Patent costs
Also called patent cost, patent fees, cost of a patent, how much does a patent cost, patent filing fees, USPTO fees
Patent costs are the fees and expenses of obtaining and keeping a patent: the official fees that each patent office charges at each stage, plus any professional fees if an attorney or agent is hired1,2.
Official fees change over time. The amounts below are as of October 28, 2026, the date they were read: the USPTO schedule is effective January 19, 2025 and was last revised August 14, 20261, the EPO amounts apply to payments made on or after April 1, 20263, and the WIPO PCT tables show amounts on September 1, 20265. Check the current schedule before paying. This page gives no attorney fee amounts. See Patent maintenance fees, PCT application and US patent application.
US official fees for an application
For a US utility application, the USPTO fee schedule says that, except for provisional applications, each application requires the appropriate search fee and examination fee in addition to the basic filing fee1. An issue fee is required after an application is allowed and before the patent is granted2.
| Fee (37 CFR section) | Undiscounted | Small entity | Micro entity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility basic filing fee (1.16(a)) | $3501 | $1401 | $701 |
| Utility search fee (1.16(k)) | $7701 | $3081 | $1541 |
| Utility examination fee (1.16(o)) | $8801 | $3521 | $1761 |
| Utility issue fee (1.18(a)) | $1,2901 | $5161 | $2581 |
| Provisional application filing fee (1.16(d)) | $3251 | $1301 | $651 |
| Design basic filing fee (1.16(b)) | $3001 | $1201 | $601 |
| Design search fee (1.16(l)) | $3001 | $1201 | $601 |
| Design examination fee (1.16(p)) | $7001 | $2801 | $1401 |
| Design issue fee (1.18(b)(1)) | $1,3001 | $5201 | $2601 |
The three utility fees the schedule pairs with each application (basic filing, search and examination) add up to $2,000 at the undiscounted amounts, from the rows above. The schedule shows fees subject to reduction for small entity status (37 CFR 1.27) and micro entity status (37 CFR 1.29) in separate columns1. It also lists a separate $70 basic filing fee for small entity electronic filing1. The undiscounted column is headed simply Fee on the USPTO page1. The USPTO says that to avoid a surcharge these fees should be submitted on filing2.
Fees that depend on the application and what follows
These undiscounted amounts come from the same USPTO schedule1. The schedule also lists the small and micro entity amounts.
- Excess independent claims: $600 for each independent claim over three1.
- Excess claims: $200 for each claim over 201.
- Application size fee: $450 for each additional 50 sheets that exceeds 100 sheets, for a utility application1.
- Paper filing: a $400 non-electronic filing fee applies to a nonprovisional utility application filed in paper, and the only way to avoid it is to file through Patent Center1.
- Non-DOCX filing surcharge: $4301.
- Request for continued examination: $1,500 for the first request and $2,860 for the second and subsequent requests1. See Request for continued examination.
- After grant: maintenance fees are listed for 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant, at $2,150, $4,040 and $8,280 undiscounted1. The windows, surcharges, reinstatement and exemptions are on Patent maintenance fees.
European Patent Office fees
The EPO's Rules relating to Fees were amended by a decision of the Administrative Council of December 11, 2025 (CA/D 9/25), and the new amounts apply to payments made on or after April 1, 20263. The EPO also offers an interactive overview of all fees on its website4.
| Fee | Amount in EUR |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | 135 if the application is filed online, 285 if not3 |
| Search fee, European or supplementary European search | 1,5953 |
| Examination fee | 2,010 for a European application, or an international application with a supplementary European search report. 2,240 for an international application without one3 |
| Designation fee, for one or more contracting states | 7203 |
| Fee for grant, including publication of the European patent specification | 1,1353 |
| Renewal fees for the application, calculated from the filing date | 3rd year 725; 4th 885; 5th 1,050; 6th 1,215; 7th 1,375; 8th 1,540; 9th 1,700; 10th and each subsequent year 1,8653 |
| Additional fee for an application of more than 35 pages | 17 for the 36th and each subsequent page, not counting pages of a sequence listing3 |
| Claims fee, for the 16th and each subsequent claim up to 50 | 290; for the 51st and each subsequent claim 7203 |
The rule on belated renewal fees sets an additional fee of 50% of the belated renewal fee3. Renewal fees after grant, national fees and the Unitary Patent are covered on Patent maintenance fees.
PCT international fees
WIPO's PCT Fee Tables (amounts on September 1, 2026) show an international filing fee of CHF 1,330 and a fee of CHF 15 per sheet over 30 sheets. The tables say the international filing fee may be reduced by CHF 100, 200 or 300 where the application, or part of it, is filed in electronic form, and that a 90% reduction in the international filing fee is available to applicants from certain States5. WIPO notes that all amounts are subject to change with the fees themselves or with exchange rates5.
Other PCT fees are set by the receiving Office and the searching authority, so the amounts and currencies of the main PCT fees vary with the Office and authority chosen6. For example, the USPTO schedule lists a transmittal fee of $285 when the USPTO acts as receiving Office, and a search fee of $2,400 when it acts as International Searching Authority, at the undiscounted amounts1. For deadlines and national phase entry, see PCT application.
Professional fees
Official fees are only part of the cost if an attorney or agent prepares and prosecutes the application. The USPTO states that fees charged to you by attorneys and agents for their professional services are not regulated by the USPTO2. Those fees vary by provider and by the work involved, and this page does not state amounts for them.
Questions people ask
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Run FTO SearchHow much are the official fees to file a US utility patent application?
As of October 28, 2026, the USPTO schedule lists a $350 basic filing fee, a $770 search fee and an $880 examination fee at the undiscounted amounts, $2,000 in total, plus a $1,290 issue fee after allowance. Small and micro entity amounts are lower, and claims, size and paper filing can add fees1,2. Attorney fees are separate2.
Are there patent costs after the patent is granted?
Yes. In the US, maintenance fees are due at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant1; see Patent maintenance fees. For a European patent application, renewal fees are payable starting with the third year, listed at EUR 725 for that year3.
Do small entities pay lower patent fees?
At the USPTO, yes for the fees the schedule lists in small entity and micro entity columns, which apply on establishing small entity status (37 CFR 1.27) or micro entity status (37 CFR 1.29)1. Eligibility depends on meeting those rules, and not every fee has a reduced amount1.
Do the official fees include what a patent attorney charges?
No. Official fees are paid to the patent office. Attorney and agent fees are charged by the provider, and the USPTO does not regulate them2.
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