Southwest Regional Outreach Office

Patent one-on-one assistance

NOTE: The Southwest Office is unable to accept patent or trademark applications, correspondence related to prosecution, or fees. Please consider using our Patent Center for online filing. More information is available on our website: filing patent applications or filing trademark applications.

The Pro Se Assistance Center is available to assist applicants (also known as "pro se" applicants) who file patent applications without the assistance of a registered patent attorney or agent with patent related questions and with filing their patent applications. One-on-one video conference (WebEx) or telephone appointments are also available. For inquiries, please contact the Pro Se Assistance Center. One-on-one appointments may be scheduled online or by contacting the Pro Se Assistance Center.

Toll-free: 866-767-3848 or email proseassistancecenter@uspto.gov.
Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Schedule an appointment

Trademark one-on-one assistance

The Trademark Assistance Center (TAC) is the main support center for trademark customers, from first-time filers to legal professionals and experienced trademark applicants. You can call or email TAC if you have questions about the trademark registration process.

TAC specialists can also assist you via video chat on Microsoft Teams. Call or email to make an appointment.

Toll-free: 800-786-9199 or email TrademarkAssistanceCenter@uspto.gov.
Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (except federal holidays).

Patent Trial and Appeal Board at the Southwest Office

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) conducts trials, including inter partes, post-grant, and covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings; hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings; and renders decisions in interferences.

The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) re-established in-person hearings in July 2022 at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) headquarters in Alexandria, VA, and at all USPTO regional outreach offices.  

• Parties have the option to appear virtually for appeals and trials.
• Most in-person hearings will likely have one or more judges attending virtually.
• The PTAB will only conduct an in-person hearing when requested by all parties.
• Specific details of each hearing may vary and will be subject to hearing room availability, agency operating status, and guidelines. Parties should refer to their Scheduling Orders and Hearing Orders for details.
• For public access to a PTAB hearing, either virtual or in-person, submit a request to PTABHearings@uspto.gov at least 3 days before the hearing.
• For more information about PTAB oral hearings, please contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9797.

PTAB hearings

Search patents Search trademarks

The USPTO collections can also be searched online. Learn how to use Patent Public Search to search for patents and Trademark Search system to search for trademarks.

Universal Public Workstations provide access to the agency’s public electronic patent and trademark collections. The public search room enables researchers to conduct self-directed searches. The Southwest Office has three public workstations with the same access requirements and print capabilities as public workstations in the Public Search Facility at USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Public searching on universal public workstations is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT, Monday-Friday, except federal holidays.

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect unauthorized or personal removable media storage—such as thumb drives or your personal phone—to any USPTO computer, docking station, or monitor at the Southwest Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.

The Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs) located in various public and university libraries offer beginner orientation on searching for patents and trademarks. The Dallas Public Library is a PTRC located about one mile from the Southwest Office at 1515 Young St., Dallas, TX 75201.

As the Director of the Southwest Regional Outreach Office, Hope Shimabuku carries out the strategic outreach direction of the USPTO’s Office of Public Engagement, ensuring that the USPTO’s initiatives and programs are tailored to the region’s unique ecosystem of industries and stakeholders.

Interim Assistant Regional Director:  Reynaldo Vasquez

Address and contact information

Southwest Office, USPTO
207 South Houston St., Suite 159
Dallas, TX 75202
See map for location

Phone: 469-295-9000
Email: southwest@uspto.gov 

Business hours

The Southwest Office is open by appointment only. Please call 469-295-9000 or email southwest@uspto.gov to schedule your visit. 

Parking

Parking is not available in the Terminal Annex Federal Building for USPTO visitors. There are several parking garages (a few listed below) nearby and limited metered parking is available on South Houston Street in front of the building.

• Ace Parking – H Lot at 525 S. Houston St.; telephone: 214-748-5535
• Ace Parking – Union Station at 300 Reunion Blvd.; telephone: 214-761-6400
• Star Parking at 501 N. Houston St.; telephone: 214-871-2283
• LAZ Parking at 1015 Elm St.; telephone: 214-747-7675

Removable media policy

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect unauthorized or personal removable media storage to any USPTO computer, docking station, or monitor at the Southwest Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.