US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

35 U.S.C. § 132

Notice of rejection; reexamination

(a)
Whenever, on examination, any claim for a patent is rejected, or any objection or requirement made, the Director shall notify the applicant thereof, stating the reasons for such rejection, or objection or requirement, together with such information and references as may be useful in judging of the propriety of continuing the prosecution of his application; and if after receiving such notice, the applicant persists in his claim for a patent, with or without amendment, the application shall be re­examined. No amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention.
(b)
The Director shall prescribe regulations to provide for the continued examination of applications for patent at the request of the applicant. The Director may establish appropriate fees for such continued examination and shall provide a 50 percent reduction in such fees for small entities that qualify for reduced fees under section 41(h)(1).

July 19, 1952, ch. 95066 Stat. 801Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, §§ 4403, 4732(a)(10)(A)]113 Stat. 1536Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B)116 Stat. 1906Pub. L. 112–29, § 20(j)125 Stat. 335(, ; , , , 1501A–560, 1501A–582; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Aug. 5, 1939, ch. 452, § 153 Stat. 1213Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 51 (R.S. 4903, amended , ).

The first paragraph of the corresponding section of existing statute is revised in language and amplified to incorporate present practice; the second paragraph of the existing statute is placed in section 135.

The last sentence relating to new matter is added but represents no departure from present practice.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 112–292011—Subsec. (b). struck out “of this title” after “41(h)(1)”.

Pub. L. 107–273Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)]2002— made technical correction to directory language of . See 1999 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)]Pub. L. 107–2731999—, as amended by , substituted “Director” for “Commissioner”.

Pub. L. 106–113, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4403], designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–29lPub. L. 112–29section 2 of this titleAmendment by effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on , and applicable to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date, see section 20() of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4405(b)]113 Stat. 1536

“The amendments made by section 4403 [amending this section]—
“(1)
section 111(a) of title 35section 371 of title 35 shall take effect on the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [], and shall apply to all applications filed under , United States Code, on or after , and all applications complying with , United States Code, that resulted from international applications filed on or after ; and
“(2)
do not apply to applications for design patents under chapter 16 of title 35, United States Code.”
, , , 1501A–560, provided that:

Pub. L. 106–113Pub. L. 106–113section 1 of this titleAmendment by section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)] of effective 4 months after , see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of , set out as a note under .