Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Https

The site is secure. A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Jump to main content

USPTO - United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office - An Agency of the Department of Commerce

  • Search

  • Find it Fast Links

  • Menu

User account menu

  • About Us
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • MyUSPTO

Main navigation

  • Patents
    • Getting started
    • Patent basics
    • Process overview
    • Legal assistance and resources
    • International cooperation
    • Patent FAQs
    • Identifying patent fraud
    • Application process
    • Search for patents
    • Learn about patent classification
    • Filing online
    • Checking application status
    • Respond to office actions
    • Petitions
    • Patent Trial and Appeal Board
    • Maintaining a patent
    • Maintenance fees
    • Correcting your patent
    • Transferring ownership
    • Ordering certified documents
    • Tools & links
    • Online patent tools

      Locate online patent services and information

    • Patent Center

      File and manage patent applications online

    • Patent fees

      View fees and pay online

    • Check application status

      Check patent application status in Patent Center

    • Global Dossier

      View international patent filings

    • Electronic Business Center

      Support center for help with Patent Center and other electronic services

    • Patent data visualization dashboard
    • More tools & links
  • Trademarks
    • Get started
    • Before you apply
    • Learn about searching
    • Search our trademark database
    • How to apply
    • Trademark videos
    • Apply to register
    • Apply online
    • Check status
    • All trademark forms
    • Respond to office actions
    • Protect against scams
    • Maintain your trademark
    • How to renew
    • Maintenance forms
    • Trademark litigation
    • Transferring ownership
    • Post-registration audits
    • Trademark practitioners
    • Trademark Center
    • ID manual
    • TEAS forms
    • Request expungement or reexamination proceeding
    • Check status in TSDR
    • Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
    • Madrid protocol international protection
    • Order certified copies
  • IP Policy
    • IP policy
    • Patent policy
    • Industrial design policy
    • Trademark policy
    • Copyright policy
    • Enforcement policy
    • Trade secret policy
    • International affairs
    • IP Attaché Program
    • China IP
    • IPR toolkits
    • International intergovernmental organizations
    • IP research and training
    • Economic research
    • Global Intellectual Property Academy
    • Tools & links
    • Legislative resources

      Learn about our current legislative initiatives.

    • IPR toolkits

      Find out how to protect intellectual property in other countries.

    • IP policy events

      Find upcoming programs related to IP policy and international affairs

    • More tools & links
  • Learning and Resources
    • Resources by audience
    • Attorneys, agents & paralegals
    • Inventors & entrepreneurs
    • Kids & educators
    • Media
    • Researchers & librarians
    • Patent & trademark practitioners
    • IP awards and recognition
    • Getting started
    • Create an account
    • General FAQs
    • IP Identifier
    • Glossary of terms
    • Video Learning Center
    • Access free services
    • Inspiring stories of innovation
    • Publications & data
    • Open data portal
    • Federal Register Notices
    • Official Gazette
    • XML resources
    • Classification
    • Guidance documents
    • Statistics and dashboards
    • Tools & links
    • Fees and payment

