---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 2501"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "2501"
heading: "Reexamination after issue"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/2501"
units:
  - "Chapter 57 — Plant Variety Protection"
  - "Subchapter II — Protectability of Plant Varieties and Certificates of Protection"
  - "Part I — Reexamination After Issue, and Contested Proceedings"
---

# §2501. Reexamination after issue

- (a) Any [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) may, within five years after the issuance of a certificate of plant [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) protection, notify the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) in writing of facts which may have a bearing on the protectability of the [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10), and the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) may cause such plant [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) protection to be reexamined in the light thereof.
- (b) Reexamination of plant [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) protection under this section and appeals shall be pursuant to the same procedures and with the same rights as for original examinations. Abandonment of the procedure while subject to a ruling against the retention of the certificate shall result in cancellation of the plant [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) certificate thereon and notice thereof shall be endorsed on copies of the description of the protected plant [variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) thereafter distributed by the Plant [Variety](/usc/7/2401.md?p=a-10) Protection Office.
- (c) If a [person](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-1) acting under [subsection (a)](#a) makes a prima facie showing of facts needing proof, the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) may direct that the reexamination include such interparty proceedings as the [Secretary](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-2) shall establish.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–577, title II, § 91, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1552; Pub. L. 96–574, § 17, Dec. 22, 1980, 94 Stat. 3351; Pub. L. 103–349, § 13(o), Oct. 6, 1994, 108 Stat. 3144.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–349 substituted “the Secretary” for “he”.

1980—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 96–574 substituted “description” for “specification”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–349 effective 180 days after Oct. 6, 1994, see section 15 of Pub. L. 103–349, set out as a note under section 2401 of this title.