How much does a patent cost?
Patent costs come from three places: the attorney or agent, the USPTO and later maintenance fees. Here is what is flat from us and what is extra.
A patent has three kinds of cost: fees to the registered patent attorney or agent who prepares the application, fees to the USPTO, and maintenance fees after a utility patent is granted. Our part is a flat price. The USPTO amounts depend on the size of the applicant, so we show them on separate lines.
The cost lines
| Cost | Who sets it | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Patentability search | Us, flat price | Quote on request |
| Provisional application | Us, flat price | Quote on request |
| Utility application, preparation and filing | Us, flat price | Quote on request |
| Design application | Us, flat price | Quote on request |
| USPTO filing fees | The USPTO | Depends on entity size |
| Responding to examiner objections | Us, quoted before work starts | Extra |
| Maintenance fees on a utility patent | The USPTO | Due at intervals after grant |
Attorney or agent fees
Preparing a patent application takes skill and time. The registered patent attorney or agent studies the invention, writes the description, prepares or reviews the drawings, and drafts the claims that set the boundary of protection. Our flat prices cover that preparation and filing for each service listed above. If your invention is larger than the standard price covers, we tell you and quote before work starts.
USPTO fees and entity size
The USPTO charges fees at several stages, including filing, search and examination, and when a patent is issued. The amounts depend on whether the applicant is a large, small or micro entity, and the smaller categories pay reduced fees. The status you claim has to be accurate, so we confirm it with you before filing. We do not quote USPTO figures from memory on this page because they change, and we confirm the current amount when we talk.
What happens after you file
Examination can raise objections or rejections, and answering them takes further work from the attorney or agent. That work is not part of the flat filing price, so we quote it separately and you decide before we proceed. Not every application needs it.
Maintenance fees
Once a utility patent is granted, maintenance fees are due at set intervals to keep it in force. Miss one and the patent can lapse. Plan for these from the start, and tell us if you would like help tracking them. Design patents do not have maintenance fees, and a call will confirm what applies to yours.
Costs outside the US
A US patent covers the United States. Protection in other countries needs separate applications with their own fees, and filing deadlines tied to your first application can apply. A provisional filing can be part of that plan, as explained on our provisional patent application page.
Ways to keep the total sensible
Start with a patentability search if you are unsure the invention is new, because it is the cheapest point at which to learn that it is not. File a provisional when you need time rather than a decision. Confirm your entity size early, since it changes the USPTO amounts. And write down your invention in detail before the first call, so paid time goes to drafting and not to discovery.
Questions to ask any provider
- Is the price flat, and what does it cover?
- Are USPTO fees shown separately?
- Who answers examiner objections, and what does that cost?
- Who tracks the deadlines, and will you remind me?
Next steps
See patent registration for the services, or how to patent an idea if you are not yet ready to file. For brand names, the equivalent page is what a trademark costs. More reading is in our guides, and you can check a name free with the trademark search.
Talk to us: Call +1 (619) 782-6859 or email hello@argostrademark.com
This is general information, not legal advice.