[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 136 (Friday, July 17, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44829-44830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-14388]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
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
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter
``USPTO'' or ``Agency'') will submit the following information
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. The USPTO
invites comments on the information collection renewal of 0651-0012,
which helps the USPTO assess the impact of its information collection
requirements and minimize the reporting burden to the public. Public
comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on March
18, 2026, during a 60-day comment period (91 FR 13015). This notice
allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
DATES: To ensure consideration, you must submit comments regarding this
information collection on or before August 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for this information
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of
this notice on the following website, https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using
the search function and entering either the title of the information
collection or the OMB Control Number, 0651-0012. Do not submit
Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
This information collection request may be viewed at
https://www.reginfo.gov/. Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce, USPTO information collections currently under
review by OMB.
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0012 information request'' in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Telephone: Diana Oleksa, Office of Enrollment and
Discipline, 571-272-4097.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Admission to Practice and Roster of Registered Patent
Attorneys and Agents Admitted to Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office.
OMB Control Number: 0651-0012.
Abstract: This collection of information is authorized by 35 U.S.C.
2(b)(2)(D), which permits the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) to establish regulations governing the recognition and conduct
of agents, attorneys, or other persons representing applicants or other
parties before the USPTO. This statute also permits the USPTO to
require information from applicants that shows that they are of good
moral character and reputation and have the necessary qualifications to
assist applicants with the patent process and to represent them before
the USPTO.
This information collection addresses submissions required by the
regulations at 37 CFR 1.21 and 11.5-11.11, which set forth the
requirements to apply for the examination for registration and to
demonstrate eligibility to be a registered patent attorney or agent
before the USPTO. The Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED)
collects this information to determine the qualifications of
individuals entitled to represent applicants before the USPTO in the
preparation and prosecution of applications for a patent. The OED also
collects this information to administer and maintain the public roster
of attorneys and agents registered to practice before the USPTO, which
is accessible through the USPTO website. This information collection is
used by the USPTO to review applications for the examination for
registration, and to determine whether an applicant may be added to the
Register of Patent Attorneys and Agents. Additionally, it is used to
determine whether an applicant may remain on the Register.
Since the prior renewal of this information collection, certain
items have been changed and reordered. The USPTO is adding an item
(Item 6--Undertaking Under 37 CFR 11.10(b)) to this information
collection.
[[Page 44830]]
Additionally, the following items have been removed, as they have been
declared exempt from the Paperwork Reduction Act by OMB under 5 CFR
1320.3(h)(1), 1320.3(h)(2), and 1320.3(h)(7):
Registration Examination to Become a Registered
Practitioner.
Reasonable Accommodation--PTO-158RA.
Change of Registration from Agent to Attorney--PTO-158.
Written Requests (Certificate of Good Standing,
Disciplinary History).
Forms:
PTO-107A: (Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys and
Agents).
PTO-107R: (Reinstatement--Data Sheet--Register of Patent
Attorneys and Agents).
PTO-107S: (Registration Statement--Data Sheet--Register of
Patent Attorneys and Agents).
PTO-158: (Application for Registration to Practice Before
the United States Patent and Trademark Office).
PTO-158A: (Application for Registration to Practice Before
the United States Patent and Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.6(c) by a
Foreign Resident).
PTO-158T: (Application for Recognition to Practice Before
the United States Patent and Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by
a Foreign Resident).
PTO-275: (Undertaking Under 37 CFR 11.10(b)).
PTO-1209: (Oath or Declaration).
Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Frequency: On occasion.
Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 5,578 respondents between
reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Since the publication of the
60-day notice, the USPTO has revised the estimated number of annual
respondents and responses to show that the burden for these items is
from the same respondent pool.
Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 5,578 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses
in this information collection will take the public approximately 5
minutes (0.08 hours) to 45 minutes (0.75 hours) to complete. This
includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the
document, and submit the completed item to the USPTO. Additionally, the
USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline General Requirements Bulletin
recommends that ``an applicant should make and keep a copy of every
document submitted to the Office in connection with an application for
registration.'' The USPTO estimates that it will take an applicant
approximately 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to print and retain a copy of the
submissions.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 2,775 hours. Since
the publication of the 60-day notice, the USPTO has revised the
estimated total annual respondent burden hours to account for the
recordkeeping burden associated with each of the items in this
information collection.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden: $798,130.
Justin Isaac,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2026-14388 Filed 7-16-26; 8:45 am]
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