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OMB Control No: 0651-0021	ICR Reference No: 202606-0651-006
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 202509-0651-004
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Patent Cooperation Treaty
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 07/07/2026
	Date Received in OIRA: 06/24/2026
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	02/28/2029	02/28/2029	02/28/2029
Responses	412,493	0	412,493
Time Burden (Hours)	344,145	0	343,739
Cost Burden (Dollars)	452,970,366	0	452,882,158

Abstract: This collection of information is required by the provisions of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which became operational in June 1978 and is administered by the International Bureau (IB) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. The provisions of the PCT have been implemented by the United States in Part IV of Title 35 of the U.S. Code (Chapters 35-37) and Subpart C of Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations (37 CFR 1.401-1.499). The purpose of the PCT is to provide a standardized filing format and procedure that allows an applicant to seek protection for an invention in several countries by filing one international application in one location, in one language, and paying one initial set of fees. The information in this collection is used by the public to submit a patent application under the PCT and by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to fulfill its obligation to process, search, and examine the application as directed by the treaty. The filing, search, written opinion, and publication procedures are provided for in Chapter I of the PCT. Additional procedures for a preliminary examination of PCT international applications are provided for in optional PCT Chapter II. Under Chapter I, an applicant can file an international application in the national or home office (Receiving Office (RO)) or the IB. The USPTO acts as the United States Receiving Office (RO/US) for international applications filed by residents and nationals of the United States. These applicants send most of their correspondence directly to the USPTO, but they may also file certain documents directly with the IB. The USPTO serves as an International Searching Authority (ISA) to perform searches and issues an international search report (ISR) and a written opinion on international applications. The USPTO also issues an international preliminary report on patentability (IPRP Chapter II) when acting as an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA). The RO reviews the application and, if it contains all of the necessary information, assigns a filing date to the application. The RO maintains the home copy of the international application and forwards the record copy of the application to the IB and the search copy to the ISA. The IB maintains the record copy of all international applications and publishes them 18 months after the earliest priority date, which is the earliest date for which a benefit is claimed. The ISA performs a search to determine whether there is any prior art relevant to the claims of the international application and will issue an international search report and written opinion as to whether each claim is novel, involves an inventive step, and is industrially applicable. The ISA then forwards the international search report and written opinion to the applicant and the IB. The IB will normally publish the application and search report 18 months after the priority date, unless early publication is requested by the applicant. Until international publication, no third person or national or regional office is allowed access to the international patent application unless so requested or authorized by the applicant. If the applicant wishes to withdraw the application (and does so before international publication), international publication does not take place. Under Chapter II of the Treaty, an applicant who has filed an international application in an RO can demand an international preliminary examination of the application by an IPEA, such as the USPTO. The Demand is made separately from the international application and contains prescribed particulars, language, and form. The International preliminary examination is a second evaluation of the potential patentability of the claimed invention, using the same standards on which the written opinion of the ISA was based. A copy of the examination report is sent to the applicant and to the IB.

Authorizing Statute(s): PL: Pub.L. 94 - 131 351 Name of Law: Patent Cooperation Treaty

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 26555	06/23/2025
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	90 FR 52622	11/21/2025
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	412,493	412,493	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	344,145	343,739	406
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	452,970,366	452,882,158	88,208

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Changing Regulations

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: In support of RIN 0651-AD92 ,the USPTO is adjusting the estimated annual burden hours and non-hour costs in this information collection. The Rule increases the estimated time for response for Item 17 (Petition for Revival of an International Application for Patent Designating the U.S. Abandoned Unintentionally) from 1 hour to 1.2 hours, and Item 20 (Acceptance of an unintentionally delayed claim for priority (37 CFR § 1.78(a)(3))) from 2 hours to 3 hours. Additionally, the Rule changes the estimated number of fees paid associated with Item 20.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $7,787,457

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Rafael Bacares 571 272-3276 rafael.bacares@uspto.gov

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