EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE
Fees
Guidance for the payment of fees, expenses and prices applicable as from 1 April 20241
I. Applicable version of the Rules relating to Fees and the Schedule of Fees
The Rules relating to Fees in the version applicable as from 1 April 2024 are set out in supplementary publication 4, OJ EPO 2024. The amounts applicable as from 1 April 2024 were fixed by the decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 (CA/D 16/23, OJ EPO 2024, A3).
The current schedule of fees and expenses of the EPO (status at 1 April 2024) is set out in supplementary publication 4, OJ EPO 2024.
II. Important implementing rules to the Rules relating to Fees
Decision of the President of the EPO dated 25 January 2024 revising the Office's fees and expenses (OJ EPO 2024, A5)
The fees due to the EPO can be paid by:
- deposit account held with the EPO
- credit card, or
- bank transfer
Arrangements for deposit accounts (ADA) and their annexes (supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2024)
Decision of the President of the EPO dated 22 August 2017 concerning payment of fees by credit card (OJ EPO 2017, A72)
Notice from the EPO dated 16 February 2022 concerning the payment of fees by credit card (OJ EPO 2022, A18)
Notice from the EPO dated 19 July 2022 concerning Central Fee Payment (OJ EPO 2022, A81)
Notice from the EPO dated 9 February 2024 concerning new features of MyEPO Portfolio (OJ EPO 2024, A21)
Decision of the President of the EPO dated 7 March 2023 implementing Article 12 of the RFees (insignificant amount) (OJ EPO 2023, A27)
Decision of the President of the EPO dated 25 March 1999 concerning the carrying out of international-type searches and the setting of a new fee for such searches: OJ EPO 1999, 300; revised amount: decision of the President of the EPO dated 25 January 2024 revising the Office's fees and expenses, point 2.2.1 (OJ EPO 2024, A5)
III. Payment and refund of fees and expenses
Holders of deposit accounts with the EPO may only pay fees by an electronic debit order for individual fees or by an automatic debit order (see point II above).
Notice from the EPO dated 15 February 2024 concerning the further digitalisation of the fee refund procedure (OJ EPO 2024, A23)
Refund of search fees:
- Decision of the President of the EPO dated 15 January 2024 concerning the refund of the search fee under Article 9(2) RFees (OJ EPO 2024, A6)
- Decision of the President of the EPO dated 15 January 2024 concerning the refund of the international search fee by the EPO acting as ISA (OJ EPO 2024, A7)
- Notice from the EPO dated 9 January 2009 concerning the criteria for refund of the search fees (OJ EPO 2009, 99)
Refund of the examination fee: notice from the EPO dated 30 June 2016 concerning refunds of the examination fee (Article 11 RFees) (OJ EPO 2016, A49)
Notice from the EPO dated 29 January 2013 concerning adjustments to the system for search and examination fee refunds (Article 9(1) and 11(b) of the Rules relating to Fees) (OJ EPO 2013, 153)
Paying renewal fees for European patent applications and patents (OJ EPO 1984, 272; OJ EPO 2018, A2)
Calculation of aggregate time limits (OJ EPO 1993, 229)
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 22 October 2020 concerning the procedures and safeguards which apply under the EPC and the PCT in the event of outages of means of electronic filing and other online services (OJ EPO 2020, A120)
Payment of extension fees: Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA) OJ EPO 2004, 619; re-introduction of grace period for payment (OJ EPO 2009, 603)
Payment of the validation fee: time limits for paying validation fees OJ EPO 2015, A19; Morocco (MA): OJ EPO 2015, A18; Republic of Moldova (MD): OJ EPO 2015, A84; Tunisia (TN): OJ EPO2017,A84; Cambodia (KH): OJ EPO 2018, A15; Georgia (GE): OJ EPO 2023, A104
Abolition of payment by cheque: (OJ EPO 2007, 626)
Central Fee Payment was fully deployed and Online Fee Payment was decommissioned on 10 September 2022: notice from the European Patent Office dated 19 July 2022 concerning Central Fee Payment (OJ EPO 2022, A81)
IV. Other notices concerning fees and prices
Claims incurring fees where the application includes more than one set of claims (OJ EPO 1985, 347)
Notice from the EPO dated 29 March 2024 concerning search and examination fees (OJ EPO 2024, A33)
Notice from the EPO dated 25 January 2024 concerning fee-related support measures for small entities (OJ EPO 2024, A8)
V. Information concerning Euro-PCT applications (EPO as designated or elected Office)
Fee for a supplementary European search waived where the international search report or a supplementary international search report was drawn up by the EPO (CA/D 11/09, OJ EPO 2009, 594)
Reduction of the fee for a supplementary European search where the international search report was drawn up by
- the Austrian Patent Office,
- the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office,
- the Finnish Patent and Registration Office,
- the Swedish Intellectual Property Office,
- the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office,
- the Nordic Patent Institute or
- the Visegrád Patent Institute:
CA/D 16/23, Articles 4 and 6 (OJ EPO 2024, A3) applicable from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2028
Guide for applicants: PCT procedure at the EPO – "Euro-PCT Guide", chapter 5 (16th edition, January 2023)
