Provisional Patent Application Filing Service - Protect Your Invention Before Anyone Else Does
The moment you share your invention — with investors, manufacturers, or the public — without filing first, your priority date is gone. Anyone who files after you, but before you establish your date, owns that position in the patent queue. Novel Patent Services files your provisional patent application online in 3–4 working days, for a flat $299 fee, so you can move forward with Patent Pending status and the protection of a confirmed priority date.
What Is a Provisional Patent Application?
A provisional patent application (PPA) is a temporary filing with the USPTO that establishes your priority date — your official place in the patent queue — before you are ready to file a full non-provisional patent application. It is not a patent and is not examined by the USPTO, but it does two critical things from the moment it is filed: it locks in your earliest possible filing date, and it gives you the legal right to mark your invention as Patent Pending.
Who Should File a Provisional Patent Application?
You should file a provisional patent application if any of the following apply:
- You are about to share your invention publicly — at a trade show, investor pitch, or product launch
- You have a working concept but are still refining the design or testing the market
- You want to establish a priority date before a competitor files something similar
- You want to use Patent Pending status in investor conversations, product marketing, or licensing negotiations.
- You are not ready to commit to the full cost and complexity of a non-provisional application right now
Filing a provisional patent application is the most cost-effective way to protect your invention at the earliest stage of development.
At $299 flat fee from Novel Patent Services — plus the USPTO filing fee — it is also the most accessible route to professional patent protection for independent inventors, startups, and small businesses.
How Much Does a Provisional Patent Application Cost?
At Novel Patent Services, we make filing simple and cost-effective. Our provisional patent package helps inventors secure an early filing date. It also gives them time to improve their invention or prepare the full application.
Standard Package
$299 + USPTO Fee (One-time cost, no hidden charges)
Our service includes:
- “Patent Pending” Status valid for 12 months
- Provisional patent application drafting support
- Provisional patent specification preparation
- Patent drawings and figures, when needed
- USPTO provisional patent forms support
- Online filing through USPTO
- Filing guidance for inventors, startups, and businesses
💡 Transparent pricing. Simple pricing. No hourly billing. Your idea stays safe.
Why File a Provisional Patent?
Filing a provisional application helps protect your invention while keeping costs low.
Early Protection
Secure your priority date before anyone else files.
Cost-Effective Filing
Lower fees and simpler requirements than a full patent.
Flexible Development
You get 12 months to improve your invention.
Patent-Pending Status
Show credibility to investors, partners, and customers.
When Should You File?
Timing can protect your idea and help you prepare a stronger full application.
How Our Provisional Patent Application Process Works
From your invention disclosure to your filed application — typically in 3–4 working days.
Confidentiality Agreement
We sign an NDA before you share invention details, keeping your idea protected from the first conversation.
Invention Disclosure
You share how your invention works, its components, use, and any sketches or drawings. Our team reviews the details and asks clarifying questions if needed.
Specification Drafting
Our USPTO-registered professionals draft the provisional patent application, including the technical specification and drawings where required.
Your Review and Approval
We share the draft before filing. You can review, request changes, and approve only when ready.
USPTO Filing
We file your provisional patent application through the official USPTO Patent Center, establishing your priority date.
Receipt and Next Steps
You receive the official USPTO filing receipt, priority-date confirmation, and guidance for the 12-month non-provisional filing window.
What You’ll Receive
Once you file your provisional patent application, you get all the documents and support you need. This helps you plan your next steps with confidence.
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Why Choose NPS
Choosing the right support partner matters when your filing date, invention details, and next steps shape your patent strategy.
Novel Patent Services helps inventors and businesses move forward with structured patent filing support designed for clarity, confidentiality, and responsiveness.
Registered Patent Attorneys (USA)
Guidance from experts trained in USPTO rules
18+ Years of IP Experience
Strong track record of helping inventors secure patents
Affordable, Flat Pricing
Straightforward costs without hidden fees
Complete Data Protection
Your idea remains secure and private
FAQ'S
What is the difference between Novel Patent Services and LegalZoom for provisional patent filing?
Novel Patent Services provides preparation and filing support from USPTO-registered patent professionals who review your specific invention and prepare a custom specification. LegalZoom primarily provides document templates and form-filling assistance. For a provisional application, the quality of the specification is what determines your future patent protection — professional preparation by patent practitioners provides stronger, more defensible coverage.
What is a provisional patent application?
A provisional patent application is a temporary USPTO filing that establishes an early priority date for your invention without requiring formal claims, an oath, or examination. It grants Patent Pending status for 12 months and gives inventors time to develop the invention, evaluate the market, or prepare a full non-provisional patent application.
How much does it cost to file a provisional patent application?
With Novel Patent Services, the total cost is a flat $299 service fee plus the USPTO filing fee — $65 for micro entities, $130 for small entities, or $325 for large entities. Verify current USPTO fees at USPTO.gov. There are no hidden charges or hourly billing.
How long does it take to file a provisional patent application?
Novel Patent Services files provisional patent applications in 3–4 working days from receipt of your invention disclosure and approval of the drafted specification.
Can I file a provisional patent application online?
Yes. Novel Patent Services files your provisional patent application online through the USPTO Patent Center, so you can secure your priority date from anywhere without visiting an office
Do I need a patent attorney to file a provisional patent application?
No — the USPTO allows inventors to file independently. However, professional preparation significantly reduces the risk of a vague or incomplete specification that fails to support future patent claims. Novel Patent Services provides USPTO-registered professional preparation at a fraction of traditional attorney costs.
What happens after I file a provisional patent application?
After filing, you have 12 months to file a non-provisional patent application claiming priority to the provisional. Novel Patent Services sends a reminder before this deadline. If you do not file a non-provisional within 12 months, the provisional expires and the priority date is lost.
Can I use Patent Pending after filing a provisional application?
Yes. You can legally mark your invention as Patent Pending from the moment your provisional patent application is filed and receipted by the USPTO. This status is valid for the 12-month term of the provisional application.
Protect Your Invention. File Today. Move Forward with Confidence.
Every day you wait to file is a day your priority date is not established. If you are preparing to disclose your invention — to investors, manufacturers, partners, or the public — filing a provisional patent application before that conversation is the single most important step you can take to protect your IP rights.