USPTO Eliminating Credit Cards as Payment for Replenishing Deposit Accounts

Starting August 23, 2004, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is amending its rules of practice to eliminate acceptance of credit cards as payment for replenishing deposit accounts. Deposit account customers may still submit payments to replenish their deposit accounts by electronic funds transfer (EFT) through the Federal Reserve Fedwire System or over the Office’s Internet Web site, and by check or money order sent through the mail. The Office will continue to accept credit cards as payment for all other products and services for which fees are required.

The Plastic Card Network (PCN) allows Federal agencies to accept nationally branded credit and debit cards for Government receipts in exchange for a percent fee paid by the Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service (FMS).  The Office was notified by the FMS of excessive transaction fees resulting from high dollar credit card charges processed by the agency. Nearly all of those high dollar credit card charges were payments made by customers to replenish deposit accounts.  Under the PCN, the Office is not allowed to establish minimum or maximum single transaction amounts or to charge a transaction fee for a specific group of transactions as conditions for a specific group of transactions as conditions for accepting credit cards.  This final rule supports the FMS in controlling the PCN costs, and ensures the Office can continue participating in the PCN and provide the credit card payment option to customers for other products and services.