1. Where and how applications may be filed 

European patent applications must be filed in writing. They may be filed by means of electronic communication (see A‑II, 1.1) or by delivery by hand or , by postal services (see A‑II, 1.1) or by means of electronic communication (see A‑II, 1.2).

1.1Filing of applications by delivery by hand or by postal services

European patent applications may be filed by delivery by hand or by postal services at the EPO's filing offices in Munich, The Hague or Berlin. The EPO's sub-office in Vienna is not a filing office, nor is the Brussels Bureau.

The opening hours of the EPO's filing offices are published in the notice from the EPO dated 14 February 2018, OJ EPO 2018, A18. Dates on which at least one of the filing offices is not open to receive documents are announced at regular intervals in the EPO Official Journal (see also E‑VIII, 1.4). The filing offices may remain open during public holidays observed in the contracting states in which they are located. Since mail is not delivered on these days (see also E‑VIII, 1.4), applications may be filed by delivery by hand or using other permitted means of filing (see A‑II, 1.2; A‑II, 1.3).

The EPO filing offices in Berlin and Munich (PschorrHöfe building only, see the decision of the President of the EPO dated 3 January 2017, OJ EPO 2017, A11) are equipped with automated mailboxes, which may be used at any time. The automated mailbox facility is currently not available at the filing offices at Munich's Isar building and The Hague. Outside office hours documents may be handed in to the porter.

European patent applications (with the exception of divisional applications, see A‑IV, 1.3.1, and applications according to Art. 61(1)(b) EPC, see A‑IV, 2.5) may also be filed at the central industrial property office or other competent authority of a contracting state if permitted by that state's national law (see A‑II, 1.6).