How much does a nonprovisional utility patent application cost?
In determining how much a nonprovisional utility patent application will cost, the largest portion of the cost will comprise the legal fees. The conventional approach has been to bill hourly attorney’s fees for drafting a utility application. While this makes sense for particular cases and clients, the old school approach doesn’t always work for startups who prefer flat fee estimates for patent drafting services.
Need a competitive flat fee estimate for filing your utility patent? Email Vic at vlin@icaplaw.com or call (949) 223-9623 to request a fixed fee cost estimate for filing your utility patent.
Keep in mind that the initial filing cost must also factor in USPTO fees and illustrator fees if drawings are involved. So, the total amount of drafting and filing a utility nonprovisional patent application must include the following cost variables:
- legal fees; and
- costs, including USPTO filing fees and any illustrator fees.
Our firm charges flat rates for drafting nonprovisional patent applications which start at $6,600 for low complexity cases. Our fixed fee for drafting a utility application is based on the complexity of the invention as well as the number of variations or embodiments. Expect additional costs to start at $900 for a small entity (e.g., individuals or company with fewer than 500 employees), including the USPTO filing fees starting at $644 and illustrator fees starting at $250.
So, the low end of the range will generally start at approximately $7,500. Feel free to contact us to obtain a free flat fee estimate for your nonprovisional application.
What does the initial patent filing cost include?
The initial filing cost includes drafting the nonprovisional utility patent application, and revising the draft based on input from the inventors. Our initial filing estimates will typically include the USPTO filing fees and illustrator fees. If our clients wish to add new features which were not initially disclosed, we can provide flat rate estimates for the additional scope of work.
What is not included in the initial patent filing cost?
Our initial filing cost does not include a patentability search which costs $1,500 for each invention.
The initial filing cost also excludes responses to rejections, which is to be expected in the ongoing prosecution of the utility application. The vast majority of utility patent applications will encounter at least one rejection, called an Office Action, that will require a thorough response.
Our Office Action response fees will typically range from $950 to $2,800, not including any USPTO fees. It is not uncommon to receive two to four Office Actions in a utility application before deciding whether to continue, abandon or appeal. For total costs from start to finish, expect to spend about $15,000 to $45,000 to obtain a utility patent.
Attorney flat fees for drafting a utility nonprovisional application: price ranges
At my firm, we provide flat rate estimates for drafting a utility nonprovisional application after we’ve had an opportunity to understand the complexity of the invention and other factors affecting the scope of the initial filing work (e.g., number of examples called “embodiments”).
For a moderately complex invention, our attorney’s fees start at $8,500. USPTO filings fees (assuming small entity with fewer than 500 employees) and illustrator fees will add at least $900 in costs. So, expect the initial filing of a utility nonprovisional patent application to start at $9,400 for technology of medium compexity. In some cases, we might be able to achieve an even lower initial filing flat rate due to the simplicity of the invention.
For an invention with high complexity, attorney’s fees for the initial drafting of the application can range from $10,000 to $17,000. Our initial filing fees for more complex inventions will typically start at $16,000.
Initial filing estimates are provided on a case-by-case basis. As a helpful budgeting guide, see our patent fee schedule below.
ICLG Patent Flat Fee Schedule – 2021
| US Utility Patent | Our Fee | Costs: USPTO (small entity) & Vendor Fees | Total |
| Initial Filing of Nonprovisional Application | |||
| Drafting nonprovisional (rates vary by level of complexity: low, medium, high) | Starts at $6,600 | USPTO: $644+ Drawings: $250+ | starts at $7,500 |
| Filing US National Stage Application (based on PCT) Initial Filing Service includes: · Making Priority Claim · Preparing formal documents · Non‑substantive formality review · Non-substantive edits · Filing assignment (if signed by initial filing) | $590 | USPTO: $644+ | $1,234+ |
| Filing US nonprovisional application (already drafted by outside counsel) | $590 | USPTO: $644+ | $1,234+ |
| Office Action Responses | |||
| Drafting Office Action (OA) responses (rates vary by level of complexity) Conducting examiner interviews (phone/video) | $950+ (varies) $700 | ||
| Ongoing Patent Prosecution | |||
| Forwarding OA without review Filing signed Patent Assignment Filing IDS Filing PPH Request Filing OA response Paying issue fee, sending original Patent Certificate, and docketing maintenance (renewal) deadlines Ongoing prosecution | Free $200 $200 $250 $1,500 + (varies) $560 (flat rates avail.) | ||
| Patent Maintenance/Renewal | |||
| Paying 1st maint fee (3½ yrs) Paying 2nd maint fee (7½ yrs) Paying 3rd maint fee (11½ yrs) | $400 $400 $400 | USPTO: $1,000 USPTO: $1,880 USPTO: $3,850 | $1,400 $2,280 $4,250 |
*Small Entity status generally refers to individual applicants, companies with less than 500 employees, and universities or other institutions of higher education. USPTO fees for large entities are double.
Need a utility patent filing estimate?
Email patent attorney Vic Lin or call (949) 223-9623 to request a flat fee estimate for filing your utility nonprovisional patent application.
