USPTO discontinuing Accelerated Examination program for utility applications

USPTO announced on its website:

Beginning on July 10, 2025, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will no longer accept petitions under the Accelerated Examination program for utility patent applications. The Accelerated Examination program will remain in effect for design applications, which do not currently have an alternative expedited examination program.

Discontinuing Accelerated Examination for utility applications frees up examining resources to be devoted to older, unexamined utility applications, thereby supporting our broader efforts to reduce pendency. Additionally, we’ve observed a steady decline in the number of requests for Accelerated Examination. In each of the fiscal years 2014 to 2024, fewer than 100 applicants have utilized Accelerated Examination.