Why start a provisional patent application
Get ahead of competitors
Hold your place in line with the USPTO to make sure no one gets the rights to your patent by filing before you.
Promote as "patent pending"
Get the ability to label and market your invention as "patent pending" right away.
Secure a priority filing date
Establish a filing date before others—good for one year—and get time to complete your invention and utility patent application.
How to apply:
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Step 1
Answer important questions about your inventionWe'll walk you through the application process step by step.
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Step 2
Provide everything yourself or get help from a proYou'll have the option to work with an illustrator to create technical drawings as well as an experienced specialist to prepare the application.
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Step 3
We'll e-file your applicationWe'll submit your completed application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
What we do for you
- Completion and filing of your provisional application
- Digitization and color adjustment of your technical drawings
- Optional professional preparation, help with technical drawings, and more (additional fees apply)
Frequently asked questions
Why should I file a provisional patent application?
A provisional patent application protects your rights to your invention for up to a year—giving you time to perfect it, and complete your application for a utility patent. It essentially holds your place in line with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office so no one else can get the rights to the invention by filing a patent before you.
What info do I need to provide to file a provisional application?
We'll help you through the application process to make sure you understand and provide what's required. Here's some of the important info we'll need:
- Title of the invention
- Names and addresses of all inventors
- Correspondence address
- U.S. government interest/ownership (if applicable)
- Background of the invention
- Summary of the invention
- Detailed description of the invention
- Drawings of the invention (optional but highly recommended)
Once I file a provisional application, how long do I have to finish my patent?
You'll have one year from the date your provisional application is filed to finish your official utility patent application. You cannot extend this time or file another provisional application for the same invention.
Can I file a provisional application for a design patent?
No, provisional applications are for utility patents only.
What's the difference between a utility patent and a design patent?
A utility patent protects how an invention works. A design patent protects how a product looks. Some inventions may qualify for design and utility patent protection, if both the design and the function are unique, and the design doesn't affect the function.
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Our refund policy:
We do right by you—so we'll refund our fee within the first 60 days of purchase if you're unhappy with our services. Call or email us, and we'll process your refund within 5 business days.
What it doesn't cover:
We can't refund third-party processing fees (e.g. paid directly to our service partners or to facilitate fulfilling your order like courier fees) once you make a purchase. And, we can't refund filing fees once we submit your paperwork to the government.
When it applies:
We can't guarantee specific legal outcomes when you use our products or services. For example, a trademark application might be filled out correctly but still get rejected by the government for reasons beyond our control. We can only refund our fee for issues we're directly responsible for. So if you purchase something and later change your mind, we can't issue a refund.
Provisional patent application
$
199.00
+ govt fee
Govt fee vary by entity type: micro ($65.00), small ($130.00), and large ($325.00). Most file as micro or small. We'll help determine your type once you start.
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Peace of Mind Review
Our in-house team will carefully review your answers and searching for consistencies and omissions that might delay the completion of the order.
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Filing of Your Application
We will prepare and submit your application to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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Lifetime Customer Support
Our customer support team is standing by to answer your questions and will still be there for you even after we submit your application.
Additional fee of $690 for a chemical composition or biological/biotechnological invention. Includes review and preparation by an experienced patent agent.