37 CFR 1.155 — Expedited examination of design applications

Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024

• (a) The applicant may request that the Office expedite the examination of a design application. To qualify for expedited examination:
  • (1) The application must include drawings in compliance with § 1.84 , or for an international design application that designates the United States, must have been published pursuant to Hague Agreement Article 10(3);
  • (2) The applicant must have conducted a preexamination search; and
  • (3) The applicant must file a request for expedited examination including:
    • (i) The fee set forth in § 1.17(k) ; and
    • (ii) A statement that a preexamination search was conducted. The statement must also indicate the field of search and include an information disclosure statement in compliance with § 1.98 .
• (b) The Office will not examine an application that is not in condition for examination ( e.g., missing basic filing fee) even if the applicant files a request for expedited examination under this section.

[47 FR 41272, Sept. 17, 1982, effective date Oct. 1, 1982; paras. (b)-(d) amended, paras. (e) and (f) added, 58 FR 44277, Aug. 20, 1993, effective Sept. 20, 1993; revised, 62 FR 53132, Oct. 10, 1997, effective Dec. 1, 1997; revised, 65 FR 54604, Sept. 8, 2000, effective Sept. 8, 2000; para. (a)(1) revised, 80 FR 17918, Apr. 2, 2015, effective May 13, 2015]