Can a provisional application be published or made public?
No, provisional applications are not published or made public by the USPTO. According to MPEP 201.04:
A provisional application is not subject to publication and is not published.
This confidentiality can be advantageous for inventors who want to secure a filing date while keeping their invention details private. However, it’s important to note that while the USPTO doesn’t publish provisional applications, the content may become public if referenced in a later-published nonprovisional application claiming its benefit.
For more information on provisional application, visit: provisional application.
Topics:
MPEP 200 - Types and Status of Application; Benefit and Priority,
MPEP 201 - Types of Applications,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure