Provisional patent application

The running jobjob_7Hq2 · waiting · on claim · $149.00 held · sign · tsk_7Hq2

The legal brand's fullest Service. A stamped signature by a registered practitioner, a filing whose receipt releases the charge, a practitioner who stays of record, and a second price for applicants who sign and file themselves.

legal's wordsmatter is a jobasset is a subjectreview is a tasksigner is a membernetwork is a pooloutcome is a end

The applicant consents and answers a few questions. The AI drafts the application and an adversarial panel examines it under four lenses. A registered practitioner signs it, stamped, and the brand files it with the office, whose receipt releases the charge. The practitioner who signed stays of record on the patent family after the matter ends.

Run
cat services/provisional-patent.ts
magic values: none
    draft: { by: 'ai', cite: 'source' },
    examine: { review: 'adversarial', lenses: ['eligibility', 'novelty', 'obviousness', 'written description'], rounds: 3, exhausted: 'second_look' },
    second_look: { by: 'practitioner', routed: true, est: '1h' },
    sign: { by: 'practitioner', stamp: true, est: '1h', checklist: ['the claims read on the disclosure', 'every inventor is named', 'a reasonable inquiry was made'] },
    file: { submit: 'https://filings.example.test/patent-office', to: 'USPTO', receipt: 'application_number', wait: '2d', rejected: 'draft' },
  subject: {
  price: { usd: 199, self: 79, release: 'file', within: '5d' },

The whole file, and check after it.

The rules let the applicant sign and file for themselves, so price.self sells a second boundary, and check prints both:

Run
npx services.dev check
magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test, member = mbr_eligible
services/provisional-patent.ts · 24 lines · $199 per job, within 5 days, charged on file's receipt.
  who     A patent attorney or agent signs every application before it is filed. (rules 2026-10) The applicant consents first and answers at questions.
  self    The applicant may sign and file it themselves, for $79.
  roles   practitioner · patent attorney or agent · * · from attorneys · $150 an act
  steps   consent · applicant · consent → questions · applicant · answer → draft · ai · cites source → examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · exhausted → second_look → second_look · patent practitioner · * · routed → sign · patent practitioner · * · stamped · 3-item checklist → file · USPTO
  subject patent family · keyed by application_number · the practitioner who does sign stays of record · then practitioner, then brand
  bounds  reserved second_look, sign and file to patent attorney or agent · refused litigate
          self: reserved second_look to patent attorney or agent · the applicant performs sign and file, in their own name · refused litigate
  agent   order_matter · 30 of 30 words · add "such as …" to applicant and inventors for an agent to try it
  ledger  +$199.00 · AI $2.10 (example) · practitioner $150.00 (rail brand) · coverage $4.00 · you $42.90
          +$79.00 · AI $2.10 (example) · you $76.90 · self
  margin  at least $5.20 when the first practitioner signs ($199.00 − $150.00 practitioner − $39.80 AI cap − $4.00 coverage) · $0.00 at the ladder's cap, the lower of 50% and what the floor leaves · −$148.80 after a decline and a second practitioner · −$148.80 when a routed step runs
          a job that stops costs you at most $189.80
  apps    customer portal · delivery portal · owner console

With a practitioner, the matter waits on the review, and their $150 is on the ledger:

Call
→ POST /matters {"service":"provisional-patent","invention":["disclosure.pdf"],"applicant":{"name":"Ada","email":"signs@example.test"},"inventors":[{"name":"Ada","email":"ada@example.com"}],"entity_size":"micro","posture":"full","max_usd":199,"key":"full"}
magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test, member = mbr_eligible
← job_7Hq2 · waiting · on claim · $199.00 held · sign · tsk_7Hq2
# mbr_eligible, in its own session: the sheet, the claim, the clearance, the packet, and the attestation
→ GET /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/sheet · POST /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/claim · POST /reviews/tsk_7Hq2/clear · POST /attorneys/matters/job_7Hq2/approve {"checklist":["the claims read on the disclosure","every inventor is named","a reasonable inquiry was made"]}
← job_7Hq2 · delivered · $199.00 charged · posture full · rules 2026-10
  record  consent · applicant · consent | questions · applicant · answer | draft · ai | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · pass | sign · person · patent attorney · * · mbr_eligible | file · USPTO · accepted · rcp_7Hq2
  ledger  +$199.00 · AI $2.10 · practitioner $150.00 (rail brand) · you $46.90

Under posture: 'self', the applicant performs sign and file in their own name, and the price is $79:

Call
→ POST /matters {"service":"provisional-patent","invention":["disclosure.pdf"],"applicant":{"name":"Ada","email":"signs@example.test"},"inventors":[{"name":"Ada","email":"ada@example.com"}],"entity_size":"micro","posture":"self","max_usd":79,"key":"self"}
magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test, member = mbr_eligible
← job_7Hq3 · delivered · $79.00 charged · posture self · rules 2026-10
  record  consent · applicant · consent | questions · applicant · answer | draft · ai | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · pass | sign · applicant · sign | file · applicant · answer
  ledger  +$79.00 · AI $2.10 · you $76.90

