Answers grounded in the USPTO 2025 fee schedule. General information — not legal advice.
How much does a patent cost in the US?
A typical US utility patent costs $2,000 in USPTO fees for a large entity just to file (filing $350 + search $770 + examination $880 under the 2025 fee schedule), plus a $1,290 issue fee if granted, plus maintenance fees of $2,150, $4,040 and $8,280 at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant — $17,760 in lifetime USPTO fees before attorney costs. Small entities pay 40% of those amounts ($7,104 lifetime) and micro entities pay 20% ($3,552 lifetime). With a patent attorney, a full utility patent commonly runs $15,000–$30,000+ all-in. These are educational estimates, not a quote — confirm current fees on the USPTO fee schedule.
How much does a provisional patent cost?
A provisional patent application costs $325 in USPTO fees for a large entity, $130 for a small entity, or $65 for a micro entity under the 2025 schedule. Attorney-drafted provisionals typically add $1,500–$3,500 in professional fees. A provisional never becomes a patent itself — it holds your filing date for 12 months, and you must file a non-provisional utility application within that year to keep the date. Importantly, the provisional fee is not credited toward the later non-provisional filing fee. These are estimates, not legal advice.
How much does a utility patent cost?
USPTO fees for a utility patent under the 2025 schedule: filing package $2,000 (large) / $800 (small) / $400 (micro), issue fee $1,290 / $516 / $258, and three maintenance fees totaling $14,470 / $5,788 / $2,894 — a lifetime USPTO total of $17,760 / $7,104 / $3,552. Extra claims add up fast: each independent claim beyond 3 costs $600 (large), each claim beyond 20 costs $200. Most applicants also pay $8,000–$15,000+ for attorney drafting and $1,900–$4,500 per office-action response. All figures are educational estimates based on the 2025 schedule; actual cost depends on your claims and prosecution history.
How much does a design patent cost?
USPTO fees for a design patent under the 2025 schedule: filing package $1,160 (large) / $464 (small) / $232 (micro), plus an issue fee of $1,300 / $520 / $260 — $2,460 / $984 / $492 from filing to grant. Unlike utility patents, design patents have NO maintenance fees and last 15 years from grant. Attorney-prepared design patents typically cost $2,000–$3,500 all-in. Estimates only — not legal advice.
How much are patent maintenance fees?
US utility patent maintenance fees (due at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant) under the 2025 schedule: $2,150 / $4,040 / $8,280 for large entities ($14,470 total), $860 / $1,616 / $3,312 for small entities, and $430 / $808 / $1,656 for micro entities. Design and plant patents have no maintenance fees. Paying late is possible within a 6-month grace period with a surcharge; missing the window entirely lets the patent expire early. Confirm due dates with the USPTO — this is general information, not legal advice.
How much can I save with small or micro entity status?
Small entity status cuts most USPTO patent fees by 60% (you pay 40% of the large-entity amount); micro entity status cuts them by 80% (you pay 20%). Example: a utility filing package is $2,000 large, $800 small, $400 micro. Micro status generally requires gross income below 3x the median US household income in the prior calendar year, being named on 4 or fewer prior applications, and not being obligated to assign the invention to a non-qualifying party — certified on USPTO Form SB/15A. Claiming a discount you do not qualify for carries penalties. General information only — verify eligibility with a patent attorney.
How much does it cost to patent an idea?
You cannot patent a bare idea — the USPTO requires a concrete, enabled invention. The cheapest defensible start is a provisional application: $65–$325 in USPTO fees (micro to large entity), typically $1,500–$3,500 with attorney help, which buys 12 months of 'patent pending' status. Converting to a full utility patent then costs the standard $2,000–$17,760+ in USPTO fees plus attorney costs. Expect $10,000–$20,000+ total for a typical attorney-assisted utility patent lifecycle. Estimates for planning only, not legal advice.
How much does a patent attorney cost?
Documented market ranges (not quotes): prior-art search $1,000–$3,000; professional drawings $300–$500; provisional drafting $1,500–$3,500; utility application drafting and filing $8,000–$15,000+ (higher for complex technology); office-action responses $1,900–$4,500 each. Design patents prepared by an attorney typically run $2,000–$3,500 all-in. Fees vary by firm, technology, and claim count — always get a written quote. Ranges shown are educational.
