how much a patent cost without a attorney

by Nikki Corkery 7 min read

A basic utility patent, also called a non-provisional patent, will cost between $5,000 and $15,000 to file. USPTO

United States Patent and Trademark Office

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.

filing fees are $330, the patent search fee is around $540, plus a $220 examination fee, driving up the total cost to over $1,000, not including attorney fees.

A basic utility patent, also called a non-provisional patent, will cost between $5,000 and $15,000 to file. USPTO filing fees are $330, the patent search fee is around $540, plus a $220 examination fee, driving up the total cost to over $1,000, not including attorney fees.

Full Answer

How much does a patent lawyer cost?

Mar 24, 2020 · So, you can assume that the cost of a foreign patent application is on-par with a US patent application. As you saw above, the total cost of that could be $10,000 – $40,000 per patent. There are hefty USPTO fees that go with a PCT filing, and depending on the size of your entity range from around $2,000 – $5,000.

What does a patent lawyer do?

What is patent attorney?

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Can you write a patent without a lawyer?

You do not need a patent attorney to apply for a patent. As an inventor, you can submit a patent for your own invention on your own behalf. ... Patent law is a highly technical legal field about highly technical subjects. Even if your invention is technically simple, writing a patent yourself can be very risky.

How much does a full patent cost?

A patent attorney will usually charge between $8,000 and $10,000 for a patent application, but the cost can be higher. In most cases, you should budget between $15,000 and $20,000 to complete the patenting process for your invention.

What is the cheapest way to get a patent?

Cheapest way to get a patentDo-It-Yourself (Draft it and File it Yourself) ... Cost of Filing It Yourself. ... Still To Expensive? ... Cost of Filing It Yourself. ... Fiverr & Other Low Cost Options. ... If Budgets Allow - The Better Option Is to Use an Attorney. ... The Cost of An Attorney.

Can you file a patent yourself?

You can file a patent application on behalf of yourself or your co-inventors. Alternatively, you can hire a registered patent agent or attorney to file your application for you. Patent applications require both legal and technical expertise and even small mistakes can dramatically compromise the value of the patent.

How can I get a free patent?

The Patent Pro Bono Program attempts to match inventors with registered patent agents or patent attorneys. These practitioners volunteer their time without charging the inventor. However, the inventor still must pay all fees that are required by the USPTO; these cannot be paid by the practitioner.Mar 1, 2018

What is a poor man's patent?

A poor man's patent is essentially writing out a description of your invention and then mailing that written description to yourself. This postmarked envelope supposedly acts to create the date of your invention as the date this written description was postmarked.

What are the 3 types of patents?

There are three types of patents - Utility, Design, and Plant. Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or compositions of matters, or any new useful improvement thereof.Jan 31, 2019

How much is a patent pending cost?

The cost to get patent pending status for your invention is around $1,500 without an attorney. If you hire an attorney, you can expect to pay $10,000 or more for a utility patent and $2,000 for a design patent. It's hard to determine the exact costs before you apply because all patent applications are different.

What is the easiest way to get a patent?

To obtain a patent, follow these steps:Work on your invention and document the entire process. ... Confirm that you have an invention, not merely an idea. ... Consider whether your invention is commercially viable. ... Hire a patent attorney. ... Submit a provisional patent application. ... Submit the application.More items...

How much is a non-provisional patent?

You need to know before you commit to filing a non-provisional patent application, which can easily cost $15,000-$35,000. Testing the market is one big benefit of filing a PPA first, but it's not the only one.Jan 8, 2018

How hard is it to get a patent?

Since patents are legal articles, they can be somewhat difficult to obtain. ... Once you've determined precisely what you want to patent, you'll need to do a patent search to make sure someone else hasn't already come up with the idea. If your idea is truly new, you'll need to fill out a hard copy or online application.

How long does a patent last?

20 yearsA U.S. utility patent, explained above, is generally granted for 20 years from the date the patent application is filed; however, periodic fees are required to maintain the enforceability of the patent.Feb 25, 2021

What is a patent lawyer?

Patent lawyers often manage a team of specialists: technicians with expertise in the field, illustrators to make figures and paraprofessionals that make sure the filings are complete. All of this adds up, and quickly, making utility patents expensive.

Can an inventor draft a patent?

In the United States, inventors can submit a draft patent application and, within a year of filing, convert it to a full utility application. Provisional patent applications have fewer formalities so they are less expensive to draft. The subsequent utility application can also fix and refine the application.

What is utility patent?

Utility Patents. Utility patents protect specific kinds of things: machines, methods or systems. There are other kinds of patents that exist, which do not require such complex applications or drawn out prosecution. A design patent, for example, protects the way an invention looks.

What is provisional application?

A provisional application is a less formal version of an application when compared to the non-provisional patent application. It does not require a particular format or explicit claims — the critical component of the non-provisional patent application.

How much does a plant patent cost?