VI. Guidance for international applications (EPO as receiving Office, International Searching Authority, Supplementary International Searching Authority or International Preliminary Examining Authority)
Fees for international applications: new equivalent amounts applicable as from 1 January 2024 (OJ EPO 2023, A112)
Fees and reductions under the PCT: wipo.int/export/sites/www/pct/en/docs/fees.pdf
Reduction of the fees for the international search and preliminary examination carried out on an international application in favour of the nationals of certain states (CA/D 13/19, OJ EPO 2020, A4)
Notice from the EPO dated 10 July 2023 concerning the reduction of the fees for the international search and the international preliminary examination carried out on international applications in favour of nationals of certain states – revised list of states (OJ EPO 2023, A67)
Late payment fee under Rule 16bis.2 PCT (OJ EPO 1992, 383)
Late payment fee under Rule 58bis.2 PCT (OJ EPO 1998, 282)
Changes in respect of PCT applications filed as of 1 January 2004 (OJ EPO 2003, 574)
Refund of international search fees: decision of the President of the EPO dated 15 January 2024 concerning the refund of the international search fees by the EPO acting as ISA (OJ EPO 2024, A7)
Fee for the late furnishing of sequence listings under Rule 13ter.1(c) and Rule 13ter.2 PCT: see Article 4 of decision of 28 April 2011: OJ EPO 2011, 372. Revised amount: decision of the President of the EPO dated 25 January 2024, point 2.2.2 (OJ EPO 2024, A5)
Guide for applicants: PCT procedure at the EPO – "Euro-PCT Guide", chapter 1 - 4 (16th edition, January 2023)
VII. Information concerning the Unitary Patent
Rules relating to Fees for Unitary Patent Protection (RFeesUPP) as adopted by decision of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation of 15 December 2015 (SC/D 2/15, OJ EPO 2022, A42)
Important fees for European patent applications (applicable as of 1 April 2024)
Code | Fees | EUR |
|---|---|---|
|
Filing fee2 |
|
001 |
|
135 |
001 |
|
285 |
501 |
Additional fee4 for a European patent application comprising more than 35 pages (not counting pages forming part of a sequence listing) |
17 |
|
Additional fee5 in the case of a divisional application |
|
552 |
|
235 |
553 |
|
480 |
554 |
|
715 |
555 |
|
955 |
|
Search fee |
|
002 |
|
1 040 |
002 |
|
1 520 |
005 |
Designation fee for one or more contracting states designated in respect of European patent applications filed on or after 1 April 2009 and international applications having entered the European phase on or after that date |
685 |
BA |
Extension fee for each "extension state"7 |
102 |
MA |
Validation fee for Morocco7 |
240 |
MD |
Validation fee for the Republic of Moldova7 |
200 |
TN |
Validation fee for Tunisia7 |
180 |
KH |
Validation fee for Cambodia7 |
180 |
GE |
Validation fee for Georgia7 |
200 |
Claims fee in respect of European patent applications filed on or after 1 April 2009 and international applications having entered the European phase on or after that date |
|
|
|
|
275 |
|
|
685 |
|
Examination fee |
|
006 |
|
2 135 |
006 |
|
1 915 |
006 |
|
2 135 |
007 |
Fee for grant9, including fee for publication of the European patent specification, in respect of European patent applications filed on or after 1 April 2009 and international applications having entered the European phase on or after that date |
1 080 |
010 |
Opposition fee |
880 |
131 |
Limitation fee |
1 355 |
141 |
Revocation fee |
615 |
|
Fee for appeal |
|
011 |
|
2 925 |
011 |
|
2 015 |
111 |
Fee for petition for review |
3 400 |
|
Fee for further processing |
|
123 |
|
50% of the relevant fee |
121 |
|
300 |
122 |
|
300 |
013 |
Fee for re-establishment of right of priority |
750 |
067 |
Fee for late furnishing of a sequence listing |
265 |
|
Renewal fees for the European patent application |
|
033 |
for the 3rd year |
690 |
034 |
for the 4th year |
845 |
035 |
for the 5th year |
1 000 |
036 |
for the 6th year |
1 155 |
037 |
for the 7th year |
1 310 |
038 |
for the 8th year |
1 465 |
039 |
for the 9th year |
1 620 |
040-050 |
for the 10th and each subsequent year |
1 775 |
|
Specific fees in respect of European patent applications filed before 1 April 2009 and international applications having entered the regional phase before that date – Article 2(2) RFees |
|
005 |
Designation fee for each contracting state designated, designation fees being deemed paid for all contracting states upon payment of seven times the amount of this fee |
120 |
005 |
Joint designation fee for the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein |
120 |
|
Fee for grant10, including fee for printing the European patent specification, where the application documents to be printed comprise: |
|
007 |
|
1 080 |
008 |
|
18 |
015 |
Claims fee for the 16th and each subsequent claim |
275 |
Fees for international applications (applicable as of 1 April 2024)
Code | EPO receiving Office | EUR |
|---|---|---|
019 |
Transmittal fee11 |
150 |
003 |
Search fee |
1 845 |
225 |
International filing fee |
1 38112 |
222 |
Supplement for each sheet in excess of 30 sheets |
1612 |
316 |
PCT reduction for filing in electronic form |
|
063 |
Late payment fee |
50% of the unpaid fee(s) |
013 |
Fee for requesting restoration of right of priority |
750 |
Code | EPO International Searching Authority; Supplementary International Searching Authority | EUR |
|---|---|---|
003 |
Additional search fee |
1 845 |
|
Fee for a supplementary international search |
1 84514 |
066 |
