Legal Definitions - series code

A series code is a numerical designation given to a group of patent or trademark applications filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It is part of the application number and is followed by a slash.

For example, if the application number is 09/445,323, then 09 is the series code, and the application is the 445,323rd application in that batch.

Series codes are assigned to patent applications based on the period during which they were filed. Nonprovisional patent applications are assigned series codes from 01 to 10, while design applications have a series code of 29, provisional applications have a series code of 60, and reexamination proceedings have a series code of 90.

For trademark applications, the series code usually starts with numbers from 70 to 75.

For instance, if a group of patent applications were filed in 2021, they would be assigned a series code of 21. If a trademark application was filed in 2022, it might be assigned a series code of 72.

Series codes help to organize and keep track of patent and trademark applications filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.