Resumed PPH for Electrical Communication Technique (H04)
INPI/BR reopened H04 prioritized examination requests, limited to one per applicant monthly. Exemptions apply to elderly, disabled, seriously ill applicants and startups.
The INPI/BR announces the publication of INPI/PR/DIRPA Ordinance No. 5_2026, which resumed the acceptance of requests for prioritized examination for patent applications classified under symbol H04 (Electric Communication Technique).
Under this change, effective July 1, 2026, each applicant may request prioritized examination for one application per month within this classification—covering the period from the first to the last day of each calendar month—with no extensions permitted. Slots will be filled based on the date and time the prioritized examination request is filed.
This restriction applies to all prioritized examination modalities, including the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH). Requests submitted under the following circumstances are exempt from this limitation: elderly applicants, applicants with special needs, applicants with a serious illness, and startup applicants. The existing overall slot limits for the PPH program (3,200 requests per year) remain in effect.
Our colleagues at the Herrero & Asociados (H&A) Brazilian office are available to assist you in ensuring that your patents comply with the new regulations.
Rafaela Mattos
Patent Advisor. Lawyer.