A provisional patent was designed to provide a lower-cost first patent filing in the U.S. by the USPTO. In order to file a provisional patent application, the following are required:

• Application made in the Name or Names of all the Inventors. (You can file a provisional patent up to one year after the date of offer for sake, first sale, publication or public use of the invention.)
• Written description of the invention
• Any Drawings that are necessary to understand the invention
• Filing Fee
• Application Data Sheet or Sheets
• Cover sheet which identifies Name of all Inventor(s), Invention Title, Inventor Residence(s), Application as a Provisional Application for Patent, list of any U.S. Government agency that has an interest in the application, Name and Registration number of attorney or agent and docket number (if applicable)