Where Should Patent Help Desks Pop Up in the Wild West?
Published Date: 10/29/2025
Notice
Summary
The Patent and Trademark Office wants your ideas on where to open new community outreach offices in the eight states once served by the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office. These new offices will help local inventors and businesses get better support, thanks to a law passed in 2022. If you want to share your thoughts, make sure to send them by November 28, 2025—no public meetings, just your written comments!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Required: Four COOs by December 29, 2027
A law requires the USPTO to establish at least four Community Outreach Offices (COOs) within five years of the Act, i.e., no later than December 29, 2027. These offices are meant to increase outreach and help individual inventors, small businesses, veterans, low-income people, students, and rural communities learn about patents and available resources.
COOs Targeted to Eight Rocky Mountain States
The USPTO is seeking input on placing one or more COOs in the eight-state area formerly served by the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office: Idaho (ID), Utah (UT), Montana (MT), Wyoming (WY), Colorado (CO), North Dakota (ND), South Dakota (SD), and Nebraska (NE). If selected, these local offices would provide closer support to inventors and small businesses in those states.
Site Selection Will Use Research and Ecosystem Metrics
The USPTO says it will evaluate COO locations using quantitative classes of data, at a minimum: (D1) research activity and graduate programs that lead to innovation, (D2) availability of commercialization and business development resources, and (D3) ability to support all inventors. These criteria will guide which communities are chosen for COOs.
COOs Will Provide Outreach, Education, and Partnerships
The COOs are intended to provide outreach, education, and customer service; partner with local community groups, colleges, research institutions, and businesses; and educate prospective inventors about the patent system and resources like the patent pro bono program.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16744, Request for Comments on Community Outreach Office Locations in the Southwest States
The USPTO wants your ideas on where to open new community outreach offices in the Southwest states like Arizona and Texas. These offices will help inventors, small businesses, and students get better support with patents. Share your thoughts by September 16, 2026, so the USPTO can pick the best spots and keep innovation booming without extra costs to you!
2026-16315, Administrative Updates to the General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination for Registration To Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Starting August 11, 2026, the USPTO is upgrading Biomedical Science degrees from Category B to Category A for patent bar eligibility. This means more people with this degree can now take the patent exam and become patent practitioners. No extra fees or delays—just a smoother path for those with the right science background to join the patent world!
2026-14939, Grant of Interim Extension of the Term of U.S. Patent No. 8,877,798; Centanafadine Hydrochloride
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical got a one-year extra patent life for their drug centanafadine hydrochloride because the FDA review is still going on. This means their patent, which was set to expire on July 25, 2026, now lasts until July 25, 2027. This extension helps Otsuka keep exclusive rights to their drug a bit longer while waiting for final FDA approval.
2026-14941, Grant of Interim Extension of the Term of U.S. Patent No. 8,461,196; Centanafadine Hydrochloride
Otsuka America Pharmaceutical got a one-year extra patent life for their drug centanafadine hydrochloride because the FDA review is still going on. This means they keep exclusive rights to the drug until July 25, 2027, giving them more time to sell it without competition. This extension helps the company protect their investment while the drug gets final approval.
2026-14793, Requirement To Identify All Real Parties in Interest to a Third Party Request for an Ex Parte Reexamination
The USPTO wants anyone asking for a third-party ex parte reexamination to clearly say who’s really behind the request. This helps stop sneaky tricks and keeps the process honest. If you’re involved, get ready to share this info confidentially by August 21, 2026, or risk delays or issues.
2026-14388, Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Admission to Practice and Roster of Registered Patent Attorneys and Agents Admitted to Practice Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
The USPTO is asking for public feedback on its paperwork rules for patent attorneys and agents who want to practice before the office. This helps keep the process smooth and fair without making people fill out too many forms. If you have thoughts, send them in by August 17, 2026—no fees or big changes are happening right now, just a review.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-19694, New Postal Products
The Postal Service wants to add or change some special deals for competitive mail services, and the Postal Regulatory Commission is asking the public to share their thoughts by November 3, 2025. These changes could affect businesses using these mail options and might impact pricing or service terms soon. It’s a chance to weigh in on how mail deals evolve in the near future!
Next: 2025-19701, Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection Renewal; Comment Request
The government wants to keep its websites safe from automated bots by limiting access and asking users to complete a quick CAPTCHA test. If you’re a real person, you can get access for about three months before needing to verify again. This helps protect the sites without costing you anything or causing delays.