The patent bar: guides, practice questions and prep

The patent bar is the USPTO’s registration examination. Passing it, with a qualifying scientific or technical background and good moral character, is how you become a registered patent agent, or a registered patent attorney if you are also a member of a state bar.

Start with the patent bar exam guide (the format, fees, steps and pass rates), check whether your degree qualifies, then practice against the clock with the free questions below.

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  1. 1The Patent Bar Exam: How It Works, Who Can Take It, Costs and Pass RatesThe USPTO registration exam (the patent bar) in 2026: who can sit for it, the steps and fees, 100 questions in six hours, the 70% pass mark and pass rates.
  2. 2Patent Bar Requirements: Who Can Take the USPTO ExamWho may sit for the patent bar in 2026: the 47 Category A degrees, the Category B science credit options, the FE route, design patents, and citizenship rules.
  3. 3How to Become a Patent Agent: Steps, Timeline and RequirementsWhat a patent agent is and how to become one in 2026: the steps and timeline, the degree categories, the 100-question USPTO exam and the official fees.

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