Provisional
An informal filing that gives you 12 months to say “Patent Pending” while you file next stage of the real Utility Patent.
Additional Consideration for Provisional Patent Applications:
- Cheaper and faster to prepare than utility patents.
- Lock in an early filing date (important under the current first-to-file system). Filing before disclosing to suppliers, manufacturers, or foreign partners (like in China) is often critical. A strong Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is also recommended.
- Useful for startups that pivot often. Filing a provisional is a cost-effective way to protect new iterations without paying for a full utility application each time.
