Patent bar exam format
Answer in brief
The patent bar is a 100-question multiple-choice exam in two three-hour sections. Ten questions are unscored, and you pass with 70% of the 90 scored questions. It is open book on a digital copy of the MPEP and is taken at Prometric test centers year-round.
The exam at a glance
| Official name | Examination for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases Before the USPTO |
|---|---|
| Questions | 100 multiple choice; 10 are unscored beta questions, unmarked |
| Time | Two sections of three hours each |
| Passing score | 70% of the 90 scored questions |
| Reference allowed | Digital MPEP only |
| Where | Prometric test centers, year-round |
| Result | Unofficial score at the end of the test |
What the format means for how you study
About 3.6 minutes per question leaves little time to read MPEP sections from scratch. Train lookups in an exam-style MPEP viewer until you know where each topic lives, and sit full timed practice sessions before exam day.
Questions & answers
How many questions are on the patent bar?
What score do you need to pass the patent bar?
Is the patent bar open book?
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). - Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) USPTO
The examination manual the patent bar is tested on; open book during the exam.
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
Continue this reading path
How much the patent bar costsHow to study for the patent barPatent bar pass rates
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.
- 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.
- Patent Bar Exams — The USPTO registration exam: format, fees, dates, past exams and practice.
- MPEP.net — The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, explained chapter by chapter.
Explore related references · Wysebridge's official website ↗
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Best Patent Bar Review. “Patent bar exam format.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://bestpatentbarreview.com/patent-bar-exam-format/