{"abstract":"The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is amending the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases to require patent applicants and patent owners whose domicile is not located within the United States (U.S.) or its territories (hereinafter foreign applicants/inventors and patent owners) to be represented by a registered patent practitioner. A requirement that foreign applicants/ inventors and patent owners be represented by a registered patent practitioner will bring the U.S. in line with most other countries that require that such parties be represented by a licensed or registered person of that country. Additionally, this requirement will increase efficiency and enable the USPTO to more effectively use available mechanisms to enforce compliance by all foreign applicants/inventors and patent owners with U.S. statutory and regulatory requirements in patent matters, and enhance the USPTO's ability to respond to false certifications, misrepresentations, and fraud.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE","name":"Commerce Department","id":54,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/commerce-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/54","parent_id":null,"slug":"commerce-department"},{"raw_name":"Patent and Trademark Office","name":"Patent and Trademark Office","id":402,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/patent-and-trademark-office","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/402","parent_id":54,"slug":"patent-and-trademark-office"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2026/03/20/2026-05564.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"1","title":37}],"citation":"91 FR 13510","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This rule is effective on July 20, 2026.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. PTO-P-2025-0008"],"dockets":[{"supporting_documents":[],"agency_name":"PTO","documents":[{"comment_count":0,"comment_start_date":"2026-03-20","updated_at":"2026-03-20T11:00:18.775-04:00","comment_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/PTO-P-2025-0008-0011","allow_late_comments":false,"id":"PTO-P-2025-0008-0011","comment_end_date":null,"regulations_dot_gov_open_for_comment":false}],"supporting_documents_count":0,"id":"PTO-P-2025-0008","title":"Required Use by Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners of a Patent Practitioner"}],"document_number":"2026-05564","effective_on":"2026-07-20","end_page":13519,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2026/03/20/2026-05564.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/20/2026-05564/required-use-by-foreign-applicants-and-patent-owners-of-a-patent-practitioner","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2026-05564?publication_date=2026-03-20","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2026-03-20/2026-05564/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":10,"page_views":{"count":4334,"last_updated":"2026-07-28 06:15:03 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-03-20/pdf/2026-05564.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-05564.pdf?1773924326","publication_date":"2026-03-20","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2026/03/20/2026-05564.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"0651-AD85":{"issue":"202504","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0651-AD85/requirement-of-registered-patent-practitioner-for-foreign-applicants-and-patent-owners","title":"Requirement of Registered Patent Practitioner for Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=202504&RIN=0651-AD85&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Substantive, Nonsignificant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["0651-AD85"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0651-AD85/requirement-of-registered-patent-practitioner-for-foreign-applicants-and-patent-owners","title":"Requirement of Registered Patent Practitioner for Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners"},"comments_count":0,"agency_id":"PTO","comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=PTO-P-2025-0008","supporting_documents_count":0,"docket_id":"PTO-P-2025-0008","document_id":"PTO-P-2025-0008-0011","regulation_id_number":"0651-AD85","title":"Required Use by Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners of a Patent Practitioner","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2026-03-21T16:55:05Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":false,"signing_date":null,"start_page":13510,"subtype":null,"title":"Required Use by Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners of a Patent Practitioner","toc_doc":"Required Use by Foreign Applicants and Patent Owners of a Patent Practitioner","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Biologics","Courts","Freedom of information","Inventions and patents","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Small businesses"],"type":"Rule","volume":91}