Before the exam

The Patent Bar Exam

Answer in brief

The patent bar is the USPTO's registration exam for patent agents and attorneys: 100 multiple-choice questions in two three-hour sections, open book on the MPEP, taken at Prometric year-round. You pass with 70% of the 90 scored questions. Each attempt costs $565 in fees.

Rules reviewed 9 November 2026. The USPTO's General Requirements Bulletin is the authoritative source.

Wysebridge → Practice exam → Patent bar exam → USPTO registration

The exam, in order

Qualify under USPTO Category A, B or C (or D for design-only practice).
Apply to the USPTO's Office of Enrollment and Discipline and pay $118 + $226.
Schedule at Prometric within your admission window and pay $221.
Sit the exam: 100 questions, two three-hour sessions, digital MPEP only.
Register after passing for $226, and appear on the USPTO practitioner roster.

Start with the right question

The examPatent bar exam format and scoringQuestions, time, the passing score, unscored questions and the open-book MPEP.Read the entry Before the examApplying for and scheduling the patent barEligibility categories, the OED application, review time, and the window to book Prometric.Read the entry PracticePast patent bar examsThe USPTO's released exams from 1997–2003: where to get them and how to use them safely.Read the entry

Practical entries

Before the examPatent bar exam feesEvery fee from application to registration, and what a retake costs.Read the entry PracticePatent bar practice examWhat a realistic practice exam needs, and how many to sit before test day.Read the entry The examPatent bar pass rateThe USPTO overall pass rate and what drives it.Read the entry After you passAfter you pass the patent barRegistration, the USPTO roster, and claiming your practitioner profile.Read the entry

Questions & answers

What is the patent bar exam?

The USPTO's Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases, which patent agents and patent attorneys must pass to practice before the USPTO.

When is the patent bar exam offered?

Year-round at Prometric test centers, within the scheduling window stated in your USPTO notice of admission.

How hard is the patent bar exam?

The USPTO overall pass rate averaged 47% from 2012 to 2025, per Wysebridge's analysis of USPTO annual reports.

Sources for this entry

What Is the Patent Bar? FindLaw
Exam format: 100 questions, 10 unscored, two three-hour sections, 70% of scored questions to pass.
USPTO — Registration examination USPTO
The USPTO's page on the registration examination (the patent bar).
37 CFR 1.21 — Miscellaneous fees (registration of attorneys and agents) eCFR
Official USPTO fee rule: $118 application fee, $226 registration examination fee.
Wysebridge — How to apply to the USPTO Wysebridge (publisher of this site)
Step-by-step OED application; Prometric fee $221; registration fee $226 after passing; scheduling window.

Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.

How the related websites connect

This is one of a coordinated collection of Wysebridge references. The related sites answer neighboring questions and share the same publisher entity, Wysebridge. They are not independent endorsements.

Best Patent Bar Review — Choosing a patent bar review course, compared on pass rate, price and method.
Patent Attorney Salary — What patent attorneys earn, by setting and career stage, with sources.
Patent Agent Salary — What patent agents earn without a law degree, and how pay grows.
MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.

Cite this entry

Patent Bar Exams. “The Patent Bar Exam.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://patentbarexams.com/