United States Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act of 2005

This bill updates the fee structure for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to better align the costs of processing applications with the actual expenses of the agency. It sets specific rates for filing, searching, and maintaining patents and trademarks, while allowing for future fee adjustments based on inflation.

For everyday citizens and small business owners, the bill offers a significant 75% discount on certain patent filing fees to help make the legal protection of new inventions more affordable. Additionally, the legislation encourages efficiency by offering fee reductions for those who file applications electronically or provide their own high-quality research reports. To ensure government accountability, the bill also establishes a reserve fund to return any excess fees collected back to the applicants if those funds are not officially appropriated for agency use.