Patent professionals who appear before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on patent matters must pass the patent registration examination, also known as the patent bar or Patent Office exam. If you intend to practice as a patent attorney, you'll want to prepare for the patent bar with the same seriousness you brought to the bar exam.
The examination for individuals seeking registration or recognition to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office is offered year-round via computer at test centers across the country and on a date and time chosen by the applicant. The USPTO no longer administers a paper examination. Applicants who take the computer-delivered examination will receive an unofficial result at the end of the examination on the computer on which they take the examination.
Like the bar exam, the patent bar has specific requirements for prospective test-takers. Put simply, there’s one of three ways you can sit for the Patent Bar. The first way is having a Bachelor’s degree in a qualified major. The list of qualified majors is lengthy and generally includes majors in science, technology, and/or engineering. The second way to sit for the patent bar is by having any Bachelor’s degree plus scientific and technical training. The idea here is that even if you don’t have a degree in a particular subject, other training you may have received can still be beneficial when working with patents. The third and final way to sit for the patent bar involves passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam. Yes, another exam. As long as you have a Bachelor’s degree and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, you’re in.