What is needed to obtain a filing date for a nonprovisional patent application at the USPTO?

To obtain a filing date for a nonprovisional patent application at the USPTO, a specification is essential. The specification serves as the written description of the invention and must be sufficiently detailed to enable someone skilled in the art to understand and replicate the invention.

While other components, such as claims and drawings, are important for the full processing and examination of the application, they are not required to establish an initial filing date. A filing date is conferred as soon as the specification is submitted along with the required filing fee. This means that an application can be recognized as filed even if it does not yet contain the full complement of claims or drawings, as long as the basic written description is present.

The inventor's declaration is also not necessary for obtaining a filing date; it is typically required at a later stage of the application process. Therefore, the key element needed at the filing stage is a clear specification that outlines the invention being claimed.