      Learn about fees and pay online

    • Training and events

      Register for a virtual or in-person event

    • System availability

      Current status and planned maintenance for USPTO systems

    • Operational status

      Major events impacting customers

    • More tools & links

Mobile main menu

  • Patents
    • Back
    • Getting started
      • Back
      • Patent basics
      • Process overview
      • Legal assistance and resources
      • International cooperation
      • Patent FAQs
      • Identifying patent fraud
    • Application process
      • Back
      • Patent Public Search
      • Search for patents
      • Learn about patent classification
      • Filing online
      • Checking application status
      • Respond to office actions
      • Petitions
      • Patent Trial and Appeal Board
    • Maintaining a patent
      • Back
      • Maintenance fees
      • Correcting your patent
      • Transferring ownership
      • Ordering certified documents
    • More Patents
      • Back
      • Initiatives
      • Forms
      • Fees & payment information
      • Patents Announcements
      • Patents Ombuds
      • Laws and Regulations
      • Contact Patents
      • Patent Technology Centers Management
    • Tools & links
      • Back
      • Online patent tools
      • Patent Center
      • Patent fees
      • Check application status
      • Global Dossier
      • Electronic Business Center
      • Patent data visualization dashboard
      • More tools & links
  • Trademarks
    • Back
    • Get started
      • Back
      • Before you apply
      • Learn about searching
      • Search our trademark database
      • How to apply
      • Trademark videos
    • Apply to register
      • Back
      • Apply online
      • Trademark Center updates and training
      • Check status
      • All trademark forms
      • Respond to office actions
      • Protect against scams
      • Disclosure of public information
      • Abandoned applications
      • Ordering certified documents
    • Maintain your trademark
      • Back
      • How to renew
      • Maintenance forms
      • Trademark litigation
      • Transferring ownership
      • Post-registration audits
    • More Trademarks
      • Back
      • Trademark Updates and Announcements
      • Laws & Regulations
      • Fees & payment information
      • Guides, Manuals, and Resources
      • Sound Marks
      • Transferring Ownership / Assignments
      • Documents for prosecutors
      • Trademark Timelines
      • Contact Trademarks
    • Trademark practitioners
      • Back
      • Trademark Center
      • ID manual
      • TEAS forms
      • Request expungement or reexamination proceeding
      • Check status in TSDR
      • Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
      • Madrid protocol international protection
      • Order certified copies
  • IP Policy
    • Back
    • IP policy
      • Back
      • Patent policy
      • Industrial design policy
      • Trademark policy
      • Copyright policy
      • Enforcement policy
      • Trade secret policy
      • International Protection
    • International affairs
      • Back
      • IP Attaché Program
      • China IP
      • IPR toolkits
      • International intergovernmental organizations
    • IP research and training
      • Back
      • Economic research
      • Global Intellectual Property Academy
    • Tools & links
      • Back
      • Legislative resources
      • IPR toolkits
      • IP policy events
      • More tools & links
  • Learning and Resources
    • Back
    • Resources by audience
      • Back
      • Attorneys, agents & paralegals
      • Inventors & entrepreneurs
      • Kids & educators
      • Media
      • Researchers & librarians
      • Patent & trademark practitioners
      • IP awards and recognition
    • Getting started
      • Back
      • Create an account
      • General FAQs
      • IP Identifier
      • Glossary of terms
      • Video Learning Center
      • Access free services
      • Inspiring stories of innovation
    • Publications & data
      • Back
      • Open data portal
      • Federal Register Notices
      • Official Gazette
      • XML resources
      • Classification
      • Guidance documents
      • Statistics and dashboards
    • Tools & links
      • Back
      • Fees and payment
      • Training and events
      • System availability
      • Operational status
      • More tools & links
    • More Learning and Resources
      • Back
      • Examiner Training Materials
      • Educational Resources
      • National Medal of Technology and Innovation
      • Order Print Publications
      • Other Web Resources
      • Statistics
  • About Us
    • Back
    • Initiatives
    • Financial and Performance
    • USPTO Locations
    • Patent and Trademark Resource Centers
    • Vendor Information
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • MyUSPTO
Find It Fast
Patents
PPUBS
Open Data Portal
Search for patents
Patent Center
Forms
Apply for a patent
Global Dossier
Access international patent data
Patent Fees
Maintenance Fees
View and pay fees
MPEP
Classification
Review guides and manuals
P-TACTS
PTAB DH
Track PTAB cases and decisions
Trademarks
Trademark search
Search trademark database
Trademark Center
TEAS forms
Apply for a trademark
Trademark Status & Document Retrieval (TSDR)
Check status, documents, and certificates
Trademark processing wait times
See current and target wait times
TMEP
ID Manual
TMOG
TBMP
Review guides and manuals
TTAB Center
ESTA
TTABVUE
File with Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
Assignment Center
Search recorded assignment and record ownership changes
Fees and Payment
Fee schedule and payment information
Systems status
Current and planned system outages

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Patents
  3. Patent Basics

Patent Basics

If you’re new to the process of protecting your rights to your invention by applying for a patent, you’re in the right place. This page will direct you to everything you need to know about U.S. and international patents. If what you see doesn’t answer your questions, we’ll show you where to go to dig deeper.

Related links
Inventors Assistance Center
Glossary
Patent FAQs

Patent essentials

Basics of patent icon showing sketches in the background with a lightbulb in the foreground.

Here you’ll find what you need to know if you know nothing about patents. We’ll take you from “What is a patent?” to assistance with the application process.

  • Basic questions about patents
  • Foreign patents and treaties
  • Inventor assistance
  • Functions of the agency

Applying for patents

profile image of person with a gear inside their head. icons of patents surround them, depicting applying for a patent

This section dives into more detail about how you can apply for a patent. It covers legal representation, deadlines, fees, and other essential parts of the process.

  • Search for patents
  • Attorneys and agents
  • Types of patents
  • Types of applications
  • Examination process
  • Ready to file

Managing your patent

Icon depicting files and search materials involved in managing a patent

Here we take you from being successfully granted a patent to maintaining your rights. You’ll learn how to maintain, enforce, transfer, and protect your rights.

  • Nature of rights
  • Patent marking
  • Term extensions
  • Maintenance fees
  • Corrections
  • Ownership
  • Assignments and licenses
  • Infringement

Helpful resources for new customers

Access free patent services
Review online patent tools
Overview of the patent process
Identify if you have a patent
  • Events
  • News

There are currently no upcoming events for this topic.

eventMore events

There are no recent news items for this topic.

mailSubscribefeedMore news
Cycle of Innovation video thumbnail with play button on top.
Video
Watch this video on the cycle of innovation
webinar -- join us online
Featured event
Sign up today to attend a Path to a Patent session
Two spotlights shining across each other displaying the letters “I” and “P”
IP Identifier
Learn the type of intellectual property you have and how to protect it
female at a workbench creating fading into a male opening the door of a business
Navigating the IP process
Find resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs
share Share this page     print Print this page
Additional information  about this page
Additional information about this page
Last updated on: Feb 7, 2025 04:10 PM EST
Published on: Apr 27, 2023 07:44 AM EDT
Owned by: Patents

Receive updates from the USPTO

About the USPTO Search for patents Search for trademarks
US Department of Commerce
Accessibility
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Financial and Performance Data
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Freedom of Information Act
Inspector General
NoFEAR Act
USA.gov
USPTO - United States Patent and Trademark Office
Follow us USPTO Facebook page USPTO Instagram page USPTO Linkedin page USPTO X page USPTO Youtube page
Back to top