Legal Definitions - allowed application

An allowed application is a patent application that has been reviewed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) examiner and found to meet the conditions for patentability. Once an application is allowed, the USPTO notifies the applicant through a Notice of Allowability and a Notice of Allowance. The patent normally issues after the applicant has paid the required issue fee.

For example, if an inventor files a patent application for a new invention and the USPTO examiner determines that the invention meets the requirements for patentability, the application will be allowed, and the inventor will receive a Notice of Allowance.

Another example is when an inventor files a provisional patent application and later files a non-provisional patent applicationbased on the provisional application. If the non-provisional application meets the requirements for patentability, it will be allowed, and the inventor will receive a Notice of Allowance.