A do-it-yourself provisional patent
Turn your great idea into a great opportunity.
It starts with protecting your idea.
Answer a few simple questions, add a hand-drawn sketch from your phone or computer, and you can turn it into a finished document that you can file as a provisional patent online yourself in as little as a few hours.
One payment. No subscription. No recurring cost. USPTO filing fees are separate. Time varies.
For people who live in the U.S. or its territories and file for themselves. You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen.
Many multi-million-dollar ideas started as a rough sketch
What is a provisional patent?
It’s your idea, described and drawn, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The USPTO gives your filing a date. When you file your full patent application within 12 months, that date becomes the date your full application counts from, for everything you described.
- Day 1
You file your provisional
The USPTO puts your filing date on record. That date is now yours.
- Months 1 to 12
You have 12 months
Say “patent pending.” Show your idea to buyers, makers, and investors. Improve it and see if it sells.
- Before month 12
You file your full application
The USPTO counts it from your provisional date, for everything your provisional describes.
Why your date matters
If you file your full application in time, it counts as if it had been filed on the day you filed your provisional. So if someone else files for the same idea after your date, your date comes first. And if it takes you a year to get your full application ready, you still get credit for the day you filed the provisional.
A provisional doesn’t hold you back, either. You’re free to show your idea, pitch it, and sell it while your date is on file.
What you get out of it
- An earlier date. Your full application counts from the day you filed your provisional.
- “Patent pending”. You can say it as soon as you’ve filed.
- 12 months to test your idea. Talk to buyers, makers, and investors with your date already on file.
- Simpler than a full application. No formal claims needed, and informal sketches are fine.
- Room to improve. Made it better? File another provisional for the same idea.
- Do it yourself, online. No mailing and no appointments. File from your own computer.
A provisional is the first step toward a patent. Your full application, filed within 12 months, is the part the USPTO examines.
The easiest way to protect your idea.It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.Do it yourself.
Step 1
Tell us about your idea
Answer a few simple questions in your own words. No special wording needed.
Step 2
Add a sketch
Draw it on paper and snap a photo with your phone. Stick figures are fine!
Step 3
Get your document
We put it all together, and you file it online yourself with the USPTO.
Behind the scenes it’s a handful of short screens. See every step
What you end up with
The documents
A written description of your invention, and drawings with every part numbered, ready to upload to the USPTO. Plus a link to the USPTO cover sheet.
What you do with them
File them yourself, and your date is on record. Then, when you decide to go after a full patent, hand the same documents to a patent attorney or registered patent agent to turn into your full application. You have 12 months.
Why start here
You can say “patent pending,” take your idea to buyers, makers, and investors, and find out whether it’s worth pursuing before you pay for a full application, which can cost many thousands of dollars with an attorney.
What you get for $12.99
One payment. Everything below.
Easy guided questions
- Short steps in plain English, one at a time
- Your answers save, so you can come back any time
- Three short things to know before you start, and your name
Your drawings
- Upload a hand-drawn sketch or a photo from your phone or computer
- Tap a part and name it. We add the numbers and build your parts list.
- Up to 6 drawings included. $2 for each extra one.
- Figure labels, sheet numbers, and margins added for you
Your documents
- Your written description, built from your answers. Edit it, then download it as Word or PDF.
- Your drawing pages, as a PDF ready to upload
- A link to download and fill out the USPTO cover sheet
- A check that every part is named and described
Filing it yourself
- You upload your files to the USPTO’s Patent Center, and the USPTO walks you through it
- A heads-up to start your USPTO account early, since verifying your identity takes time
- One fee for as many filings of the same idea as you need
Not included
- The USPTO’s filing fee. You pay it directly to the USPTO when you file.
- Legal advice, or a review by a patent attorney.
- A review by anyone before you file. You check your own documents, and you’re in charge.
Made for people who’ve never done this before
- Plain English. Short questions, no legal jargon.
- Works on your phone. Take a photo of your sketch and upload it.
- Go at your own pace. Your answers save, so come back any time.
- You stay in charge. You review everything before it becomes a document.
Do it for less than lunch
$12.99
One payment. No subscription. No recurring cost.
Save thousands by doing it yourself.
- Easy step-by-step instructions
- Tap-to-label drawings, up to 6 drawings included at the $12.99 price
- Your written descriptions and drawing pages, ready to upload to the Patent and Trademark Office
- A link to download and fill out the USPTO cover sheet
- Everything you need is ready to upload to the USPTO
One $12.99 fee for as many filings of the same idea as you need.File again for the same idea at no extra charge. Each filing has its own USPTO fee.Includes up to 6 drawings. $2 for each additional drawing.
Get startedThe USPTO’s filing fee is separate. You pay it directly to the USPTO when you file, and its fee schedule lists the current amounts.
Quick questions
Who can use Thing4That?
People who live in the U.S. or its territories and file for themselves. You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen. The USPTO requires applicants who live abroad, and companies, to use a registered patent practitioner, so this isn’t the right tool for them.
Do I need to know anything about patents?
No. We ask plain questions and explain each one. You do the thinking, and we help you put it on paper.
Is this the same as getting a patent?
Not yet. A provisional is the first step: it sets your filing date and lets you say “patent pending.” The patent itself comes from the full application you file within 12 months, and your provisional date can carry over to it.
What do I do with my documents?
File them with the USPTO to put your date on record. When you decide to go after a full patent, hand the same documents to a patent attorney or registered patent agent to turn into your full application. You have 12 months.
Is the USPTO’s fee included?
No. The USPTO charges its own filing fee, which you pay directly when you file. Its fee schedule lists the current amounts.
Your idea deserves a first step.
Your idea could have million-dollar potential.
Do it for only $12.99Thing4That is self-help software, not legal advice. A provisional application is not a patent, and you must file a full application within 12 months of filing it to keep its filing date. No one can promise what an idea is worth, or that it can be patented.