USPTO to delay effective date of the non-DOCX filing fee

Since our communications of December 28, 2022 and December 20, 2022, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has again delayed implementation of the $400 non-DOCX filing surcharge fee—this time until June 30, 2023. According to the USPTO, it is “. . . committed to ensuring a successful and smooth transition to the DOCX format for our patent applicants, and we are grateful for the productive feedback we have received throughout this process.”

Details are provided in the Federal Register on March 27, 2023. The pre-publication version is available here.

We will keep you updated as more information about the USPTO DOCX transition becomes available.