United States Patent and Trademark Office
Instructions for Completing the Credit Card Payment Form
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
This Credit Card Payment Form (PTO-2038) is approved for use through 03/31/2021 under OMB Control Number 0651-
0043. This collection of information is required by 15 U.S.C. § 1113 or 35 U.S.C. § 41 and 37 CFR 1.16-1.28, 1.492, or
2.6-2.7. The information must be provided by a member of the public if he or she chooses to pay a USPTO fee by credit
card. This information is also used by the USPTO to charge the appropriate fee amount to the appropriate credit card
account. This collection is estimated to take two minutes to complete, including gathering and preparing information and
submitting the Credit Card Payment Form (PTO-2038) to the USPTO. Time will vary depending upon the individual case.
Please send any comments on the amount of time required to complete this form and/or suggestions for reducing the time
burden to the Chief Information Officer, USPTO, PO Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. DO NOT SEND FEES OR
COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. PLEASE REFER TO THE USPTO WEB SITE FOR THE CORRECT
MAILING ADDRESS.
Privacy Act Advisory Statement
The Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) requires that you be given certain information in connection with the request for
information solicited on the Credit Card Payment Form (PTO-2038). Accordingly, pursuant to the requirements of the Act,
please be advised that: (1) the authority for the collection of this information is 15 U.S.C. § 1113 or 35 U.S.C. § 41 and
37 CFR 1.16-1.28, 1.492, or 2.6-2.7; (2) furnishing of the information solicited is voluntary; and (3) the principal purpose
for which the information is used by the USPTO is to charge the appropriate fee amount to the appropriate credit card
account. If you do not furnish the requested information, the USPTO may not be able to charge the fee to the credit card or
the credit card institution may refuse to accept the charge, either of which will result in the fee being treated as not having
been paid.
The information
provided
by
you in this form will be subject to the following
routine uses:
(1) The information on this form will be treated confidentially to the extent allowed under the Freedom
of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552(a)). Records from this
system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice to determine whether disclosure of
these records is required by the Freedom of Information Act.
(2) A record from this system
of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, in the course of presenting
evidence to a court, magistrate or administrative tribunal, including disclosures to opposing counsel
in the course of settlement negotiations.
(3) A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Member of Congress
submitting a request involving an individual when the individual has requested assistance from the
Member with respect to the subject matter of the record.
(4) A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a contractor of the Agency
having need for the information in order to perform the contract. Recipients of information shall be
required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, pursuant to
5 U.S.C. § 552a(m).
(5) A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the Administrator, General
Services Administration (GSA), or his designee, during an inspection of records conducted by GSA
as part of that agency’s responsibility to recommend improvements in records management practices
and programs, under authority of 44 U.S.C. § 2904 and § 2906. Such disclosure shall be made in
accordance with the GSA regulations governing inspection of records for this purpose, and any other
relevant (i.e., GSA or Commerce) directive. Such disclosure shall not be used to make
determinations about individuals.