How much does a PCT international patent application cost?
Filing a PCT application through the USPTO as receiving office (2025 fees): transmittal fee $285 (large) / $114 (small) / $57 (micro), plus the WIPO international filing fee of 1,330 CHF (about $1,667), plus the ISA/US search fee of $2,400 / $960 / $480 — roughly $4,352 / $3,741 / $2,204 before any per-sheet or e-filing adjustments. Electronic filing via Patent Center with ePCT reduces the WIPO fee by about $251. This buys the international phase only; entering the national phase in each country adds that country's fees later — international protection commonly runs into the tens of thousands of dollars. Estimates only.
How long does a US patent last?
A US utility or plant patent lasts 20 years from its filing date (not the grant date), provided all maintenance fees are paid. A design patent lasts 15 years from the grant date with no maintenance fees. Provisional applications last 12 months and never mature into patents on their own. Term can be extended or adjusted in special cases (patent term adjustment for USPTO delays, patent term extension for regulatory review). General information, not legal advice.
Can I file a patent myself without an attorney?
Yes — the USPTO allows inventors to file pro se, and micro-entity USPTO fees make DIY filing affordable (a utility filing package is $400). DIY filers commonly spend $1,500–$3,000 total on USPTO fees, drawings and books. The tradeoff: patent drafting is a specialized skill, and a poorly drafted application can produce a narrow, easily designed-around patent or get rejected outright. Most applicants use a patent attorney or agent for the non-provisional application even if they file the provisional themselves. This is general information, not a recommendation for your situation.
What happens if I miss a patent maintenance fee payment?
If a maintenance fee is not paid by its due date (3.5, 7.5 or 11.5 years after grant), the USPTO allows a 6-month grace period with a surcharge. After the grace period expires, the patent expires early and the invention enters the public domain — it generally cannot be revived except in narrow unintentional-delay situations via petition. Docketing maintenance deadlines is one of the most valuable routine services a patent attorney provides. General information, not legal advice.
How much does it cost to respond to an office action?
Attorney fees for an office-action response typically range $1,900–$4,500 per response, and most applications face 1–3 office actions, so total prosecution often runs $5,000–$10,000 in professional fees. If prosecution continues past a final rejection, USPTO Request for Continued Examination (RCE) fees apply under the 2025 schedule: $1,500 (large) / $600 (small) / $300 (micro) for the first RCE, and $2,860 / $1,144 / $572 for the second and each later RCE. Budgeting for 2 office actions plus one RCE is a common planning assumption. Estimates only.
How much does a plant patent cost?
USPTO fees for a plant patent under the 2025 schedule: filing package $1,450 (large) / $580 (small) / $290 (micro) — filing $240, search $485, examination $725 — plus an issue fee of $905 / $362 / $181. Like design patents, plant patents have NO maintenance fees and last 20 years from filing. Plant patents cover new asexually reproduced plant varieties. Attorney costs are similar to utility patents of comparable complexity. Estimates only — not legal advice.
Patent vs trademark: which do I need, and how do costs compare?
They protect different things: a patent protects how an invention works or looks (utility, design or plant), while a trademark protects brand identifiers like names and logos. Cost-wise, a US trademark registration is far cheaper — a few hundred dollars in USPTO fees per class plus $1,000–$2,000+ with an attorney, versus $10,000–$20,000+ for a typical utility patent. Many products need both: patent the novel mechanism, trademark the brand name. Costs shown are educational estimates. (See also our trademark-cost-lab tool for trademark fee breakdowns.)
Do USPTO patent fees change, and are they refundable?
Yes, fees change — the USPTO last raised most patent fees on January 19, 2025 (filing, search and examination up 6–10%, second RCEs up 43%), and adjusts them periodically through federal rulemaking. Always confirm the amount on the official USPTO fee schedule immediately before paying. Most USPTO fees are non-refundable once paid, including filing fees for applications that are ultimately rejected or abandoned. The figures in this tool reflect the 2025 schedule and are educational estimates, not legal advice.