USPTO issues final rule to eliminate expedited examination of design applications

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) suspended expedited examination of design applications on April 17, 2025. The USPTO has now issued a final rule(link is external)to eliminate expedited examination of design applications effective August 14, 2025,aspart of the agency's efforts to combat fraud and to reduce pendency and inventory of unexamined design applications.

Requests for expedited examination of design applications have surged by 560% in recent years, caused in large part by fraudulent applications. The move will also support the USPTO's efforts to address the issue of erroneous micro entity certifications, as well as the USPTO's broader efforts to mitigate and protect against threats to the intellectual property system.

Design patent applicants still have the ability to advance the examination of a design application in certain limited circumstances. Specifically, the Accelerated Examinationprogram remains in effect for design applications where an applicant files a petition to make special with the appropriate showing and fee.

Read the full text of the final rule(link is external)in the Federal Register.