A patent cost varies from one country to the other. In the US, a patent can cost from $900 to more than $10,000, depending on whether you do it yourself or consult patent lawyers. Apart from that, patent costs differ according to the types of patents you choose and the complexity of your invention, including maintenance fees, attorney fees, and more. Here, you can learn how much patent costs and get a clear picture.
What is a patent? Why is it expensive?
A patent gives the right to the inventor to own the legal right to their invention and prevents others from using or selling them. It provides exclusive rights to the inventors and excludes others from using them. Once you decide to get a patent for your invention, you must get a patent application, a legal document that requires an attorney to proceed.
The patent application should clearly explain every detail of your invention and its scope. This is where you should be careful when you choose your attorney. To prepare your patent application, your attorney should comprehend your invention and understand how your invention is different from the others. Apart from this, there are so many factors that make a patent cost higher. Let us look at how much a patent cost.
Different types of patent application types
Generally, a patent cost can be classified into three parts: Filing fees of USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office), lawyer fees, and drawing fees. The two major patent applications are Provisional Patent application and Non-provisional (Utility) Patent application.
- Non-provisional (Utility) Patent Application: Once you are completely done with your invention, you need to file a utility patent application that gives your property full protection until it is in effect. Non-provisional patent applications cost higher and will be around $8,000 to $15,000 or higher once your add all legal fees, attorney fees, etc. Let us look at the patent costs (including lawyer fees) for every invention type one by one:
| Invention Type | Utility Patent Cost |
| Simple Invention(eg. paper clip, electric switch) | $5,000 to $7,000 |
| Relatively Simple Invention(eg. umbrella, toothbrush, board game) | $7,000 to $8,500 |
| Minimally complex(eg. camera, lawn mower) | $8,500 to $10,000 |
| Moderately complex(eg. cell phone, basic solar concentrator) | $10,000 to $12,000 |
| Relatively complex(eg. shock absorbing products) | $12,000 to $14,000 |
| Highly complex(eg. MRI scanner, Satellite technologies) | $14,000 to $16,000 |
| Software-related(eg. Business programs, automated systems) | >$16,000 |
- Provisional Patent Application: If you want a patent on your invention while still working on or refining it, you can go for a provisional patent. With this patent, you can work on your invention for 12 months and then proceed to file a utility patent. The filing fee for an invention in the case of a provisional patent can range from $2,500 to more than $6,000.
DESIGN PATENT
A design patent is a type of patent that provides protection only for the invention’s appearance. Most fashion industries use this patent to protect their designs from being copied by others. A design patent can cost between $2,500 and $3,000.
PLANT PATENT
Plant patents are meant for people who discover a type of plant or reproduce it. A plant patent usually costs from $4,660 to $7,620.
Other costs involved with filing patents
- Patent Search: One of the most important things associated with patent filing is patent search. Using the patent search, a creator should know whether their invention is unique enough and worth spending efforts on. A patent search can cost $1,000 to $1,250 for a simple invention and $2,000 to $3,000 for a complex and software-related invention.
- Patent Prosecution: Patent prosecution costs also depend on the complexity of the invention you own. It can cost $2,500 to $4,000+ for a mechanical invention and $3,500 to $7,500 for a software invention.
- Maintenance fees: In the case of provisional patents, inventors need to pay a certain amount as a maintenance fee to keep their patents valid. It costs around $980 after three and half years, $2,480 after seven and half years, and $4,110 after eleven years.
Apart from the abovementioned costs, professional drawings cost around $300 to $500, filing costs around $2,000 to $5,000, and an in-person meeting with patent examiners costs a thousand dollars.
From the above discussion, you now understand how much a patent costs. Let’s learn about the factors affecting the cost of a patent.
Factors affecting the cost of a patent
Other than the complexity of the invention, some other factors that affect a patent cost include:
- The size of the business or firm you own. The larger your business, the more you pay for your patent.
- The market opportunities for the product you invented. If your product has a strong market value, you have to pay more to protect it.
- Your competitors. There are more chances that you and your competitors to produce similar products. So, you have put more effort into making your product unique.
- The technology you use. If your invention uses more technology, you must pay more to get a patent.
- The country or location you reside. In some countries, you have to pay more to protect your property.
Conclusion
Knowing how much patent costs before applying for them will help you manage budgets. Patent costs for your inventions vary from country to country and are based on numerous factors, as listed above. One of the best suggestions is to seek help from patent lawyers to understand patent costs and procedures completely. They guide you through all the processes involved and prepare you for the finances you need to get a patent.
