Patent Rules

NBR's summary of how the U.S. patent process works. To read more about patent law, click this link: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office - Patent Legislation & Regulations.

U.S. PATENT RULES
- Lasts 20 years from date patent application filed
- New, useful and non-obvious
- Application process 12 months to 5 years
- Average cost including legal fees: $6,000 - $25,000 per patent