Its page shows both:

Run
open http://localhost:8787/provisional-patent   # the two prices and the two boundaries, side by side
magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test, member = mbr_eligible
With a professional · $199 per matter, within 5 days, charged on file's receipt.
  second_look: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Judgment on a draft the review still flags is the practitioner's.
  sign: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Signed by a registered practitioner, or by the applicant for themselves.
  file: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Filing for another is practice before the office.
  litigate: never performed here · Litigation is retained directly, never ordered here.
Yourself · $79 per matter, within 5 days, charged when file is done.
  second_look: reserved to patent attorney or agent · Judgment on a draft the review still flags is the practitioner's.
  sign: the applicant performs it, in their own name · Signed by a registered practitioner, or by the applicant for themselves.
  file: the applicant performs it, in their own name · Filing for another is practice before the office.
  litigate: never performed here · Litigation is retained directly, never ordered here.

release: 'file' holds the $199 until the office answers; with one submit step it's the default. The owner's read of one patent matter shows the order: the submission, the receipt, then the charge.

Call
→ GET /owner/matters/job_7Hq2   # the owner console
magic values: metadata.sandbox.review = flag_once, member = mbr_eligible
← job_7Hq2 · delivered · $199.00 charged
  record  consent · applicant · consent | questions · applicant · answer | draft · ai | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · flagged | draft · ai · redo | examine · ai · adversarial · 4 lenses · pass | sign · person · patent attorney · * · mbr_eligible | file · USPTO · accepted · rcp_7Hq2
  ledger  +$199.00 · AI $4.20 · practitioner $150.00 (rail brand) · you $44.80
  events  matter.ordered · charge.held · ask.opened · matter.paused · consent.given · ask.done · step.proposed · step.committed · ask.opened · matter.paused · ask.done · step.proposed · step.committed · decision.made · step.proposed · step.committed · decision.made · decision.made · decision.made · decision.made · review.done · step.proposed · step.committed · decision.made · step.proposed · step.committed · decision.made · decision.made · decision.made · decision.made · review.done · step.proposed · step.committed · matter.paused · review.posted · review.offered · review.claimed · matter.paused · step.proposed · step.committed · pay.accrued · submission.sent · receipt.accepted · step.proposed · step.committed · charge.collected · matter.delivered

The practitioner who signs is named of record on the patent family the receipt keys. It's theirs until they withdraw, naming who takes it on:

Call
→ GET /assets/sbj_7Hq2
200 · magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test
{
  "id": "sbj_7Hq2",
  "object": "subject",
  "livemode": false,
  "kind": "patent family",
  "key": {
    "field": "application_number",
    "value": "rcp_7Hq2"
  },
  "created": "2026-10-25T14:02:11.000Z",
  "jobs": [
    "job_7Hq2"
  ],
  "of_record": {
    "role": "practitioner",
    "member": "mbr_7Hq2",
    "named_at": "sign",
    "since": "2026-10-25T14:02:11.000Z",
    "status": "of_record"
  },
Call
→ POST /assets/sbj_7Hq2/withdraw {}   # as mbr_7Hq2
magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test
← 422 input_invalid: Withdrawal names a successor: the mbr_ id of the signer who becomes of record.
→ POST /assets/sbj_7Hq2/withdraw {"successor":"mbr_7Hq3"}   # as mbr_7Hq2
← 200 of record mbr_7Hq2 since 2026-10-25T14:02:11.000Z

→ POST /attorneys/signers/mbr_7Hq3/verify {"facts":{"credentials":{"patent agent":["US-CA"]},"coverage":{"per_act":1000000,"until":"2026-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}}   # the verifier: the policy lapsed

The seat stays theirs until the successor clears conflicts and accepts. Above, the successor's policy lapsed, so the asset still reads withdrawing, with the successor named:

Call
→ GET /assets/sbj_7Hq2
200 · magic values: applicant.email = signs@example.test
{
  "id": "sbj_7Hq2",
  "object": "subject",
  "livemode": false,
  "kind": "patent family",
  "key": {
    "field": "application_number",
    "value": "rcp_7Hq2"
  },
  "created": "2026-10-25T14:02:11.000Z",
  "jobs": [
    "job_7Hq2"
  ],
  "of_record": {
    "role": "practitioner",
    "member": "mbr_7Hq2",
    "named_at": "sign",
    "since": "2026-10-25T14:02:11.000Z",
    "successor": "mbr_7Hq3",
    "status": "withdrawing"

Of record covers custodians and coverage.

A provisional lapses unless a nonprovisional follows within 12 months. The clock sits on the patent family, keyed by the application number, and its practitioner of record owns it. It rings at 9, 11 and 11½ months, then offers the nonprovisional, ordered from the same family.