Provisional Applications

Provisional applications, they're a simple thing. But they can be a powerful tool for protecting your ideas.

A provisional application, it's a way to stake your claim. It's a way to say, "this is mine." And it's a way to buy yourself some time. Time to work out the details, time to find funding, time to turn your idea into something real.

It's easy to file a provisional application. All you need is a description of your idea, and a small fee. And once it's filed, you've got yourself a year to decide what to do next.

You can use that year to keep working on your idea. You can use it to find partners, or investors. And when the year is up, you've got a few options.

You can file a non-provisional application. That'll give you the full protection of the patent office. But it's a bit more complicated. It takes more time, and it costs more money.

Or you can let your provisional application expire. That's okay too. Sometimes, ideas don't pan out. And that's alright.

But if you've got something special, something worth protecting, then a provisional application is a good first step. It's a simple thing, but it can make all the difference.

In short, provisional applications are a way to safeguard your ideas, to establish priority and to give you more time to develop your invention before committing to the costs and requirements of a non-provisional application. It's a smart move for any inventor or innovator, and it's easy to file, simple and affordable.