1
Free scoping call
30 minutes. You describe the invention and the market. We confirm whether a utility model is the right route or whether a full patent fits better, and quote the flat professional fee in writing.
Utility model / petty patent filing
Faster, lower-cost protection for incremental inventions.
A utility model — also called a petty patent or innovation patent — protects a mechanical or incremental invention for a shorter term, with a faster and often unexamined registration. It suits products with a short market life or those that fall short of the inventive-step bar for a full patent. Available in China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
From $700 — flat professional fee per jurisdiction, quoted before any work.
1,398+ patents10,000+ clients11 attorneys10+ years
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Trusted by founders and brands worldwide
How it works
Three steps to a filed utility model.
2
Drafting and preparation
A practitioner drafts the specification, claims, and drawings to the standard of the chosen office, then prepares the local filing through our agent network.
3
Filing and registration
We file with the patent office, manage formalities and any clarification requests, and report the registration to your portal. The office decides on registration; we handle the procedure.
What it costs
Transparent, per-jurisdiction pricing.
Pick where you're filing — the professional fee below is the live catalog price. Government fees and any translations are quoted separately and passed through at cost.
What's included
- Free 30-min scoping call to confirm the utility model route
- Attorney-drafted specification, claims, and drawings to the office standard
- Filing through our local agent in the selected jurisdiction
- Filing-date and priority-date capture, confirmed in your portal
- Management of formalities and any office clarification requests
- Registration reported to your portal once issued by the office
China$700
flat professional fee
Government filing and registration fees are set by each patent office, vary by jurisdiction, and are passed through at cost — itemised in your quote on top of the flat professional fee above.
Get started
Start a utility model filing
Tell us about the invention and the market, and a patent attorney will confirm the route and prepare the filing.
No payment required Reply within 1 business dayA GTC attorney reviews it & sends a flat-fee quote.
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01Your request
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02Documents
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03Your details
Not sure whether a utility model or a full patent fits? Describe the invention and we'll advise on the scoping call before you commit.
Your request
1
A short descriptive title; a working name is fine.
2
Utility models (a faster, cheaper "petty patent") exist only in certain countries — China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and a few others. Pick where you want protection and we will confirm it is available.
🇨🇳 China
3
Utility models generally protect mechanical and structural improvements, not software or methods. This helps us confirm eligibility.
4
A short description helps us check fit and scope.
5
Most utility-model countries require novelty, so disclosure timing matters.
Why GTC
When a full patent is more than you need.
Handled by
GTC's patent team
Patent counsel
Attorney-led prosecution
Faster to registration
Most utility model offices register without substantive examination, so protection issues in months rather than years — useful for products with a short market window.
A lower inventive-step bar
Utility models accept incremental and mechanical improvements that may not clear the inventive-step threshold for a full patent. The same idea can still qualify here.
Attorney-drafted claims
A practitioner drafts the specification and claims to the chosen office's standard. The scope you register is the scope you can later enforce, so the drafting matters.
Coverage across major jurisdictions
We file utility models in China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea through one engagement, with local agents handling each office's formalities.
Your Customer Success Team
A dedicated team that owns your matter from start to finish.
Every GTC client gets a dedicated Account Manager and a Senior Account Manager who learn your business and stay with you from first email to final filing. They are named people who pick up the phone and already know your matter, so every step moves forward without delay.
Your Account Manager
Your day-to-day point of contact, who coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. They have your full history, so you start every conversation where the last one left off.
Your Senior Account Manager
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow, so every important detail stays on track.
A named person, on email or a call, at every step.
How we compare
Filing a utility model? Here's what sets GTC apart.
| What you get | GTC | Online filing services | Doing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney-drafted specification, claims, and drawings | |||
| Scoping call to confirm utility model vs. full patent first | |||
| Local agent network across China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea | |||
| Flat professional fee quoted in writing before any work | |||
| Government fees passed through at cost, itemised | |||
| Files the application with the patent office |
Attorney-drafted specification, claims, and drawings
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Scoping call to confirm utility model vs. full patent first
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Local agent network across China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Flat professional fee quoted in writing before any work
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Government fees passed through at cost, itemised
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
Files the application with the patent office
GTC
Online filing services
Doing it yourself
The timeline
From scoping call to a registered utility model.
A utility model is the faster route to registered protection. Here is how a typical filing breaks down. Office processing times vary by jurisdiction, and the office decides on registration.
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Day 1 — free
Scoping call
You describe the invention and market. We confirm the utility model route, choose the jurisdiction, and quote the flat professional fee in writing.
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Week 1–2
Drafting
A practitioner drafts the specification, claims, and drawings to the chosen office's standard, then sends them to you for review.
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Week 2–3
Filing
We file with the patent office through our local agent, secure the filing date and priority date, and confirm the application number in your portal.
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Months later
Registration
Most offices register without substantive examination, so registration typically follows in months. The office decides; we manage formalities and any clarification requests.
In their words
All your legal, in one place.
One accountable team across every practice, operating since 2016.
1,398+
Patents prosecuted
10,000+
Clients served
11
In-house attorneys
10+
Years since 2016
Utility Model Registration FAQ
Frequently asked questions
A utility model — sometimes called a petty patent or innovation patent — protects an invention for a shorter term than a full patent, usually six to ten years depending on the jurisdiction. It typically registers faster and without substantive examination, and accepts incremental or mechanical inventions that may not clear the inventive-step bar for a full patent. The trade-off is shorter protection and, in some offices, a narrower scope.
Confirm the route before you file.
Ready when you are.
Book a free scoping call. We'll talk through the invention, confirm whether a utility model or a full patent fits, choose the jurisdiction, and quote the flat professional fee in writing before any work begins.
