USPTO Will Suspend Card Payments September 26

The agency will pause credit and debit card processing for two hours to conduct third-party system maintenance.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a grand stone neoclassical columned facade, representing a federal agency's administrative authority. — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will suspend credit and debit card processing for two hours on September 26 for maintenance. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust government digital payment systems to operate reliably when you need them?

The United States Patent and Trademark Office will suspend credit and debit card payments on September 26, 2026. The outage will last from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Why it matters

The suspension is necessary to accommodate scheduled third-party system maintenance. Users must plan accordingly to avoid service disruptions during this two-hour window.

Card payments will be unavailable across 11 USPTO storefronts during the two-hour maintenance window. Any trademark filing deadlines occurring on Saturday will automatically extend to the next business day.

The players

United States Patent and Trademark Office

This federal agency is responsible for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks.

The details

During the maintenance period, customers are encouraged to use alternative payment methods. The agency confirmed that Deposit Accounts and Electronic Funds Transfer accounts will remain available for processing transactions.

September 26, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Market Landscape

The agency maintains rigorous operational standards that align with established federal administrative filing procedures. This scheduled maintenance follows a pattern of digital infrastructure updates designed to support long-term patent and trademark processing capabilities.

Customers should avoid scheduling transactions during the two-hour window to prevent payment failures. Those with Saturday deadlines can rely on the automatic extension to the next business day.

The takeaway

Users should verify their payment processing needs against the maintenance schedule to ensure timely submissions. Advanced preparation remains the most effective way to avoid delays during planned agency outages.