Key Takeaways

  • Copies of U.S. patents are freely accessible online through the USPTO, Google Patents, and FreePatentsOnline, with different tools for pre- and post-1971 patents.
  • The USPTO now issues electronic patent grant certificates via Patent Center instead of physical copies.
  • Special formats like ribbon copies, certified copies, and presentation plaques are available for legal or display purposes, sometimes for a fee.
  • Historical U.S. patent searches may require consulting specialized archives, libraries, or databases to overcome limitations of older OCR scanning.
  • International patent databases (e.g., WIPO, EPO) provide global patent access, but only U.S. patents are downloadable in full via Google Patents.

Copies of U.S. patents are easy to locate, and there is no charge to view them. An antique dealer should not access a fee for patent drawings. If you have a patent number, getting the information you need for a patent is simple.

Many older appliances have actual patent numbers on them, which can usually be found on a nameplate or in a discreet location, such as the bottom of the appliance. If the appliance isn't on hand, many vendors on eBay have magnified photos that include patent inscriptions in hopes that you'll buy their product. There are also websites that freely publish patent numbers.

Finding a Patent

  • Go to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office website.
  • Choose the Patent Number Search, which allows you to search the patent number.
  • If the patent number is correct, the next screen will have the patent number on the right side of the screen. 

Patent information for inventions patented after 1971 will be displayed. Patents prior to 1971 are only recorded as pictures, so you have to click the “images” button to view them. These pictures can be screen captured by pressing the Shift, Control, and Print Screen keys at the same time. The screenshots can then be edited by using photo editing software.

The actual patent document can be viewed as a movie with “Flash” graphics. The USPTO recommends a “plugin” that allows you to view the documents as .TIFF files, provided the browser and firewall support that, and they may not be saved if the .TIFF plugin isn't installed.

If you don't have the patent number, the patent files can be searched, provided the invention was patented after 1971. This can be done on the USPTO website's Quick Search. You can use this just like other search engines and simply follow the directions, and if the invention was patented, the search will find it.

If you don't have the patent number and the invention was patented prior to 1971, your search becomes much more difficult. The Google Patent website is a newer search system that is effective. The Advanced Search option on the website lets you search by date, restrict the patent type, and use other types of filters to narrow your search.

The biggest challenge with the Google Patent website is that the Optical Character Reader (OCR) has some difficulty recognizing the old Patent Gazette, because it was printed on older, cheap paper, and the ink bleeds. This can create confusion with certain letters and numbers.

The FreePatentsOnline website has been using an OCR program for the pre-1971 patents, which makes them easier to search. As of February 2009, the FreePatentsOnline website has done well with scanning the “use” patents, but there are still some issues with design patents.

The Advanced Search options in the FreePatentsOnline website does allow you to limit your search by a year range, which can help you find more patents when it's combined with other specifics, such as the type. 

Unfortunately, the FreePatentsOnline website only gives you the patent number, which means you still need to go back to the USPTO website for the actual drawings and specifications.

If you have any doubts about when the patent was issued, you can always go to a large municipal library to conduct your search. 

Presentation and Decorative Patent Formats

Many inventors choose to commemorate their patent by ordering presentation plaques or decorative framed copies. These items, available from private vendors, often feature the patent’s first page, inventor names, and diagrams, and are suitable for office or lab display. While not legally binding documents, they serve as a tangible representation of an inventor’s achievement.

When ordering from third-party vendors, ensure they use accurate reproductions from the official USPTO or certified documents to maintain authenticity.

Ribbon Copies and Certified Copies

A ribbon copy is the official printed patent grant bearing a red ribbon and gold seal, traditionally sent to patentees before the transition to electronic certificates. While no longer issued automatically, ribbon copies are still available upon request.

Patent owners or interested parties can also order certified copies of a patent, which include a certification page confirming the document’s authenticity. These certified copies are often used in litigation, licensing negotiations, or international filings to prove ownership and enforceability.

Fees vary depending on the format and urgency of the request, and processing is handled through the USPTO’s Certified Copy Center. It's important to note that while standard electronic versions are free, ribbon and certified copies carry additional costs.

Electronic Patent Grant Certificates

In 2023, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) transitioned from mailing paper patent grant certificates to issuing them exclusively in electronic form through its Patent Center system. This change applies to utility, design, plant, and reissue patents. Electronic certificates are considered the official patent grant and can be downloaded and printed by the patentee at no cost.

While the USPTO no longer automatically mails physical certificates, patent owners can still request ceremonial or presentation copies, such as ribbon copies, for display or legal purposes. These requests typically involve a processing fee and must be made directly to the USPTO’s Certification Division. The move to electronic certificates streamlines issuance, reduces delays, and ensures patentees have immediate access to their granted patent documents.

Information on Patents

All plant and utility patent applications must be published, according to the American Inventor's Protection Act of 1999. Its purpose was to provide inventors with protection for their patents and the ability to defend them. Under this Act, it is simpler for inventors to make claims when the belief is that the patent infringing party has notice of the existing patent.

Full texts and diagrams of patented inventions can be found at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website. Here, you can search current patents or patents full text (PatFT). There are also the World Intellectual Property Organization, the European Patent Office, or the Australian Patent Office, all of which publish international patents and have individual websites.

Downloadable patents can be found at the Google Patents website, and using this option will give you the full application and drawings of the inventions. Only U.S. patents are available for download, however, as this website was created in connection with the United States Patent Office.

International Patent Resources

Although this article focuses on copies of U.S. patents, inventors and researchers may need to consult international patent databases. Key resources include:

  • WIPO PATENTSCOPE – Offers full-text access to Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications and many national collections.
  • European Patent Office (Espacenet) – Provides worldwide patent documents and family data.
  • Australian Patent Office – Contains searchable Australian patent records.

These platforms allow cross-border prior art searches and can help identify whether similar inventions have been patented abroad, complementing U.S. searches.

Searching Historical Patents

Locating older patents, particularly those issued before 1971, requires specialized search strategies. Many pre-1971 patents are not fully text-searchable due to limitations in early Optical Character Recognition (OCR) scans. As a result, searches often must be conducted by classification, inventor name, or issue date.

The New York Public Library’s Science, Industry, and Business Library and other major research institutions maintain extensive patent archives, including Patent Gazettes and microfilm records. These libraries often provide trained staff to assist with complex searches and can access subscription-based patent databases that offer higher-quality scans than those publicly available.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Are electronic patent grant certificates legally valid?
    Yes. The USPTO’s electronic certificates are the official grant documents and have the same legal effect as the former paper versions.
  2. How can I get a ribbon copy of my patent?
    You must request it from the USPTO’s Certification Division and pay the applicable fee, as ribbon copies are no longer issued automatically.
  3. Where can I find patents issued before 1971?
    Use specialized archives like the New York Public Library’s research centers, the USPTO’s image archives, or professional patent databases.
  4. What’s the difference between a certified copy and a regular download?
    A certified copy includes an official USPTO certification page confirming authenticity, which is often needed for legal or business purposes.
  5. Can I download international patents from Google Patents?
    Google Patents allows you to view many international patents but full downloads are generally available only for U.S. patents.

If you need help obtaining copies of U.S. patents, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.