Electronic Priority Document Exchange (PDX) Program

This site provides useful information for applicants that wish to take advantage of the electronic priority document exchange (PDX) program.  Use of PDX avoids the fee associated with ordering a certified priority document for each office of subsequent filing and the costs of transmitting those certified copies to foreign associates or foreign intellectual property (IP) offices.  The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) transmits certain U.S. priority applications as-filed to any foreign IP office that participates in the priority document exchange program (participating office) and retrieves/accesses certain foreign priority applications as-filed from the participating offices.  For U.S. applications filed on or after January 01, 2022, the priority document exchange program is exclusively managed under the World Intellectual Property Organization Digital Access Service (WIPO DAS) Exchange.

   WIPO DAS EXCHANGE WITH PARTICIPATING OFFICES

By notification on April 20, 2009, the USPTO expanded its PDX program by agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to participate in the multilateral exchange of certain priority documents with other IP offices participating in the WIPO Digital Access Service (DAS) for Priority Documents.  The list of WIPO DAS participating offices and information concerning the scope of available priority documents are maintained by the WIPO.

For successful retrieval, it is important that the foreign priority claim identify the country/office code and the foreign priority application number in the recommended format.

The participating offices, the types of applications that may be available for retrieval by the USPTO from each participating office, and the recommended application number formats for each participating office are set forth in the table below: 

NOTE: The legacy Direct Bilateral Exchange mode (where retrieval was managed outside of the WIPO DAS and was based on the foreign priority claim information) only applies to EP applications to which priority is claimed in a U.S. application filed before January 01, 2022. For U.S. applications filed on or after January 01, 2022, successful retrieval of an EP application to which priority is claimed will require the EP application to be registered into the WIPO DAS exchange and the WIPO DAS access code must be provided to the USPTO.

For U.S. applications filed prior to January 01, 2022, the WIPO DAS access code will not be required; however, effective June 30, 2023, the USPTO will be unable to retrieve EP priority applications without a WIPO DAS access code. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to review U.S. applications filed prior to January 01, 2022, that claim priority to an EP application for which a WIPO DAS access code was not provided, to enable successful retrieval by the USPTO of the EP priority application. 

   RETRIEVAL PROCESS

The retrieval process for electronic priority document exchange includes several practice tips that will help applicants promptly identify potential problems.  If retrieval fails applicants remain responsible for the submission of the certified copy of the foreign application.

For foreign applications filed in a participating foreign IP office to which priority is properly claimed in a U.S. application and the corresponding WIPO DAS access code is provided, retrieval will be automatically attempted by the USPTO via the WIPO DAS Exchange when the U.S. application is released from the Office of Patent Application Processing. The “Foreign Priority Information” section of the ADS form includes an Access Code field for providing the required WIPO DAS access code.

A separate written request to retrieve is required under 37 CFR 1.55(i)(4) where a certified copy of a foreign application (to which priority is claimed in a U.S. application) filed in a nonparticipating foreign IP office is contained in an EP or JP application file.  The applicant must use form PTO/SB/38 (or an applicant-generated equivalent) to identify the EP or JP application as well as the nonparticipating office certified copy contained in that EP or JP application file.  For example, where the applicant claims priority to a DE (German Patent and Trademark Office) application, a certified copy of which is contained in an EP application the applicant can file form PTO/SB/38 and, under Option A of that form, request the USPTO to obtain from the EP application file (indicate the country, application number, and filing date) an electronic copy of the certified copy of the DE application (indicate the country and application number).

   FILING RECEIPT INDICATION THAT RETRIEVAL WILL BE ATTEMPTED BY THE USPTO

The U.S. application filing receipt will indicate whether applicant has complied with a request to retrieve pursuant to 37 CFR 1.55(i).  Applicants should inspect the application filing receipt and request a corrected filing receipt if a request to retrieve under 37 CFR 1.55(i) is incorrectly captured.

• For the WIPO DAS Exchange, the WIPO DAS access code is required. When the WIPO DAS access code is provided, “Access Code Provided” will appear on the filing receipt for the relevant foreign application as well as the “Request to Retrieve” paragraph set forth below. When the WIPO DAS access code is not provided, “No Access Code Provided” will appear on the filing receipt for the relevant foreign application.

Request to Retrieve – This application either claims priority to one or more applications filed in an intellectual property Office that participates in the Priority Document Exchange (PDX) program or contains a proper Request to Retrieve Electronic Priority Application(s) (PTO/SB/38 or its equivalent).  Consequently, the USPTO will attempt to electronically retrieve these priority documents.

     CERTIFIED COPY REQUIREMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS ENTERING THE U.S. NATIONAL PHASE UNDER 35 U.S.C. 371

For a majority of international applications filed under the PCT, the applicant has complied with the certified copy requirement during the international phase by submitting the certified copy to the International Bureau as set forth in PCT Rule 17.1(a), (b) and/or (b-bis).  When the applicant submits a U.S. national phase application the USPTO in its capacity as a designated/elected office receives directly from the International Bureau a copy of the priority documents furnished during the international phase, along with the other national phase documents.  The copy of a priority document received directly from the International Bureau satisfies the requirement for a certified copy in the national phase application.  Receipt of the priority document from the International Bureau should be acknowledged on the notice of acceptance (Form PTO/DO/EO/903).  This service is independent from the PDX program.

For the few international applications filed under the PCT where the applicant has not complied with the certified copy requirement during the international phase, the applicant may wish to satisfy the certified copy requirement by using the WIPO DAS Exchange of the PDX program as discussed above. 

Practice tips for priority document exchange

Announcements

• OG Notices Related to Electronic Priority Document Exchange Program

• Using the WIPO DAS to Provide Priority Documents Under PCT Rule 17.1 [December 2011]

Forms

• Authorization or Rescission of Authorization to Permit Access to a U.S. Application-as-Filed by Participating Offices, PTO/SB/39

• USPTO Retrieval of a Foreign Priority Document from a Participating Office, PTO/SB/38

More WIPO DAS Exchange Information

• WIPO DAS Participating Offices 

• WIPO DAS Portal (provides online access to data concerning available priority documents added to your WIPO Account workbench)

Support

EBC Customer Support Center
1-866-217-9197 (toll-free)
571-272-4100 (local)
M-F 6AM - Midnight (Eastern Time)

Email: PDX@uspto.gov