For Start-Ups, cash is critical. That’s why we offer 3 cost-saving options for legal fees, backed by our service guarantee.
- Flat-Fee Transparency – You’ll always know your upfront costs.
- Startup & Solo Inventor Discount – Receive a 20% discount on flat fees for your first five patent matters. After that, our standard flat fees apply.
- Additional Discount – An extra 20% discount is available if you provide a well-prepared specification, and our firm will review and complete the application, including the claims. Attached below are tutorials on drafting a patent and a Template for a Patent Application.
- Our Guarantee – If you are not satisfied with our patent application, we will refund 50% of the professional fee paid and return your file. This guarantee does NOT apply to Office Action and Government Fees.
Table of Summary of Flat Fees
| Services | Descriptions | Flat Fees | 20% Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prov. Application | <20 pages, draft and filed | $4,000 | $3,200 |
| Prov. Application Review & Filing | Client's draft < 10 pages, review, revise, & filed | $2,500 | $2,000 |
| Utility Level 1 | < 10 pages, < 5 Figs., < 20 claims | $5,000 | $4,000 |
| Utility Level 2 | < 15 pages, <8 Figs., < 20 claims | $7,000 | $5,600 |
| Utility Level 3 | < 20 pages, <10 Figs., < 20 claims | $9,000 | $7,200 |
| Utility Level 4 | ≥ 20 pages, ≥ 10 Figs., ≥ 20 claims | $12,000 | $8,800 |
| Utility Level 3 Review & Filing | Client's good draft < 20 pages, < 10 Figs., review, revise, draft < 20 claims, & filed | $6,300 |
$5,040 |
| Design Patent | Up to 8 Figures, draft and filed | $2,500 | $2,000 |
| Foreign Filing | Via Foreign Associate | $1,500 | $1,200 |
| PCT Filing | International Deferred Application up to 30 months | $1,500 | $1,200 |
| National Stage | Follow-up to Entry of PCT/WIPO before 30 months | $1,500 | $1,200 |
| Prof. Drawings | $100 per page (no discount) | $100/page | $100/page |
| Office Action | Draft legal reply from the USPTO | $3,000 | $2,400 |
| IDS | Submit known prior art | $500 | $400 |
| Assignment | Ownership transfer | $300 | $240 |
| Issue Fee | USPTO fee when the patent is allowed | $300 | $240 |
| Patentability Study | Prior art search & analysis | $2,000 | $1,600 |
| Infringement Study | TBD - case specific | TBD | TBD |
| Maintenance Fee | Keep the utility patent alive (no discount) | $300 | $300 |
| Hourly rate | For custom work | $450/hr | $360/hr |
Government's Fee Overview
The USPTO fees vary depending on your entity status—large, small, or micro—each of which is defined below. Provisional applications require only a basic filing fee. In contrast, utility and design applications involve additional fees for search and examination.
For utility applications, the USPTO allows up to 3 independent claims and a total of 20 claims without extra cost. If your application exceeds these limits, additional claim fees will apply as outlined in the table below.
The table includes several commonly incurred fees. Also, the fees are subject to change by the USPTO. For a comprehensive and up-to-date list of all USPTO fees, please visit the USPTO Official Fee Schedule.
Summary of Entity Status
| Entity Status | Income Limit | Employee Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large | N/A | >500 employees | Default category |
| Small | No specific limit | <500 employees | No Assignment to large entity |
| Micro | <222K Gross | <500 employees | <4 previous applications |
A Sample of the Government's Fees
| Descriptions | Large | Small | Micro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provisional Application | $325 | $130 | $65 |
| Utility Application | |||
| 1) filing fee | $350 | $140 | $70 |
| 2) search fee | $700 | $308 | $154 |
| 3) examination fee | $880 | $352 | $176 |
| Total Fee for Utility Application | $2,000 | $800 | $300 |
| Design Application | |||
| 1) filing fee | $300 | $120 | $60 |
| 2) search fee | $300 | $120 | $60 |
| 3) examination fee | $700 | $280 | $140 |
| Total Fee for Design Application | $1,300 | $500 | $260 |
| Each Independent Claim Over 3 Claims | $600 | $240 | $120 |
| Each Claim Over 20 Claims | $200 | $80 | $40 |
| Utility Issue Fee | $1,290 | $516 | $258 |
| Design Issue Fee | $1,300 | $520 | $260 |
| Patent Maintenance Fee Due at 3.5 years | $2,150 | $860 | $430 |
| Patent Maintenance Fee Due at 7.5 years | $4,040 | $1,616 | $808 |
| Patent Maintenance Fee Due at 11.5 years | $8,280 | $3,312 | $1,656 |
