Call the U.S. Patent and Tradmark Office (USPTO) Inventor's Assistance Center
Telephone: 800-786-9199
To get a customer service representative, do not use the phone keypad menu - wait for someone to answer.
Order a copy of your unpublished application from USPTO document services
If you are the inventor or assignee, they will mail you (via post) a certified copy of all the papers submitted on the application filing date for $20.
Email dsd@uspto.gov, or fax (571) 273-3250, or call (800) 972-6382.
Give them: your name; address; daytime telephone; application serial #; and credit card payment info for $20 per copy. If what you tell them matches their existing info, or if you can convince them that you are the inventor on the phone, they will mail you a copy of your application.
If you want a certified copy (no additional charge), make sure you state so in your request.
Top: .75 = 2.0cm; left: 1.0 = 2.5cm; right: .75 = 2.0cm; bottom: .75 = 2.0cm
These refer to portrait mode. The top margin applies to what appears to be the right side in landscape mode.
Paper: either A4 (approx 8.3Χ11.7) or 8 ½ x 11
PCT Patent Margins Top: 2.5 cm; left side: 2.5 cm; right side: 1.5 cm; bottom: 1.0 cm
Paper: officially must be A4, but the USPTO PCT receiving office will accept 8 ½ x 11 with US margins, so long as the specification and drawings are all this size.
To file a U.S. Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application (micro entity): $400 [$70 basic filing (Fee Code 3011) + $150 search (FC 3111) + $180 examination (FC 3311)]
- Plus $20 for each claim in excess of 20 (FC 3202)
- Plus $105 for each independent claim in excess of 3 (FC 3201)
- Plus $100 for each 50 pages in excess of 100 (FC 3081)
- Late declaration or filing fee: $35 (FC 3051)
- Request prioritized examination: $1,000 (FC 3817)
These fees are for a "micro-entity" meaning the inventor/assignee made < $153,051 gross income last year, 2013, see here, and the inventor has < 5 previously filed U.S. utility applications).
Small entity fee: $730. For most fee codes (those starting with a "3"), the fee is doubled for a "small-entity" or quadrupled for a "large entity" (>= 500 employees).
- Late office action response: up to 1 month $50 (FC 3251), 2-mo $150 (FC 3252), 3-mo $350 (FC 3253). After that a "3-month" office action is abandoned, $850 (FC 2453, petition to revive, no micro-entity discount)
- If office action is marked "Final": $300 for first RCE Request for Continued Examination (FC 3801), $425 for 2nd and subsequent RCE (FC 3820)
- To appeal a rejection: $200 to file notice (FC 3401)
- To record an assignment of ownership (perhaps to your company): now free if filed electronically
Issue fee when allowed: $240 (FC 3501) [no more publication fee required]
Maintenance fee: 4th year: $400 (FC 3551) 8th year: $900 (FC 3552) 12th year: $1,850 (FC 3553)
- Plus $40 for late payment within 6 months (FC 3554, 3555, 3556)
- If over 6 months late payment, $850 petition for delayed payment (FC 2558, no micro-entity discount)
After paying the last maintenance fee, the patent expires 20 years from the effective filing date plus any "extension" shown on the cover of the issued patent.
- Ex-parte reexamination: $3,000 (FC 2812) (+ excessive claims) (used against someone else's patent)
To file U.S. Design patent application: $190 [$45 filing (FC 3012) + $30 search (FC 3112) + $115 exam (FC 3312)]
- Design patent issue fee: $140 (FC 3502)
Design patents cover ornamental aspects only, for 14 years from issue.
To file a Provisional application: $65 (FC 3005)
- Plus $100 for each 50 pages over 100 (FC 3085)
- Late provisional filing fee: $15 (FC 3052)
- Provisional applications are temporary. To actually obtain a patent, you must file a real US or PCT applicaton within 1 year.
To file a Patent Cooperation Treaty (WIPO/PCT) international patent application: approx. $1,830 (changeable due to Swiss franc exchange rate) [$60 Transmittal (FC 3601) + $520 Search (FC 3602) + est. $1,250 International fee, (FC 1710, "PCT Easy ZIP")]
- Plus $17/page over 30 (FC 1703)
- After you receive the PCT search report, you must file National Stage patent applications in each country for which you wish protection, usually within 30 months from the earliest priority date
To file a U.S. PCT National Stage application (micro entity):
- If all uncancelled claims were accepted in the PCT search report: $70 [Nat. Stage (FC 3631)]
- If not all claims were accepted: $280 [$70 Nat. Stage (FC 3631) + $30 Search (FC 3641) + $180 Exam (FC 3633)]
- If any changes to specification or drawings: $400 (U.S. continuation-in-part utility application)
Trademark Application Government Filing Fees as of: January 1, 2014
To file for U.S. Federal Registration of a trademark using TEAS-Plus: $225 (FC 7007)
- If description of goods not selected from pre-approved list: $275 (FC 7009)
Allegation or Statement of use (if initially filed as 1B intent-to-use): $100 (FC 7002 or 7003), or $150 for 6-month excension (FC 7004)
Final issue fee: $200 [$100 publication fee FC 7007 + $100 issue fee FC 7211]
5-year declaration: total $300 ($100 for §8 FC 7205 plus $200 for §15 FC 7208)
Renew trademark: (every 10 years): $300 (FC 7201)
- Late declaration/renewal: + $100 (if less than 6 months late FC 7203)