Based on the USPTO’s most recent numbers on examination, I created an updated table of the average delay until a first office action is mailed from the PTO. These numbers reflect an average for each technology center as it operates today. The 3.8 year delay in Electronic Commerce (TC 3620) means that the applications receiving first office actions during the past three months were filed 3.8 years ago on average — taking us back to early 2003. The numbers do not necessarily reflect how long it would take for an application filed today to make it through. (Although it is perhaps one of the better estimates that we have on hand.).
| Average Time After Filing Before First Office Action | ||||||
| Tech Center | Description | Mths | Yrs | |||
| 3620 | Electronic Commerce | 45.4 | 3.8 | |||
| 2140 | Computer networks | 40.0 | 3.3 | |||
| 2130 | Cryptography security | 36.4 | 3.0 | |||
| 2190 | Interprocess communications | 35.9 | 3.0 | |||
| 2160 | Database and file management/ | 35.0 | 2.9 | |||
| 2620 | Television and TV Recording | 33.5 | 2.8 | |||
| 2610 | Digital Communications General | 32.7 | 2.7 | |||
| 1740 | Metallurgy | 30.2 | 2.5 | |||
| 1610 | Pharmaceutical formulations | 29.9 | 2.5 | |||
| 1760 | Food technology | 28.9 | 2.4 | |||
| 2120 | Miscellaneous computer | 28.5 | 2.4 | |||
| 3730 | Medical instruments | 28.5 | 2.4 | |||
| 1640 | Immunology receptor/ligands | 27.5 | 2.3 | |||
| 2180 | Computer architecture | 26.9 | 2.2 | |||
| 2110 | Computer architecture | 26.6 | 2.2 | |||
| 1630 | Molecular biology | 25.9 | 2.2 | |||
| 3760 | Body treatment | 24.8 | 2.1 | |||
| 1620 | Organic chemistry | 24.1 | 2.0 | |||
| 3680 | Machine elements | 24.0 | 2.0 | |||
| 1710 | Synthetic resins | 23.5 | 2.0 | |||
| 3710 | Amusement and | 23.5 | 2.0 | |||
| 1750 | Chemical products and | 23.1 | 1.9 | |||
| 3630 | Static structures | 22.8 | 1.9 | |||
| 1650 | Fermentation microbiology | 22.8 | 1.9 | |||
| 1770 | Stock materials and | 22.2 | 1.8 | |||
| 3650 | Material handling and | 22.2 | 1.8 | |||
| 3750 | Fluid handling and | 22.0 | 1.8 | |||
| 1720 | Fluid separation and | 21.9 | 1.8 | |||
| 2890 | Semiconductor Electrical | 20.4 | 1.7 | |||
| 3660 | Computerized vehicle | 20.4 | 1.7 | |||
| 3720 | Manufacturing devices | 20.0 | 1.7 | |||
| 3610 | Surface transportation | 19.9 | 1.7 | |||
| 2820 | Semiconductors and | 19.7 | 1.6 | |||
| 3740 | Thermal and | 19.6 | 1.6 | |||
| 2830 | Power generation and | 19.4 | 1.6 | |||
| 2810 | Semiconductors and | 19.2 | 1.6 | |||
| 3670 | Wells earth boring/ | 19.2 | 1.6 | |||
| 2870 | Liquid crystals | 19.1 | 1.6 | |||
| 2950 | Photocopying | 18.8 | 1.6 | |||
| 3640 | Aeronautics | 17.8 | 1.5 | |||
| 1660 | Plants | 16.8 | 1.4 | |||
| 1730 | Glass and paper making | 16.0 | 1.3 | |||
| 2900 | Designs | 15.0 | 1.2 | |||
