How much does it typically cost to file a patent with a law firm?

A US utility patent typically costs $8,000–$25,000 all-in through a traditional law firm, including attorney fees for drafting and prosecution; software patents tend to sit at the lower end, complex hardware or biotech patents at the higher end. USPTO government fees are separate and depend on entity status: the combined filing, search and examination fees run about $2,000 for a large entity, $1,000 for a small entity, or $400 for a micro entity, per the current USPTO fee schedule. issue and maintenance fees add more over the patent's 20-year life.

Filing a provisional application first, typically $3,000–$5,000 in attorney fees, defers the larger utility filing spend by up to 12 months. It's the most common way founders manage this cost without cutting corners on quality.

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