Tagged “provisional”

5 posts in this tag.

• 2026-04-23·11 min read

  The 12-month provisional deadline: how not to miss it (2026)

  The single most important date in your patent timeline. How the 12-month clock is measured, the 3 paths at T+12mo (non-provisional, PCT, lapse), 5 calendar traps solo inventors hit, and the last-30-days playbook if you're behind.

• 2026-04-23·8 min read

  What happens after you file a provisional patent? (The 12-month countdown)

  The post-filing playbook for solo inventors. The T+0/T+3/T+6/T+9/T+11 milestones, what 'patent pending' actually protects, the three paths at T+12mo (non-provisional, PCT, lapse), and the 5 mistakes we see most.

• 2026-04-23·9 min read

  Provisional vs non-provisional patent: which should you file first?

  A 2026 decision guide for solo inventors. When to file a $65 provisional, when to go straight to a $400+ non-provisional, and the six-question framework that picks between them. Includes the enablement trap that kills priority claims.

• 2026-04-23·9 min read

  What does a provisional patent actually cost in 2026? (line-item breakdown)

  The real all-in cost of filing a provisional patent as a solo inventor. USPTO fees, hidden drafting costs, attorney price spreads, and the hybrid AI-plus-practitioner path that ships for $515–$765 total.

• 2026-04-23·7 min read

  How to file a provisional patent application in 2026 (solo inventor)

  A provisional gives you a filing date and 12 months of 'patent pending' for $65 (micro-entity). What to write, what to file, and what most solo inventors get wrong.