Fee for the late furnishing of sequence listings |
265 |
062 |
Protest fee |
1 020 |
069 |
Review fee (Rule 45bis.6(c) PCT) relating to a supplementary international search |
1 020 |
|
Supplementary search handling fee |
CHF 20014 |
|
Late payment fee relating to a supplementary international search |
50%14 of the supplementary search handling fee |
Code | EPO International Preliminary Examining Authority | EUR |
|---|---|---|
224 |
Handling fee |
20815 |
021 |
Fee for preliminary examination |
1 915 |
064 |
Late payment fee16 |
50% of the unpaid fee(s) |
066 |
Fee for the late furnishing of sequence listings |
265 |
062 |
Protest fee |
1 020 |
Fees payable to the EPO for international applications upon entry into the "regional phase" (Euro-PCT applications)17 (applicable as of 1 April 2024)
Code |
| EUR |
|---|---|---|
|
Filing fee18 |
|
020 |
|
135 |
020 |
|
285 |
520 |
Additional fee for a European patent application comprising more than 35 pages (not counting pages forming part of a sequence listing) |
17 |
|
Designation fee |
|
|
Extension fee/ |
|
|
Claims fee |
|
|
Search fee19 |
|
|
Examination fee20 |
|
|
Amounts and fee codes as indicated for European patent applications in the foregoing text |
|
033 |
Renewal fee for the 3rd year, calculated from the date of filing19, 20 |
690 |
013 |
Fee for requesting restoration of right of priority |
750 |
013 |
Fee for reinstatement of rights |
750 |
1 Amendments and additions to the fee guidance published in OJ EPO 2023, A34 are indicated in bold.
2 See the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees, and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 16/23) as published in OJ EPO 2024, A3.
3 See the decisions of the President of the EPO concerning the electronic filing of documents (OJ EPO 2023, A48; A96) and the notice from the EPO (OJ EPO 2018, A46).
4 The additional fee applies to European patent applications filed on or after 1 April 2009.
5 The additional fee applies to divisional applications filed on or after 1 April 2014.
6 The amount of EUR 1 040 applies to a supplementary European search on an international application filed before 1 July 2005 (Art. 2(1), item 2, RFees); for European applications filed before 1 July 2005 the normal time limit for payment of the search fee has already expired. That amount also applies to the further search fee within the meaning of Rule 64(1) EPC, provided the relevant application was filed before 1 July 2005.
7 The extension/validation fee is payable where the applicant wishes to extend/validate the European patent to non-contracting states which provide for extension/validation: BA / GE, KH, MA, MD, TN.
8 Code 015: claims fee according to Rule 45(1) and Rule 162(1) EPC;
Code 016: claims fee according to Rule 71(4) EPC.
9 See the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees, and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 16/23) as published in OJ EPO 2024, A3.
10 See the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees, and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 16/23) as published in OJ EPO 2024, A3.
11 See the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees, and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 16/23) as published in OJ EPO 2024, A3.
12 Fee fixed by WIPO: applicants should double-check the latest amount on the WIPO website (wipo.int/export/sites/www/pct/en/docs/fees.pdf).
14 This fee must be paid in CHF to the IB.
15 Fee fixed by WIPO: applicants should double-check the latest amount on the WIPO website.
17 See Article 153(2) EPC and Rules 159, 162 EPC; for further details, see Guide for applicants – PCT procedure at the EPO – "Euro-PCT Guide", chapter 5 – 16th edition, January 2023. The European application number should be indicated when payments are being made; this number will be communicated to the applicant by the EPO subsequent to publication of the international application at the latest and will be published in the European Patent Bulletin under Section I.2(1). If that number is not yet known to the applicant at the time of payment, he may indicate the PCT filing or publication number.
18 See the Decision of the Administrative Council of 14 December 2023 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees, and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 16/23) as published in OJ EPO 2024, A3.
19 No fee for a supplementary European search is payable when the international search report or a supplementary international search report has been drawn up by the EPO.
For international applications filed on or after 1 July 2005 for which the international search report or a supplementary international search report was drawn up by the Austrian Patent Office, by the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office, by the Swedish Intellectual Property Office, by the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland, by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office by the Visegrád Patent Institute or by the Nordic Patent Institute, the fee for a supplementary European search is reduced by EUR 1 300 if it is paid on or after 1 April 2024.
20 See Rule 159(1)(f) EPC regarding the period for payment of the examination fee, as well as the Guide for applicants, as mentioned under footnote 17. The examination fee is reduced by 75% if the EPO drew up an international preliminary examination report (IPER) pursuant to Rule 70 PCT (Article 14(2), first sentence, RFees).