Filing a provisional patent application (PPA) with the USPTO is way less mysterious once you see the steps laid out. Here is a clean, startup-friendly walkthrough you can plug right into your flow.

Quick note: The USPTO now uses Patent Center (not EFS-Web) for electronic filing. Everything below assumes you are filing online, which is what you want 99% of the time.

Step 1: Prepare Your Application

Before you log in anywhere, get your documents ready. For a provisional application, you typically need:

1. Specification (Detailed Description)

This is the heart of your filing. Include:

  • What your invention is.
  • The problem it solves.
  • How it works, step by step.
  • Key components and how they interact.
  • Variations and alternative versions (materials, configurations, workflows).

Rule of thumb: write as if you are teaching a skilled person how to build and use it from scratch.

2. Drawings (If Applicable)

Most inventions benefit from drawings, even for a provisional. Include:

  • Multiple views (front, side, perspective, internal if needed).
  • Labels and reference numbers that match your description.
  • Clear depiction of how parts fit and function together.

They do not have to be perfect formal patent drawings for a provisional, but they must be clear and complete.

3. Provisional Cover Sheet (USPTO Form SB/16)

The Provisional Application for Patent Cover Sheet includes:

  • Title of the invention.
  • Inventor names and addresses.
  • Correspondence information.
  • Entity status (micro, small, large).
  • Any attorney or agent details (if applicable).

You can download and fill out Form SB/16 from the USPTO website, then upload it as a PDF when you file.

4. Fee Information

Know your entity status and the fee you will pay at filing. You will pay online via credit card, deposit account, or other USPTO-accepted methods during the upload and submit step.

Step 2: Determine Your Entity Status

Your entity status affects how much you pay in USPTO fees. Very broadly (for utility applications; provisional fees are much lower but follow the same tiering concept):

  • Large Entity -- full fees.
  • Small Entity -- about a 50% reduction.
  • Micro Entity -- about a 75% reduction if you qualify based on income, prior applications, and assignment status.

For a provisional application, the actual dollar amounts are much lower, but the concept is the same: if you qualify as micro entity, your filing fee is the cheapest.

To claim small or micro status, you will typically:

  • Certify your status via the appropriate USPTO form (for example, micro entity certification).
  • Make sure you actually meet the requirements (income, number of prior applications, assignment restrictions, and so on).

Step 3: File Online via USPTO Patent Center

Once your docs are ready and you know your entity status, it is time to file.

  1. Create or Sign In to a USPTO.gov Account

    Go to the USPTO site and create a USPTO.gov account if you do not already have one. This lets you access Patent Center, where you will upload and submit your application.

  2. Go to Patent Center

    Open Patent Center, choose the option to file a new application, and select "Provisional Application for Patent" as the application type.

  3. Upload Your Documents

    You will typically upload:

    • Specification (PDF).
    • Drawings (PDF).
    • Cover sheet (Form SB/16, PDF).
    • Any micro or small entity certification forms (if applicable).

    Make sure filenames and document types are labeled sensibly.

  4. Pay the Filing Fee

    Confirm your entity status, pay the required provisional filing fee online, review everything one last time, then hit Submit.

Step 4: Receive Confirmation

After submitting, you should receive a filing receipt with your application number, your official filing date, and a payment confirmation for your records.

Download and save:

  • The filing receipt.
  • A copy of everything you uploaded.
  • The payment confirmation.

Treat this like a transaction receipt for your IP.

Step 5: What to Do Next

Filing a provisional is the start, not the end.

Start Using "Patent Pending"

Once your provisional is filed, you can usually label your invention as "Patent Pending" on websites, pitch decks, and product materials.

Keep Developing the Invention

Over the next 12 months, you should build prototypes or MVPs, test with users, refine your design and implementation, and document meaningful improvements and variations.

Remember: your provisional protects what it actually describes, so capture significant improvements in notes for your eventual utility filing (or additional provisionals).

File a Non-Provisional Within 12 Months

Your provisional expires after 12 months and cannot be extended. To keep your priority date, you must file a non-provisional (utility) patent application claiming the benefit of your provisional on or before the 12-month anniversary.

Set reminders early -- Month 10 is often a good time to lock in your plan.

Consider International Strategy

If you are thinking globally, explore whether you will file under the PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) or directly in specific countries. Note that many countries require filing before public disclosure.

Your U.S. provisional and its filing date can play into your international strategy, but the rules differ country by country.

Pro Tips

  • File electronically -- it is faster, cleaner, and easier to track.
  • Keep organized records -- save all drafts, drawings, and the final submitted versions.
  • Calendar the 12-month deadline -- and start on your utility application well before it.
  • Get a professional review for high-value inventions -- even if you DIY the provisional, a patent attorney or agent can be invaluable before the non-provisional stage.

Where AutoInvent Fits In

If this process feels a bit procedural and you would rather not start from a blank page, AutoInvent is designed to plug into this exact workflow. AutoInvent can help you:

  • Turn your invention description into structured, patent-style text (background, detailed description, embodiments) that is ready to drop into your specification.
  • Generate patent-style sketches from your description, even if you are not a designer.
  • Make sure you are including variations, components, and technical details that strengthen your filing.
  • Walk you step-by-step through actually filing your provisional patent yourself via the USPTO's online system.

So instead of wrestling with Word docs and guessing what goes where, you can move from idea to structured spec to filed provisional in a fast, guided way, while keeping costs lean and staying in control of your own IP.