephone at 703-308-8910 (ext 149).... READ FULL NOTICE >>>


  • Notice of USPTO Closure and Designation of September 11, 2001 under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b) for Purpose of Determining Timeliness of Actions or Fees (11Sep2001)
    The United States Patent and Trademark Office, as of approximately 10:30 a.m., September 11, 2001, has been closed for official business as a result of an order by the Office of Personnel Management. In the emergency situation of this day, the Patent and Trademark Office will consider September 11 a "federal holiday within the District of Columbia" under 35 U.S.C. § 21(b). Although normally the Patent and Trademark Office does not consider days on which the agency is closed for only part of the day as a federal holiday, it is making an exception for the unusual circumstances of this date. As a result of the closing of public transportation and particular circumstances in the immediate vicinity of the Office, parties are discouraged from coming to the Patent and Trademark Office in order to make filings on September 11.

    Any action or fee due on September 11, 2001, will be considered as timely for the purposes of, e.g., 35 U.S.C §§ 119, 120, 133 and 151, if the action is taken, or the fee paid, on the next succeeding business day on which the Patent and Trademark Office is open. 37 C.F.R. § 1.6(a)(2) provides that correspondence deposited as Express Mail in accordance with 37 C.F.R. § 1.10 will be considered filed on the date of its deposit. TEXT & IMAGE OF ORIGINAL SIGNED DOCUMENT >>>
Some contents linked to on this page require a plug-in for PDF files.
US Department of Commerce
USA.gov