U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Records at the National Archives at Kansas City
Patent Office records may be accessed by ordering reproductions for a fee or viewed by appointment at the National Archives at Kansas City.
Patent Office records are contained in Record Group 241, Records of the Patent and Trademark Office. Additional patent records are accessioned into the holdings of the National Archives each year. There are currently over four and a half million patent case files and associated records held by the National Archives at Kansas City.
Patent Case File Record Series
- Patent Case Files (NAID 302050)
- Design Patent Case Files (NAID 562243)
- Plant Patent Case Files (NAID 85571690)
- Patent Reissue Case Files (NAID 160919153)
Associated Patent Record Series
- Patent Interference Case Files (NAID 563063)
- Abandoned Patent Applications Cited in Patented Case Files (NAID 833712)
- Granted Patent Reexamination Files (NAID 132015668)
- Terminated Patent Reexamination Files (NAID 132015689)
- Defensive Publication Case Files (NAID 85713468)
Patent Record Requests
Please provide as much of the following information as possible:
- Patent Number
- Inventor or case parties
- Title of patent
- Date patent was issued or date of case
Please gather as much of this information as possible, and contact staff with additional questions utilizing the contact information listed below.
How to Submit Requests
We receive requests by e-mail or postal mail.
- E-mail: kansascity.archives@nara.gov
- Postal mail:
National Archives at Kansas City
400 W. Pershing Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64108
How to Request Patent Records for Use On-Site
The National Archives at Kansas City provides on-site access to patent records to researchers in our research room. Appointments are required to view the materials as they must be retrieved from an off-site storage location.
Researchers must submit a request at least two business days in advance of their desired appointment. Our research room is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. We are closed Saturday, Sunday, and all Federal holidays. If you are unable to travel to Kansas City, you may hire a local researcher.
- E-mail: kansascity.archives@nara.gov
- Address:
National Archives at Kansas City (directions)
400 W. Pershing Rd.
Kansas City, MO 64108
In addition to making copies using our self-service photocopier, researchers are also permitted to make digital images of the records using their personal cameras and scanning equipment following NARA guidelines.
Patent records created in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries are often trifolded. Occasionally we may need to perform preservation work on documents before they are available for research. As a result, there may be delays in accessing records, as they are prepared for safe handling.
Research and Reproduction Fees
Note: The National Archives at Kansas City accepts credit cards, checks, or money order as payment for services rendered.
Mail Order Services
| Archives Produced Reproductions | Fee |
|---|---|
| Minimum mail order (includes the first 25 pages of reproduction) | $20.00 |
| Individual pages - digital or paper | $0.80 per copy |
Patent records that exceed 400 pages will not be reproduced in full for researchers. National Archives staff can assist researchers with refining their search. You may also decide to hire an on-site researcher on your behalf.
On-Site Service
| Self-service Product/Service* | Fee |
|---|---|
| Self-service paper to paper copy | $0.25 per copy |
| Self-service paper to digital copy | $0.25 per copy |
*These are copies made using the copy machine provided in the research room
Patrons are invited to bring their own digital camera or flatbed scanner to make digital reproductions of archival materials. Please contact us prior to arrival to ensure that your equipment is approved. Wand scanners and form feed scanners are not permitted.