Changes to the fees charged for applying for or renewing a patent are to be increased from 6 April 2018, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has confirmed.
The news, which first came to light earlier this year, comes in a bid to help the UK “maintain an internationally-competitive fee structure, based on modern, high-quality and efficient services for the customer,” the Government has said.
From 6 April 2018, the existing patent application fee of £20 for an electronically-filed application will be increased to £60. On top of this, a 25 per cent surcharge will be payable after filing a patent application if this has not already been paid at the point of filing.
For paper filings, the existing £30 charge will be increased to £90 and a similar 25 per cent surcharge will apply.
Businesses should note that under the new pricing regime, fees will also be increased for searches and substantive examinations.
For electronically-filed applications, search fees will rise from £130 to £150 plus the cost of any excess claims fees – which may vary.
For paper filings, search fees will rise from the existing £150 to £180 plus excess claims fees.
A number of other changes to the existing fees regime will take effect from 6 April, including a £10 increase in renewal fees for existing patents that are between 12 and 20-years-old.
Further guidance regarding the upcoming changes can be accessed on the GOV.UK website here.