Title 35 — PatentsRelease 119-73
§21 Filing date and day for taking action
Title 35 › Part PART I— - UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE › § 21
Summary
The PTO Director may treat a filing as filed on the date it was mailed to USPS, or would have been if the Director declared postal emergency. If a deadline falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday in D.C., you may act next business day.
Full Legal Text
Title 35, §21
Patents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Director may by rule prescribe that any paper or fee required to be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office will be considered filed in the Office on the date on which it was deposited with the United States Postal Service or would have been deposited with the United States Postal Service but for postal service interruptions or emergencies designated by the Director.
(b)When the day, or the last day, for taking any action or paying any fee in the United States Patent and Trademark Office falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday within the District of Columbia, the action may be taken, or the fee paid, on the next succeeding secular or business day.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 21 (Mar. 2, 1927, ch. 273, § 14, 44 Stat. 1337). “Fixed by statute” is omitted from the corresponding section of the existing statute as unnecessary. Saturday is added as a day on which action need not be taken.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 106–113. See 1999 Amendment note below. 1999—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106–113, as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, substituted “Director” for “Commissioner” in two places. 1982—Pub. L. 97–247 substituted “Filing date and day for taking action” for “Day for taking action falling on Saturday, Sunday, or holiday” as section catchline, added subsec. (a), redesignated existing provisions as subsec. (b) and inserted “Federal” after “Sunday, or a”. 1975—Pub. L. 93–596 substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1999 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 106–113 effective 4 months after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1982 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 97–247 effective six months after Aug. 27, 1982, see section 17(c) of Pub. L. 97–247, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 294 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1975 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 93–596 effective Jan. 2, 1975, see section 4 of Pub. L. 93–596, set out as a note under section 1111 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Emergency Relief From Postal Situation Affecting Patent CasesRelief as to filing date of patent application or patent and excusal of delayed fees or actions affected by postal situation beginning on Mar. 18, 1970, and ending on or about Mar. 30, 1970, see note set out under section 111 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
35 U.S.C. § 21
Title 35 — Patents
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73