Costs of patent applications

The cost of filing a patent depends on the complexity of the application and the territorial extension of the patent.

For a German patent application of medium complexity with up to 10 claims, we charge 4500 EUR, including the lawyer's fees for filing and conducting the patent grant procedure as well as the official application, search and grant fee.

The average national filing and processing costs range between EUR 5000 and 8000.

An application for a patent granting procedure for an EP patent designating a large number of European states costs on average between EUR 18,000 and 30,000.

Ultimately, the costs also depend on the complexity of the application.

For national applications in Germany, China, USA as well as in the EP and PCT proceedings, for example, the following official fees are to be expected:

Germany
Registration Fee: 40 EUR

Search fee: 300 EUR

Fee for requesting examination: EUR 350

Grant fee: 0 EUR

China
Registration Fee: 950 Yuan

Search fee: 0 EUR

Fee for requesting examination: 2500 Yuan

Grant fee: 255 Yuan

USA
In the USA, the official fees also depend on the size of the company. For small companies or individual inventors, the fees are reduced by 50% and 75%, respectively.

Registration Fee: 280 USD

Search fee: 600 USD

Fee for requesting examination: 720 USD

Grant fee: 960 USD

EP
Registration Fee: 210 EUR

Designation fee: 580 EUR

Transfer fee: 0 EUR

Search fee: 1285 EUR

Fee for requesting examination: 1805 EUR

Grant fee: 915 EUR

Additional costs: Validation costs (depending on the number of countries. They lie on average between 1000 and 3000 EUR)

PCT
Registration Fee: 1330 CHF

Designation fee: 0 CHF

Transmission fee: 100 CHF

Search fee: depends on the fees charged in the respective country.

Fee for examination request: maximum CHF 2000

Grant fee: 0,CHF

Additional costs: Validation costs (depending on the number of countries. They lie on average between 1000 and 3000 EUR).

Furthermore, so-called maintenance fees are due. The fees are payable annually. In the case of the EP patent, the maintenance fees only have to be paid until validation. Then the maintenance fees of the states in which the EP application has been validated become due.

As a rule, the following maintenance fees apply:

Germany
First year: 0 EUR

Second year: 0 EUR

Third year: 70 EUR

Fourth year: 70 EUR

5th to 9th year: 930 EUR

10th to 20th year: 12100 EUR

China
First Year: 900 YUAN

Second year: 900 YUAN

Third year: 900 YUAN

Fourth year: 1200 YUAN

5th to 9th year: 8400 YUAN

10th to 20th year: 70000 YUAN

USA
In the USA, maintenance fees also depend on the size of the company. For small companies or individual inventors, the fees are reduced by 50% and 75%, respectively.

First year: 0 USD

Second year: 0 USD

Third year: 1600 USD

Fourth year: 0 USD

5th to 9th year: 3600 USD

10th to 20th year: 7400 USD

EP
First year: 0 EUR

Second year: 0 EUR

Third year: 465 EUR

Fourth year: 580 EUR

5th to 9th year: 5650 EUR

10th to 20th year: 17160 EUR