Revision of Patent Fees for Fiscal Year 2007

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (referred to as "Office" in this notice) is adjusting certain patent fee amounts to reflect fluctuations in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Also, the Office is adjusting, by a corresponding amount, a few patent fee rates that track the affected fee amounts. The Director is authorized to adjust these fee amounts annually by the CPI to recover the higher costs associated with doing business. The USPTO is adjusting the patent fee amounts under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Consolidated Appropriations Act), which revised certain patent fee rates, and provided for a search fee and examination fee separate from the filing fee, during fiscal years 2005 and 2006; and continued in fiscal year 2007 under the revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (Continuing Appropriations Resolution). Legislation has been introduced that would extend the fee rate revisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act. In the event legislation is not enacted to continue the patent fee amounts under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the USPTO will be adjusting patent statutory fee rates that were in application prior to implementation of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The prior fee rates, adjusted for CPI, will be effective for fiscal year 2008.