Types of patents
Answer in brief
There are three kinds of U.S. patents: utility patents for new and useful inventions, design patents for ornamental designs, and plant patents for new asexually reproduced plant varieties.
Terms
- Utility: generally 20 years from the earliest U.S. nonprovisional filing date.
- Design: 15 years from grant, for applications filed on or after May 13, 2015.
- Plant: generally 20 years from filing.
Design patents in the MPEP
Design practice is in MPEP chapter 1500. See MPEP chapters explained.
Sources for this entry
- USPTO — Types of patent applications USPTO
Utility, design and plant patents; a provisional application is abandoned 12 months after filing and is not examined. - USPTO — Managing a patent USPTO
A utility patent's term is generally 20 years from the earliest filing date, subject to maintenance fees; it grants only the right to exclude. - USPTO — MPEP § 1505 Term of Design Patent USPTO
Design patents from applications filed on or after May 13, 2015 last 15 years from grant (35 U.S.C. 173).
Practical guidance is original editorial content. Company-published figures are the company's own claims and are labeled as such.
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Patent Law Center. “Types of patents.” Wysebridge Reference. Content reviewed 9 November 2026.
https://patentlawcenter.com/types-of-patents/