How much does a patent cost? Who pays for the patent on my invention?

Provisional patent applications (PPAs) are inexpensive to file – the filing fee is just over $100. However, as described above, PPAs still require a complete description of the invention. If you have provided a complete description, our office can assist in filing the provisional application and the cost is limited to the filing fee. If we elect to have an attorney draft the PPA, the cost will increase substantially, depending on how much time it takes the attorney. In any event, PPAs do not mature into issued patents and so the costs are generally limited to the filing fees (and attorneys fees in some cases).

When we refer to the cost of a patent, we are usually referring to the cost of a non-provisional patent application (typically a utility patent application). The cost of a US utility patent, from application through prosecution to issuance, can be $30,000 or more, depending on the complexity and scope of the application and the actions taken by, and in response to, the patent office. The cost for worldwide patent coverage can be many times greater. These costs are paid by the University under funds managed by the Office of Technology Transfer.