It's important that you plan ahead when completing your nonprovisional utility patent application. Allow at least 8 weeks to complete the patent process. For your convenience, we've broken the application process into two steps:

Step 1

You submit an easy questionnaire with some information about your invention. Then, a USPTO-registered patent professional will provide a patent consultation by phone, and a professional illustrator will create technical drawings to support your application. This process takes approximately four weeks.

Optionally, we can also conduct a patent search and review for other, potentially similar inventions, which will add an additional week to the process.

Step 2

Once the first step is complete, we'll send you a link so you can begin Step Two. We'll connect you with a patent attorney or USPTO-registered patent agent who'll work with you to complete your nonprovisional utility patent application and file it with the USPTO.

Because patent applications can be complicated, the law firm handling your order requires at least 4 weeks to complete it. If you have a short deadline and need to expedite the processing of your order, the law firm preparing your application may be able to accommodate your request for an additional fee. For more information, please call us at (888) 791-0227 or email us at ipsales@legalzoom.com.

The USPTO offers guidelines to help inventors describe their invention in the patent application. The application should include:

1. A title of no more than 500 characters;
2. Clear instructions on how to make and use the invention (the "enablement" requirement);
3. A summary of the invention;
4. Drawings, if necessary, and an explanation of any enclosed drawings;
5. Claims about the patentability of the invention.

The description in the application should be detailed enough that a person in the same field could make use of the invention without any additional information. If the invention relies on any rare material for its creation or use, the applicant must submit a sample of that material as well.

A "Provisional Application for Patent" is a way to establish and protect a "date of invention" (or "priority filing date") for one year. It was created to provide inventors with an inexpensive way to begin protecting their inventions. Once you've filed, you have 12 months to submit your full nonprovisional utility patent application, during which time you can label your invention "patent pending."

Learn more about the difference between a provisional application for patent and the nonprovisional utility patent, and the protections offered by each. https://www.legalzoom.com/knowledge/patent/faq/what-difference-provisional-patents

If you've filed for the protection of a provisional patent, you must complete and file a corresponding nonprovisional utility patent application with the USPTO within 12 months.

If you don't complete a nonprovisional utility patent application within 12 months, your provisional application will expire and you'll lose your priority filing date. This doesn't stop you from being able to file another provisional application or a nonprovisional application for your invention, but it does mean your initial provisional filing date is lost.

When you file your nonprovisional utility patent application, both that and your original provisional application will be reviewed by the USPTO. The nonprovisional application will be carefully examined to determine whether a patent will be granted, and the provisional application will be examined to determine whether the invention it describes bears enough similarity to the one in your nonprovisional application.