How long does the non-provisional patent application process take?
This is an important consideration for the inventor and plays into the ultimate cost of the patent. Once you submit your completed non-provisional patent application and filing fee to the USPTO, you are assigned a filing date. The waiting period can last 6 to 18 months, at which point a patent examiner will review your application. Although it is not impossible for your patent application to be accepted on the first submission, it is unlikely. This is where the patent costs start to add up, because every time the patent office rejects one or more of your claims, your patent attorney will need to modify and re-submit the application. This occurrence is referred to as an “office action,” which is the official communication from the patent office outlining the objections to your patent application.
