- 1). File the application within the applicable time limit. Be aware of the time limit for filing a provisional patent application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). An inventor must file a PPA within one year from the first sale, offer to sell, public use, or publication of the invention.
- 2). Pay the filing fee. The provisional patent application fee is subject to change.
- 3). Create a cover sheet. According to the USPTO, the cover sheet should identify that the application is for a provisional patent, give the names of the inventors, provide the residences of the inventors, give the title of the invention, provide the name and registration number of the attorney or patent agent and the docket number, give an address to send correspondence, and list any U.S. government agencies that retain a property interest in the application.
- 4). Provide a written description of how to make and use the invention. The description should use full, clear, concise, and exact terms, so a person skilled in the field of the invention can make and use the invention without having to perform extensive experimentation.
- 5). Create drawings that clarify how to make and use the invention.
- 6). Mail the application to:
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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