United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the U.S. federal agency with exclusive authority to grant patents and register trademarks, serving inventors, entrepreneurs, enterprises, and patent practitioners through digital filing platforms, AI-enhanced search tools, and PTAB adjudication.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1791
- HeadquartersAlexandria, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) does
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency, operating under the U.S. Department of Commerce, that holds exclusive statutory authority to grant U.S. patents and register U.S. trademarks. Established in 1791 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the agency processes patent and trademark applications, operates the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) for inter partes reviews and ex parte appeals, and conducts opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). In 2024 USPTO received a record 430,625 patent applications and issued 324,043 patent grants, while carrying an unexamined backlog of roughly 813,000 applications and average pendency exceeding 20 months.
USPTO's core product platform consists of two digital filing and management systems, Patent Center and Trademark Center, supported by public search databases (Patent Public Search, Trademark Search System, Global Dossier linking to IP5 offices), case tracking portals (P-TACTS, PTAB DH, TSDR), and an Open Data Portal for programmatic access. The agency has built a substantial AI capability layer on top of these systems, including DesignVision (computer-vision search across 80+ global design registers), Class ACT (automated trademark classification), the AI Search Automated Pilot Program (ASAP!) for prior-art analysis, and the Mehr Like This Document similarity search feature. Education and outreach are delivered through five regional offices (Midwest, Southwest, Western, Northeast, Southeast) plus newer community engagement offices at the University of Utah and Montana State University, supplemented by the Path to a Patent webinar series and the Innovation Expo.
USPTO is funded entirely by user fees rather than congressional appropriations, with revenue streams spanning patent filing and maintenance fees, trademark filing and renewal fees, PTAB proceeding fees, and certified copy/document services. The agency serves a broadly distributed customer base including independent inventors, startups, Fortune 500 enterprises, registered patent attorneys and agents, and academic institutions, with no single-customer concentration. Leadership is provided by Director John A. Squires (60th Director), Chief Information Officer Deborah Stephens, and Chief Public Engagement Officer Nancy Kamei, alongside regional and divisional directors.
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Legal name
- United States Patent and Trademark Office
- Website
- https://uspto.gov
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1791
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the U.S. federal agency with exclusive authority to grant patents and register trademarks, serving inventors, entrepreneurs, enterprises, and patent practitioners through digital filing platforms, AI-enhanced search tools, and PTAB adjudication.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Intellectual Property Administration
- NAICS
- Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- IP Management, Patents & Trademark Software (BPAEAPAN), Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA), Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB), IP & Patent Information Publishing (Patent/Litigation Analytics, Prior Art) (MPAJACAK)
Keywords
Where United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alexandria
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Patent Filing and Maintenance Fees: Fees collected for patent applications, issuance, maintenance, and related services
- Trademark Filing and Renewal Fees: Fees for trademark applications, registrations, renewals, and related filings
- PTAB Proceedings Fees: Fees for inter partes review, post-grant review, and other PTAB proceedings including Fast-Track Appeals
- Certified Copies and Document Services: Fees for certified copies of patents and trademarks, document orders, and search services
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program petition fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The USPTO operates the federal patent and trademark registration systems for the United States, granting patent rights and registering trademarks through its Patent Center and Trademark Center online platforms. The agency examines patent and trademark applications, conducts inter partes reviews and appeals via the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, provides public prior art search tools, registers international filings under PCT and Madrid Protocol, and offers AI-powered tools (DesignVision, Class ACT, ASAP!) to support examination quality and efficiency.
Product overview
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a federal agency that provides the patent and trademark registration systems for the United States. Its product portfolio centers on two core digital filing and management platforms—Patent Center for patent applications and Trademark Center for trademark applications—both enhanced with AI capabilities. Supporting these are public search databases (Patent Public Search, Trademark Search System, Global Dossier linking to IP5 offices), administrative boards (PTAB for patent appeals/inter partes review, TTAB for trademark disputes), and AI tools (DesignVision for design patent image search, Class ACT for trademark classification automation, AI Search Automated Pilot Program for prior art analysis, and Mehr Like This Document for similarity search). USPTO also offers educational programs including the quarterly Path to a Patent series, the annual Innovation Expo conference, and maintains Regional Outreach Offices and Community Engagement Offices across the U.S. for public IP education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Patent Center
- Trademark Center
- Patent Public Search
- Trademark Search System
- Global Dossier
- Open Data Portal
- Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
- Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB)
- Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR)
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
- Madrid Protocol
- Hague Agreement
- DesignVision
- Class ACT
- AI Search Automated Pilot Program (ASAP!)
- Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program
- Central Reexamination Unit (CRU)
- Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
- Certified Copy Center
- Regional Outreach Offices
- Community Engagement Offices
- IP Identifier
- Path to a Patent Series
- Innovation Expo
- Mehr Like This Document
Quantifiable outcome
- 324,043 patent grants in 2024
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability8 records
Feature9 records
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Montana State UniversitycoreNew Community Engagement Office location at Montana State University in Bozeman, representing strategic expansion of federal IP infrastructure into the Rocky Mountain West region.
