Title 35 — PatentsRelease 119-73
§25 Declaration in lieu of oath
Title 35 › Part PART I— - UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE › Chapter CHAPTER 2— - PROCEEDINGS IN THE PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE › § 25
Summary
The Director can make rules that let people sign a written declaration instead of taking an oath for papers filed at the Patent and Trademark Office when a law, rule, or regulation requires an oath. The declaration must follow the form the Director sets. If someone uses this written declaration, the filing must warn them that knowingly making false statements can be punished by a fine, prison, or both under 18 U.S.C. 1001.
Full Legal Text
Title 35, §25
Patents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Director may by rule prescribe that any document to be filed in the Patent and Trademark Office and which is required by any law, rule, or other regulation to be under oath may be subscribed to by a written declaration in such form as the Director may prescribe, such declaration to be in lieu of the oath otherwise required.
(b)Whenever such written declaration is used, the document must warn the declarant that willful false statements and the like are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both (18 U.S.C. 1001).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
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. 1975—Subsec. (a). 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 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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
35 U.S.C. § 25
Title 35 — Patents
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73