[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 46042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21194]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO-P-2017-0039]
Cash Payment Method Will No Longer Be Accepted
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will no
longer accept cash, including coins, as payment for products and
services for which fees are required.
DATES: Applicable Date: November 1, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Lee, Director, Receipts
Accounting Division, Office of Finance, by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective November 1, 2017, the USPTO will
no longer accept cash, including coins, as payment for products and
services for which fees are required. This change is being made to
streamline the administrative fee collection process and is in
accordance with the Department of the Treasury's policy on agencies
adopting a no-cash policy. See https://tfm.fiscal.treasury.gov/v1/bull/17-12.pdf. There is no requirement that the USPTO accept cash payments.
See, e.g., 37 CFR 1.23.
The USPTO's total net revenue for the last three fiscal years
exceeded $3.0 billion each year, and the cash payment method
collections averaged less than $14,000 each year. In fiscal year (FY)
2016, the cash payment method comprised less than $11,000, which
represented less than 0.0004 percent of total net revenue collections.
Furthermore, the USPTO processed over 4.95 million total fee
transactions in FY 2016, and only 55 patent fees totaling under $5,000,
and eleven trademark fees totally under $4,000, were paid by cash.
The only other fees collected by cash in FY 2016 were about $1,500
in copying fees. The current self-service copiers are to be
discontinued as part of Office plans to enter a ``No Cost'' contract
with a vendor who will keep all payments collected in exchange for
providing this service. See Setting and Adjusting Patent Fees During
Fiscal Year 2017, 81 FR 68150, 68168 (Oct. 3, 2016) (proposed rule).
For the past three years, the overwhelming majority of fees have
been paid to the USPTO using a payment method other than cash, and the
costs of handling, safeguarding, auditing, transporting, and depositing
of cash payments greatly outweigh the benefits of continuing to accept
the cash payment method.
While the USPTO will no longer accept the cash payment method on or
after November 1, 2017, payments will continue to be accepted in-person
and by mail when made by check or money order, credit/debit card, or
deposit account. Payment of fees attempted with cash will be refused
and returned. More information about all accepted payment methods is
available at https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/fees-and-payment/accepted-payment-methods.
Dated: September 25, 2017.
Joseph D. Matal,
Performing the Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce
for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2017-21194 Filed 10-2-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P