Completely free
No account walls, no upsell
Free exam prep for every test — 20,000+ exam pages and 2.4M+ practice questions.
Open free USPTO Registration Examination prep resources ↗Exam facts & prep options
Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
The Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the patent bar exam) is the professional licensing examination that patent agents and patent attorneys must pass, together with scientific/technical and moral-character qualifications, to be registered to represent patent applicants before the USPTO. It is 100 five-choice multiple-choice questions (90 scored, 10 unscored beta items) delivered in two three-hour sessions at Prometric test centers, with an official pass rule of 70% of scored questions (63 of 90). It is administered year-round by applicant appointment through the USPTO's Office of Enrollment and Discipline after application approval; question content is based on the MPEP, Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024, and related source materials (examination updated September 23, 2026).
Official exam siteJump to prep options ↓
Questions100 multiple-choice questions (90 scored, 10 unscored beta questions)
Testing time6 hours total: two three-hour sessions (50 questions in a morning session, 50 in an afternoon session), with an optional one-hour lunch break between sessions
ScoringPass by correctly answering 70% of the scored questions (63 of 90)
Exam feeUSD 118 non-refundable USPTO application fee + USD 226 USPTO registration examination fee + USD 221 Prometric examination administration fee paid at scheduling (Prometric reschedule USD 0 if 31+ days out, USD 60 at 6-30 days, USD 221 at 0-5 days; USD 226 USPTO registration grant fee after passing; optional USD 300 Prometric review session for failing candidates)
Prep options
Study resources for USPTO Registration Examination
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- USPTO
- Category
- Bar & Legal Practice
- Current version
- No exam version code; current specification is based on the registration exam source materials including the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP), Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024, with an updated examination effective September 23, 2026
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- Prometric
- Format
- Computer-based at Prometric test centers (paper delivery discontinued)
- Availability
- By applicant appointment at Prometric test centers; the OED admission letter sets a scheduling window generally about 90 days from admission, temporarily extended to 180 days until further notice; no exam administered September 17-22, 2026 (blackout before the September 23, 2026 exam update)
- Results
- Unofficial results at the test center immediately upon completing the exam; official notice of results from the USPTO generally within 5 business days
- Score validity
- A passing applicant must complete registration (Data Sheet and Oath or Affirmation plus the USD 226 registration fee) within 2 years of the mailing of the notice of results, or must retake the examination
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
100 five-answer-choice multiple-choice questions in two sessions (50 in a three-hour morning session, 50 in a three-hour afternoon session), covering patent laws, rules, and procedures based on the MPEP and published USPTO policy; reference materials are available on the exam computer and no outside materials are permitted
Where rules vary
A single uniform federal examination for registration to practice in patent cases before the USPTO; passing confers a federal registration, not a state license, and is administered identically nationwide at commercial test centers
Eligibility
Must meet 37 CFR 11.7 before admission: scientific and technical training under Category A (technical degree), B (other degree plus qualifying coursework), or C (equivalent training) — Category D for the design-only patent bar; legal qualification (U.S. citizenship or permanent residency for registration; limited recognition available for qualifying nonimmigrant aliens); good moral character and reputation; OED must approve the application (review typically 4 weeks or less) and issue an admission letter before scheduling with Prometric
Retake policy
Unsuccessful applicants may reapply immediately upon notice of failure (new USD 118 application fee + USD 226 examination fee), but retake eligibility starts no sooner than 30 days after the last attempt; a 12-month waiver (until further notice) suspends the normal 37 CFR 11.7(b)(2) wait-period and fifth-attempt petition requirements