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Patent cost calculator

How much does a patent cost?

An itemized estimate of the real USPTO fees, plus a typical attorney range, by entity size and filing path. Deterministic math, no sign-up, no guesswork.

USPTO fees effective January 19, 2025  ·  Micro / Small / Large entity
Entity size
Businesses under 500 employees, plus most startups and solo inventors. 60% off USPTO fees.
Filing path
Claims
Within the 3 independent claims included · within 20 total
Invention complexity
Shifts the attorney estimate only. USPTO fees are fixed by statute.
Include issue feePaid only if and when the patent is granted
USPTO fee estimate
Non-provisional utility · Small entity · 20 claims
$9,316 – $14,316
Estimated all-in, filing through grant
Basic filing fee
37 CFR 1.16(a) · fee 2011
$140
Search fee
37 CFR 1.16(k) · fee 2111
$308
Examination fee
37 CFR 1.16(o) · fee 2311
$352
Issue fee
37 CFR 1.18(a) · fee 2501
$516
USPTO fees subtotal
$1,316
Small entity · 60% off applied
Attorney / agent fees (typical)
Market estimate · moderate complexity
$8,000 – $13,000
Fees effective January 19, 2025. Source: USPTO fee schedule. USPTO amounts are exact; attorney figures are market estimates, not quotes. An estimate, not legal advice.

What actually drives the cost

Provisional vs. non-provisional

A provisional application is a lower-cost placeholder that secures your filing date for 12 months and is never examined. A non-provisional utility application is the one the USPTO actually examines and that can mature into a granted patent, with separate filing, search, and examination fees. Most inventors file a provisional first, then a non-provisional within the 12-month window.

What entity size means

Your entity size sets your fee tier, and the discount is real money. A micro entity pays 80% less than the undiscounted rate and a small entity pays 60% less. Most independent inventors and early startups qualify as small or micro. The exact micro-entity income limit adjusts each year, so confirm your status against the USPTO’s current rule before you file.

Why attorney fees dwarf the USPTO fees

For a real invention, the professional fee to draft and file the application is usually several times the government fee. That is because the claims, the part that defines what you actually own, are where the value is won or lost. A cheap or careless application can leave you with far less protection than you think.

What this estimate does not include

This covers the cost to file (and, optionally, to issue). It does not include maintenance fees that keep a granted patent alive at 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 years, responses to office actions during examination, formal drawings, an information disclosure statement, foreign filings, or the paper-filing surcharge you avoid by e-filing through Patent Center.

Patent cost questions

The USPTO filing fee for a provisional patent application is $65 for a micro entity, $130 for a small entity, and $325 for a large entity (effective January 19, 2025). Preparing it well typically adds $1,500 to $5,500 in attorney or agent fees, depending on complexity. A provisional holds your filing date for 12 months but is never examined and never becomes a patent on its own.

Now you know the cost. Should you even file?

A patent only pays off if your idea is defensible and the market is real. Get an honest read on both before you spend thousands on an attorney.

Start a free strategy session
$9,316 – $14,316