Steps to become a patent attorney
Answer in brief
The usual order is: qualify technically, pass the patent bar, finish law school, pass a state bar, then convert your USPTO registration from agent to attorney.
The steps
- Confirm your USPTO category.
- Apply to the USPTO ($118 + $226) and book Prometric ($221).
- Pass the patent bar: 100 questions, two three-hour sessions, open book on the MPEP.
- Register with the USPTO ($226), usually as a patent agent at first.
- Complete a JD and pass a state bar exam.
- Update your USPTO registration to patent attorney.
Patent bar fees
| Fee | Paid to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application (non-refundable) | USPTO | $118 |
| Registration examination | USPTO | $226 |
| Test administration | Prometric | $221 |
| Registration, after passing | USPTO | $226 |
$565 per attempt; $791 for a first-time pass including registration.
Sources for this entry
- 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. - USPTO — Becoming a patent practitioner (General Requirements Bulletin) USPTO
The USPTO's authoritative source for eligibility categories, documents and filing.
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
Continue this reading path
Patent attorney requirementsPassing the patent bar on the way to patent attorneyCost to become a patent attorney
How the related websites connect
This is one of 19 coordinated Wysebridge references. The related sites answer neighboring questions and share the same publisher entity, Wysebridge. They are not independent endorsements.
- How to Become a Patent Agent — Eligibility, the USPTO application, the exam, cost and pay, step by step.
- Patent Agent Salary — What patent agents earn without a law degree, and how pay grows.
- Patent Attorney Salary — What patent attorneys earn, by setting and career stage, with sources.
- Best IP Law Schools — How to judge a law school for an IP career, using published rankings and ABA data.
- Best Patent Bar Review — Choosing a patent bar review course, compared on pass rate, price and method.
- Patent Bar Exams — The USPTO registration exam: format, fees, dates, past exams and practice.
- The Patent Bar Exam — A first-timer's guide to the patent bar: the application, test day and scoring.
- How to Study for the Patent Bar — Study plans, hours, the MPEP chapters that matter most, and how to practice.
- How to Pass the Patent Bar — Pass rates, test-taking strategy, MPEP lookup speed and retake planning.
- Patent Bar Practice Questions — Original exam-style practice questions with answers explained against the MPEP.
- MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.
- MPEP.ai — Using AI to search, study and check the MPEP, and where it goes wrong.
- The Best Patent Attorneys — How to choose and verify a registered patent attorney, by state.
- Best Patent Agents — How to choose and verify a registered patent agent, and what agents can do.
- Best Intellectual Property Law Firms — How to evaluate IP firms, using independent directories rather than self-ranking.
- Best Trademark Law Firms — When trademark counsel is required, what filing costs, and how to choose a firm.
- Best IP Law — Patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets compared, with terms and costs.
- Patent Law Center — Patent types, provisional applications, prosecution and maintenance fees explained.
See how every reference connects · Wysebridge's official website ↗
Cite or share this entry
How to Become a Patent Attorney. “Steps to become a patent attorney.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://howtobecomeapatentattorney.com/steps-to-become-a-patent-attorney/