At present, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is not affected by a possible U.S. government shutdown. The Office has announced that it will continue its operations without restriction until further notice, even in the event of a lapse in federal appropriations.
According to the official statement of the USPTO:
“At present, the USPTO will remain open and fully operational until further notice under operating reserves from the prior year’s fee collections.”
(Source: USPTO Operating Status, www.uspto.gov/uspto-operating-status)
The USPTO is a federal agency of the United States, but it is not funded by general tax revenues. Instead, it is entirely financed through the fees paid by applicants and holders of patents, trademarks, and designs. These fee revenues constitute the agency’s budget and enable it to remain operational even during a government shutdown. In this way, the Office can continue to process patents, trademarks, and designs using its own financial reserves (“operating reserves”).
This means that for parties involved in proceedings—such as applicants or owners of intellectual property rights—there are currently no immediate effects on filings, deadlines, or ongoing procedures before the USPTO.
This arrangement applies “until further notice.” Should the situation continue, and the reserves be exhausted, limitations could follow.
Current information is available on the USPTO’s website:
https://www.uspto.gov/uspto-operating-status
As of: November 1, 2025