Midwest Elijah J. McCoy Regional Outreach Office ​

Patent one-on-one assistance

NOTE: The Midwest 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 Midwest 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 USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, 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 three days before the hearing.
• For more information about PTAB oral hearings, please contact PTABHearings@uspto.gov or call 571-272-9797.

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.

Our public search room has two workstations with the same search tools that USPTO employees use when examining patent and trademark applications. Their access requirements and print capabilities are the same as those in the Public Search Facility at USPTO headquarters. Our search room is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.

Please be aware that you will not be able to connect a removable media device—such as a thumb drive or your personal phone—to our USPTO computers for the purpose of downloading your search results. Please see the USPTO removable media policy for more information.

General use

• One workstation will be available for reservation per the guidelines below; the second station will remain a walk-up station for use on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The walk-up station is limited to a maximum of three hours per session if others are waiting.

Reservations

• Reservations may be made by walking in, calling 313-446-4800, or emailing detroitpublicsearch@uspto.gov.  Please include the date and time requested along with an email address for confirmation.
• Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. An email confirmation will be sent.
• The reserved workstation may be reserved in two-hour blocks. You may reserve the workstation consecutively for up to three sessions.
• Users are encouraged to contact the office to cancel their reservation, as soon as possible if they will not be coming in.
• The Regional Director and Assistant Regional Director have the authority to bar users who misuse the workstations or the reservation system.

Are you new to patent or trademark searching? We encourage you to visit the Detroit Public Library - Main Branch (DPL), which is a Patent and Trademark Resource Center. DPL librarians are trained by the USPTO to provide an introduction to the patent and trademark application process.

We have a number of collaboration spaces that are intended for public use. These rooms may be configured to suit events of all sizes and are equipped with whiteboards, easels, telephones, and A/V equipment. Typical uses include inventor organization meetings, business councils, and networking events. Please contact us for more information and to reserve a space.

As the Director of the Midwest Elijah J. McCoy Regional Outreach Office, Derris Banks 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.

Assistant Regional Director: Vacant

Address and contact info

Midwest Office, USPTO
300 River Place Drive 
Suite 2900 
Detroit, MI 48207 
See map for location

Phone: 313-446-4800 
Email: midwest@uspto.gov

Hours

Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Closed on federal holidays.

Building access instructions

Upon entering the building, proceed to the security desk and present a valid federal or state photo ID. After screening, the building security guards will direct you to the appropriate elevators. Once you reach the 2nd floor, continue to the USPTO guard desk.

Parking

Free parking is available in the parking garage at 600 River Place Drive, adjacent to our building. Guests must state they are visiting the USPTO. 

Paid parking is across the street; payment is required just after parking ($4). Validate self-parking in the lobby with security, the parking attendant will provide a refund upon exit. Valet parking is not refundable. The parking fee refund is provided by building management. The USPTO is not responsible for parking fee refunds or any parking-related issues.

USPTO 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 Midwest Office. For more information, please see our USPTO removable media policy.