Generally, the plant patent cost will be between $10,000 – $40,000.

What is a continuation patent?

A continuation is much like a divisional, in that it is a child of and most come from a parent patent application. Different from a divisional, a continuation is filed optionally when additional (new) claims are sought for an invention.

What is the first true up front cost?

The first true up-front cost is the time and effort it takes for the inventor to conceive the invention. This is a major and essential part of the actual invention process.

What is the most important thing to remember about design patents?

So, the most important thing to remember about design patents is that what you own at the end of the day is the 3D appearance of the object, not what it does (which is what utility patents cover), but instead what it looks like.

What is the purpose of a patent?

A patent protects an invention and the cost of the process to get the patent will depend on the type of patent (provisional, non-provisional, or utility) and the complexity of the invention.

How much does a provisional patent cost?

Filing a provisional patent application can cost as low as $65. However, provisional patent applications typically cost between $5,000 and $9,000 plus legal fees.

What is prior art in patents?

Prior art is any idea or product that already exists. After you have an original idea, you are ready to file a patent application.

How much does it cost to file a non-provisional patent?

Filing a non-provisional patent application is more expensive and costs about $900.

What is a design patent?

A design patent is another, more limited, patent option which protects a product's unique appearance only. Design patents are commonly used to protect apparel and fashion pieces, the shape of medical products, and the way manufactured goods look.

How much does it cost to get a plant patent?

This plant can't be grown by tubers, types of underground plant storage structures, or found in an uncultivated state. Filing a plant patent application costs between $360 and $720.

How much does an inventor pay for a patent?

While the USPTO decides if an invention is original by using its own patent search, many inventors pay between $1,000 and $3,000 for professional patent searches before they send their applications.

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Patent Cost

  • To obtain a patent, you could pay as little as $900 if you take the "do-it-yourself" approach, or an average of $6,000 to $12,000if you seek help from a patent attorney. The final cost to patent an idea will depend on the complexity of the invention and the type of patent that's required. Obtaining a patent can help you protect your invention, ensuring that others cannot use, make, o…
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Table of Contents

Average Cost to Patent An Idea

  • The average cost to patent an idea ranges from $5,000 to $16,000+ depending on how simple or complex your invention is. An extremely simple design such as a paper clip typically costs $5,000 to $7,000 to patent, whereas a highly complex invention such as software or satellite technologies runs $14,000 to $16,000+.
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Cost to File A Patent Application

  • According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the basic cost to file a patent application is $300. However, if you are a small entity, the price is $150, and the micro entity fee (for an individual) is just $75. The main distinction between these costs is whether or not you take the "do-it-yourself" approach or seek help from a patent attorney. Of course, each sc…
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Patent Costs by Type

  • The type of patent you apply for will also impact the cost. For example, a provisional patent can cost up to $3,000, whereas a utility patent can cost up to $15,000or more. Each type of patent is best suited for varying scenarios. 1. A utility patent is ideal when you want to protect a tangible item or product. This is the most expensive type of patent, costing between $5,000 and $15,000…
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is a poor man's patent?
    While this is an interesting theory, it is no longer valid. If you hear about a poor man's patent, this refers to the process of drafting a document that outlines your invention. The idea is that upon sealing and mailing the document to yourself, you could show a date based on the postmark. Th…
  • What is the cheapest way to get a patent?
    Of course, the cheapest way to obtain a patent is to complete this process yourself. To do so, you should take critical steps. 1. Keep clear, detailed records. It's recommended that you record every step involved in the process of your invention, filling notebooks that are dedicated to your idea. 2…
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How Much Does It Cost?

  • How much does it cost to patent an idea? This is a critical question when youre starting the patent application process. The cost to apply for a patent is only part of the total patent fees that inventors must consider: revising, prosecuting, issuing and maintaining a patent all add to the cost. You can do a lot to keep the cost to file a patent down and much of it you can do before yo…
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The Cost of Each Patent Application Type

Factors That Can Affect A Patent's Cost

More Costs Connected with Filing Patents

  • A patent can cost from $900 for a do-it-yourself application to between $5,000 and $10,000+ with the help of patent lawyers. A patent protects an invention and the cost of the process to get the patent will depend on the type of patent (provisional, non-provisional, or utility) and the complexity of the invention.
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Example of Costs For A Patent

  • Before you can think about patent costs, you must come up with a unique product idea that doesn't copy prior art. Prior art is any idea or product that already exists. After you have an original idea, you are ready to file a patent application. The cost of filing a patent application can usually be divided into three parts: United States Patent and TrademarkOffice (USPTO) filing fees, lawye…
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • While the type of patent is the largest part that affects costs, other factors can also play a part: 1. The size of the business or the type of person applying for a patent. Individuals pay less than small businesses. Large firms pay the most for their patents. 2. The invention's technology. If the invention has much technology behind it, it will be more expensive than one that doesn't rely so …
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