USPTO Update

The USPTO has officially discontinued the Accelerated Examination program for utility patent applications. The program remains available for design patent applications. 

 

This program, introduced in 2006, allowed applicants to advance their utility applications out of turn by submitting a petition, including a pre-examination search and an examination support document, without additional fees beyond standard filing costs. However, following the 2011 launch of the Track One prioritized examination program, participation in Accelerated Examination dropped significantly, leading to its phase-out.

 

The primary drivers for this change include the program's underutilization—averaging fewer than 100 requests per year from 2014 to 2024—and the need to redirect examiner resources toward reducing overall patent pendency, which has risen from about 14.7 months for first-action decisions in 2019 to 19.9 months in 2024.

 

Program/Option	Availability Post-July 2025	Key Requirements	Fees (Undiscounted)	Target Timeline	Applicability
Accelerated Examination	Discontinued for utility; remains for design	Pre-exam search, support document, petition	None beyond filing	12 months to disposition	Utility (ended), Design
Track One Prioritized Examination	Available	Petition and fee; no search/support needed	$4,800(petition + other	4 months to first action; 12 months total	Utility, Plant
Petition to Make Special (Age/Health)	Available	Evidence of age (65+) or health issues	None	Expedited out of turn	All types
Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH	Available	Allowance in participating office; conforming claims	None	Accelerated based on prior exam	Utility, others via global programs
National Stage Entry (PCT)	Available	Timely entry from PCT application	Standard fees	Potential for acceleration on via PPH integration	International filings

• Track One Prioritized Examination: The main replacement, allowing advancement for a fee (with discounts for small and micro entities) without the need for searches or support documents. For inventions related to environmental quality, energy, or counterterrorism, it now covers what was previously fee-free under Accelerated Examination.
• Petition to Make Special: Available fee-free based on the inventor's age or health.
• Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH): Speeds up examination if a corresponding application has been allowed in another participating office.
• Other Pathways: Including meeting requirements for national stage entry under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) or specific petitions for special status.