How long does a provisional patent last and what are the implications of its duration on protecting intellectual property?

A provisional patent lasts for 12 months from the filing date. The duration of a provisional patent affects the timeline for filing a non-provisional patent application. It provides temporary protection for your invention while you work on developing it further and filing for a non-provisional patent. If you miss the deadline to file a non-provisional patent application, your invention may lose its protection and become public domain.