T.M.E.P. § 304.05
Certificate of Transmission by Electronic Mail

Executive summary:

This document contains one section of the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (the "TMEP"), Fourth Edition (April 2005). This page was last updated in June 2007. You may return to one either the section index, or to the key word index. If you wish to search the TMEP, simply use the search box that appears on the bottom of every page of BitLaw--be sure to restrict your search to the TMEP in the pop-up list.

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304.05 Certificate of Transmission by Electronic Mail

Under 37 C.F.R. 2.197, e-mail correspondence will be considered to be timely filed, even if received after the due date, if the correspondence is: (1) transmitted to the USPTO by e-mail on or before the due date; and (2) accompanied by a certificate attesting to the date of transmission. See TMEP §§306.05 et seq. regarding the certificate of transmission procedure under 37 C.F.R. 2.197.

If e-mail correspondence is timely filed with a certificate of transmission, but is not received by or is lost within the USPTO, the correspondence will be considered timely based on the date of transmission set forth on the certificate of transmission, if the party who transmitted the correspondence: (1) informs the USPTO in writing of the previous e-mail transmission of the correspondence within two months after becoming aware that the USPTO has no evidence of its receipt; (2) provides a copy of the previously transmitted correspondence, including the certificate of transmission; and (3) submits a statement attesting to the personal knowledge of transmission of the response. 37 C.F.R. 2.197(b). The statement attesting to the personal knowledge of transmission does not have to be verified. See TMEP §306.05(d) for additional information about correspondence that is transmitted with a certificate of transmission but not received by or lost within the USPTO.

The following wording is suggested for the certificate of transmission:

CERTIFICATE OF TRANSMISSION

I hereby certify that this correspondence is being transmitted by electronic mail to the United States Patent and Trademark Office on the date shown below.

___________________________________________
(Typed or Printed Name of Person Signing Certificate)
___________________________________________
(Signature)
___________________________________________
(Date)

See TMEP §304.07 regarding signature of electronic mail.

Effective September 10, 2004, responses to examining attorneys' Office actions cannot be filed by e-mail. See TMEP §304.02. Therefore, the certificate of transmission by e-mail procedure cannot be used for such responses.