In order to be eligible to prosecute patent applications before the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office), one must successfully pass the Patent Bar Exam. The purpose of requiring individuals to pass an exam before prosecuting patent applications is due to the complex nature of intellectual property law. Pro se applicants (inventors who are representing themselves in prosecuting their own applications) are exempt from this requirement. In order to register for the patent bar exam, one is required to have a background in science (education as well as real-world experience is taken into consideration). The PTO charges $450.00 for taking the exam. The exam itself is 100 multiple-choice questions, taken over 6-hours in morning and afternoon sessions. The required score to "pass" the exam is 70%.
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