What to expect on patent bar exam day at Prometric

The patent bar exam is administered at Prometric testing centers throughout the United States. If you have never tested at a Prometric center before, the unfamiliarity of the environment is itself a stressor. Here is exactly what happens from the moment you arrive to the moment you see your results.

Before you arrive

Bring two forms of acceptable identification — a government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport) as your primary ID, and a secondary ID bearing your name. No electronics are permitted in the testing room: leave your phone, smartwatch, earbuds, and any study materials in your car or a locker at the testing center. You are allowed to bring nothing of substance into the testing room itself.

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Prometric check-in takes time, and arriving late can result in your appointment being forfeited. The exam fee is non-refundable for no-shows and late arrivals.

Check-in and security

At the front desk, you will present your IDs, sign in, and have your photograph taken. Prometric also takes a biometric scan (typically a palm vein scan) as part of their identity verification protocol. You will be asked to empty your pockets and may be scanned with a handheld detector. The testing center staff will provide you with a few sheets of scratch paper and a pencil or pen — these are the only materials you can bring into the exam room.

The testing interface

The patent bar exam runs in Prometric's proprietary software. The screen is split into two panes: the question appears on the left, and a searchable electronic copy of the MPEP opens on the right. You can adjust the relative width of the panes.

Within each session, you can navigate freely between questions, flag questions for later review, and change your answers before submitting the session. There is a countdown timer visible at all times. The software will warn you when time is running low.

AM session, break, and PM session

The exam is divided into two sessions. The AM session consists of 50 questions with a 3-hour time limit. After completing the AM session (or when time expires), you take a short break — typically 10 to 15 minutes. You cannot return to the AM session after the break begins. The PM session then follows: another 50 questions and another 3-hour limit.

You cannot carry unused time from one session to the other. If you finish AM questions in 2 hours, those extra 60 minutes are gone — they do not add to your PM time. Manage each session independently.

Results

After you submit the PM session, your results appear on the Prometric screen before you leave the testing center. You will see your pass/fail status and your numeric percentage score. You do not wait days or weeks — the outcome is known the same day. The Prometric staff will print a confirmation of your results for you to take home.

If you pass, official results are transmitted to the USPTO OED, which will issue your registration certificate — bearing your USPTO registration number — within a few weeks. If you do not pass, your score will show your overall percentage and general performance areas, which you can use to guide your preparation for a retake.