Takeaway: Under the USPTO’s new pilot program, provisional application fees are extended as of September 17,2020 for COVID-19 related inventors.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is offering deferral of fees for inventors of COVID-19 related inventions under the new pilot program. The goal of this deferment of provisional application fees is to promote the science and progress behind COVID-19 related products and processes. The deferral period will extend the provisional filing fees for inventors until they apply for a non-provisional application. Noteworthy, however, it is important to note that applicants must agree that the technical subject matter disclosed in their provisional applications be made available to the public via a searchable collaboration database maintained on the USPTO’s website.
