There are two patent reliefs for those affected by COVID-19:
1) Pay certain fees late by September 30, 2020, without additional fee
2) Revive a patent application that has been abandoned, without additional fee
Relief 1: Pay certain fees to the US Patent Office late, by September 30, 2020
Certain fees that were due between March 27, 2020 and September 29, 2020 can be paid by September 30, 2020:
A) Patent Filing Fees (patent application)
B) Issuance Fees (patent approval)
C) Maintenance Fees (patent renewal)
Relief 2: Revive a patent application that has been abandoned
If your patent application became abandoned for missing the deadline to respond to the US Patent Office (USPTO), you can request the USPTO revive your patent application without paying the usual $500 or $1,000 revival fee. The request for revival must be filed by July 31, 2020.
Note: You must have been personally affected by COVID-19
To qualify for late filing or revival, you must have been personally affected by COVID-19. You cannot take advantage of the relief simply because COVID-19 exists. You qualify for relief if you have been affected by one of these reasons: office closures, cash flow interruptions, inaccessibility of files or other materials, travel delays, personal or family illness, or similar circumstances, such that the outbreak materially interfered with timely filing or payment to USPTO. If you have not been affected by COVID-19, you must continue to meet all patent deadlines.
Note: Due date to file a new non-provisional patent application to claim a provisional application is extended to July 31, 2020
The deadline to file a new patent application to claim a previously filed provisional patent application has been extended to July 31, 2020 or 2 months from when your provisional patent application expires. See related article: US Patent Office Allows Late Filing of Non-Provisional Patent Application After Provisional Patent Application Expiration, for COVID-19 Coronavirus Affected Inventors
Thoughts to Paper is fully operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you qualify for late reply or revival of an abandoned patent application, Thoughts to Paper will also waive its legal fees to request late reply or revival of your patent application.
