What to do when EFS-Web is broken

Important note: This page is intended only as a convenient reference for patent practitioners who are registered to practice before the USPTO. This page is not, and is not intended to be, legal advice for pro se filers. If you are not represented by a registered patent practitioner, you should not rely upon this page. You should instead consult competent patent counsel who can help you with your patent filing needs.


When EFS-Web is broken, consider any of five ways of getting things to the USPTO:

  1. E-filing to the EFS-Web contingency server which is https://epfportal.uspto.gov/efile/portal/efs-contingency .
  2. Faxing to the Central Fax Number which is +1 571 273 8300.
  3. Hand-carrying to the night-service window at the Randolph Building, 401 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
  4. Mailing to the USPTO by means of Priority Mail Express (née "Express Mail").
  5. Mailing to the USPTO by means of Priority Mail (née "First Class Mail").

Keep in mind that each of these approaches has limitations.