- University of UtahcorePartnership to establish a community engagement office on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City, expanding IP education and resources across the Intermountain West. The new office serves an eight-state region previously covered by the Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office in Colorado.
- National Inventors Hall of FamecorePartnership to induct 15 innovators into the National Inventors Hall of Fame Class of 2026, honoring breakthrough inventions including Wi-Fi, CRISPR, Spanx, and other transformative technologies at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)minorCo-hosting public roundtable on OECD online marketplace guidelines for combating counterfeit goods, with written comment submissions due June 27, 2025.
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)coreInternational intellectual property organization administering treaties including the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and Hague Agreement. USPTO participates in IP5 cooperation with EPO, JPO, KIPO, and CNIPA.
- European Patent Office (EPO)coreCooperative Patent Classification (CPC) partnership for harmonized patent classification and search. Joint initiative between USPTO and EPO.
- Japan Patent Office (JPO)coreIP5 partner and participant in collaborative search pilot programs, Global Dossier initiative, and Patent Prosecution Highway.
- Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO)coreIP5 partner with SHARE work-sharing pilot program and various collaborative examination initiatives.
- Department of Justice (DOJ)coreJoint filing of Statement of Interest in Collision Communications v. Samsung supporting NPE patent plaintiffs' right to seek permanent injunctions.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- European Patent Office (EPO): Regional patent-granting authority covering European member states and joint CPC partner with USPTO. Most direct functional peer with overlapping examination, search, and classification responsibilities.
- China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA): Chinese national IP office and IP5 partner. Comparable scope of patent and trademark examination with overlapping international filing systems; primary strategic competitor for global filings.
- IP Australia: Australian national IP office with analogous patent and trademark registration systems and PPH cooperation with USPTO.
- Japan Patent Office (JPO): National IP office of Japan and IP5 partner. Operates analogous patent and trademark registration systems and participates in Patent Prosecution Highway and Global Dossier with USPTO.
- UK Intellectual Property Office: UK national IP office with patent and trademark registration functions comparable to USPTO, including similar examination and classification processes.
- Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO): South Korean national IP office and IP5 partner. Operates parallel patent/trademark registration, SHARE work-sharing pilot, and PPH programs with USPTO.
- Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO): Canadian national IP office offering parallel patent and trademark services, sharing CPC participation and PCT cooperation with USPTO.
Broad incumbents
- Anaqua: IP management software platform serving patent and trademark practitioners, providing docketing and workflow tools that complement USPTO's Patent Center and Trademark Center filings.
- Clarivate: IP analytics and management software provider offering patent search, IPfolio portfolio management, and Derwent prior-art data widely used by USPTO practitioners; serves as adjacent infrastructure to USPTO filings.
Others
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): UN agency administering PCT, Madrid, and Hague systems. Not a direct competitor but the international treaty body whose infrastructure USPTO relies on for cross-border filings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) social profiles
Digital presenceUnited States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
What does United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) do?
The USPTO operates the federal patent and trademark registration systems for the United States, granting patent rights and registering trademarks through its Patent Center and Trademark Center online platforms. The agency examines patent and trademark applications, conducts inter partes reviews and appeals via the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, provides public prior art search tools, registers international filings under PCT and Madrid Protocol, and offers AI-powered tools (DesignVision, Class ACT, ASAP!) to support examination quality and efficiency.
Is United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) a public or private company?
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) founded?
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was founded in 1791. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) based?
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is headquartered in Alexandria, United States, in the North America region.
How does United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Patent Filing and Maintenance Fees are the primary driver. The others are trademark Filing and Renewal Fees, PTAB Proceedings Fees and certified Copies and Document Services.
Who are United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are European Patent Office (EPO), China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), IP Australia, Japan Patent Office (JPO), UK Intellectual Property Office, Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). Broad incumbents are Anaqua and Clarivate. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is listed as an others.
Does United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have an API?
Yes. USPTO provides several public-facing APIs and developer tools including: Open Data Portal (data.uspto.gov) for programmatic access to patent and trademark datasets; PTAB Developer API (developer.uspto.gov/ptab-web) for searching PTAB decisions; XML resources for structured data; Assignment Center API for recording ownership changes; Certified Copy Center for ordering official documents; and Evidence of Use API for verifying patent claims. Additionally, TSDR (Trademark Status & Document Retrieval) provides system-to-system access to trademark application data. Developer documentation is at developer.uspto.gov.
What industry is United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in?
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)'s product category is Intellectual Property Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAF, Intellectual Property (IP) Law, with a secondary code of BPAEAPAN, IP Management, Patents & Trademark Software. Its NAICS code is 926150 and its SIC code is 8111.