The Cost of Getting A Patent

A patent protects your valuable invention from unauthorized usage. Just imagine you doing all the hard work and someone else taking the credit. You can avoid such a situation by applying for a patent. Once you obtain a patent no one can steal or copy your patent. A patent is nothing but a set of rights that are given by the government in order to protect your invention from any unauthorized usage. A person who disobeys the patent laws is likely to go to jail.

If you have entrusted the responsibility of acquiring a patent to a lawyer then the cost for getting a patent is high. Cost for getting a patent is comparatively less if you decide to acquire a patent on your own. You should have sufficient knowledge about patent laws if you decide to get a patent on your own. If you want to keep the costs down then you should have a thorough knowledge about how to get a patent.

If you don’t have any knowledge about the cost for getting a patent then you can always refer the internet. Cost for getting a patent in the European countries is more as compared to cost of getting a patent in United States.

Estimating the cost for getting a patent depend on the invention you have invented. It also depends on the technology that is used in the invention. The fee structure in most countries for getting a patent has changed.

In United States the patent filing fee that you have to pay now in the Patent office is around $150.00. This fee is also applicable to small companies who have less than 500 employees. Previously the filing fee was $395.00. In addition to filing fee you also have to pay search fee of $250.00 for individual inventors as well as small entities. You are also required to pay an examination fee of $100. This examination fee is taken by the examiner who carefully examines your application to ensure that the invention is indeed a new one.

Therefore if you want to successfully launch your patent application then the total fee then you have to pay is $500.00. 17 dependent claims and 3 independent claims are covered in this initial fee. More independent claims will cost you more money.

The patent office will not give you patent unless you deposit issue fees. At present issue fee for an individual inventor is about $700.00. So even without paying any attorney fees, the lowest amount you have to pay is around $1200.00.This sounds a bit expensive. If your invention is indeed useful then you can easily recover this money. You are not allowed to pay this fee in installments.

Another cost that is associated with patent filing applications are the making of patent drawings. If you don’t know how to create patent drawings then you can always hire some one who can. Professionals who can do this job generally take around $125.

An attorney fee varies according to the geographical market and is around 250 dollars per hour.