Understanding Intellectual Property

Everything you need to know about patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Free educational resource from Vested Idea.

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Provisional Patent Application

Establish your priority date — fast and affordable.

A provisional patent application (PPA) is a temporary filing with the USPTO that gives you a "patent pending" status and establishes an early filing date. It does not get examined by the USPTO and expires after 12 months. Before it expires, you must file a non-provisional (utility) patent application to keep your priority date.

12 months
Protection Duration
$1,500 – $6,000
Total Cost Range
$80 – $320
USPTO Filing Fee
12 months to file non-provisional
Timeline

Best For

Early-stage inventors who want to secure a filing date while developing their invention.

Requirements

•Written description of the invention
•Drawings (if needed to understand the invention)
•Cover sheet with inventor names
•Filing fee based on entity size

Advantages

✓Low cost way to establish a filing date
✓Gives you "patent pending" status immediately
✓12 months to refine your invention before committing to a full patent
✓Simpler requirements than a utility patent
✓Not examined — no risk of rejection at this stage

Considerations

•Expires after 12 months — you lose protection if you don't file a utility patent
•Does not result in an issued patent on its own
•Must fully describe the invention — vague descriptions won't hold up
•The 12-month clock starts immediately

Filing Process

1

Write a detailed description of your invention

2

Include any drawings or diagrams

3

File with the USPTO (online via EFS-Web)

4

Receive your provisional application number

5

You now have 12 months to file a non-provisional patent

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