Free Tool · Cost Estimate
What does a patent really cost?
The full cost of a U.S. utility patentutility patentThe most common type of patent — covers functional inventions. 20-year term from filing.Read more → — USPTO filing, search, examination, issue, and all three maintenance feesmaintenance feesPeriodic fees the USPTO charges to keep a granted utility patent in force (3.5, 7.5, 11.5 years post-grant). Miss one and the patent expires early.Read more → — scaled by entity size, plus optional attorney fees. Most cost guides only show the filing fee; this is the 20-year total.
Entity size
Attorney
Most applications get 1–2.
Estimated lifetime total
$23,592
$6,592 USPTO fees + $17,000 attorney · over the full 20-year term
USPTO fees use the published large-entity schedule scaled by entity size — small entities pay 40% (a 60% discount) and micro entities pay 20% (an 80% discount). Attorney figures are market midpoints and vary widely by complexity and firm. This is a planning estimate, not a quote. PatentBrief is not a law firm.