Official Journal March 2022

Guidance for the payment of fees, expenses and prices applicable as from 1 April 2022^[ 1 ]

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 2022 are set out in supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2022. The amounts applicable as from 1 April 2022 were fixed by decision of the Administrative Council of 15 December 2021 (CA/D 13/21, OJ EPO 2022, A2) in conjunction with decision of the Administrative Council of 12 December 2018 (CA/D 11/18, OJ EPO 2019, A3). See also the notice from the EPO dated 24 January 2019 concerning the application of these fee levels (OJ EPO 2019, A6).

The current schedule of fees and expenses of the EPO (status 1 April 2022) is set out in supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2022.

II. Important implementing rules to the Rules relating to Fees

Decision of the President of the EPO dated 14 January 2022 revising the Office's fees and expenses (OJ EPO 2022, A7)

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) including Arrangements for the automatic debiting procedure (AAD): supplementary publication 4, OJ EPO 2019

Decision of the President of the EPO dated 18 March 2021 amending the Arrangements for deposit accounts (ADA) and Annex A.1 to the ADA – Arrangements for the automatic debiting procedure (AAD): OJ EPO 2021, A26

Decision of the President of the EPO dated 13 July 2021 concerning revision of the Arrangements for deposit accounts (ADA): OJ EPO 2021, A60

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 13 July 2021 concerning Central Fee Payment (OJ EPO 2021, A61)

Decision of the President of the EPO dated 14 February 2020 implementing Article 12 of the RFees (insignificant amount) (OJ EPO 2020, A17)

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 of 14 January 2022 revising the Office's fees and expenses, point 2.2.1 (OJ EPO 2022, A7)

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 20 August 2019 concerning the revised fee refund procedures (OJ EPO 2019, A82)

Refund of search fees:

• Decision of the President of the EPO dated 14 January 2022 concerning the refund of search fees under Article 9(2) RFees: OJ EPO 2022, A8;
• Decision of the President of the EPO dated 14 January 2022 concerning the refund of search fees by the EPO acting as ISA: OJ EPO 2022, A9;
• 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 EPO dated 18 January 2018 concerning the safeguards available under the EPC and the PCT in case of unavailability of means of electronic communication: OJ EPO 2018, A25

Payment of extension fees: (BA) OJ EPO 2004, 619; re-introduction of grace period for payment: OJ EPO 2009, 603; (ME) OJ EPO 2010, 10

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 EPO 2017, A84; Cambodia (KH): OJ EPO 2018, A15

Abolition of payment by cheque: OJ EPO 2007, 626

The details of the bank account opened in the name of the European Patent Organisation is available when using the bank transfer functionality in the Central Fee Payment Service: Notice from the European Patent Office dated 13 July 2021 concerning Central Fee Payment (OJ EPO 2021, A61).

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 21 March 2022 concerning search and examination fees: OJ EPO 2022, A29

Notice from the EPO dated 26 January 2009 concerning the 2009 fee structure: OJ EPO 2009, 118; notice supplementing the notice from the EPO dated 26 January 2009 concerning the 2009 fee structure: OJ EPO 2009, 338

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 Patent and Registration Office,
• the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office,
• the Nordic Patent Institute or
• the Visegrád Patent Institute:

CA/D 13/21, Articles 2 and 4 (OJ EPO 2022, A2) applicable from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2024

Decision of the Administrative Council of 13 December 2017 abrogating its decision CA/D 10/05 concerning cases where the search fee for the supplementary European search is to be reduced: CA/D 16/17, OJ EPO 2018, A3

Reduction of the examination fee where the international preliminary examination report was drawn up by the EPO: OJ EPO 2018, A26, point 4

Guide for applicants: PCT procedure at the EPO – "Euro-PCT Guide", chapter E (14th edition, January 2021)

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: last equivalent amounts applicable as from 1 January 2022, OJ EPO 2021, A91.

Fees and reductions under the PCT: wipo.int/pct/en/fees/index.html

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 7 July 2021 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 2021, A58.

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 21 December 2018 concerning the refund of search fees by the EPO acting as ISA: OJ EPO 2019, A5.

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 14 January 2022, point 2.2.2 (OJ EPO 2022, A7).

Guide for applicants: PCT procedure at the EPO – "Euro-PCT Guide", chapter A-D (14th edition, January 2021).

Important fees for European patent applications (applicable as of 1 April 2022)

Code	Fees	EUR
	Filing fee[ 2 ]
001	online filings[ 3 ]	130
001	other filings	270
501	Additional fee[ 4 ] for a European patent application comprising more than 35 pages (not counting pages forming part of a sequence listing) for the 36th and each subsequent page	16
	Additional fee[ 5 ] in the case of a divisional application
552	fee for a divisional application of second generation	225
553	fee for a divisional application of third generation	455
554	fee for a divisional application of fourth generation	680
555	fee for a divisional application of fifth or any subsequent generation	910
	Search fee
002	for applications filed before 1 July 2005[ 6 ]	950
002	for applications filed on or after 1 July 2005	1 390
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	630
BA 408 ME 410	Extension fee for each "extension state"[ 7 ]	102
MA 420	Validation fee for Morocco[ 7 ]	240
MD 421	Validation fee for the Republic of Moldova[ 7 ]	200
TN 422	Validation fee for Tunisia[ 7 ]	180
KH 423	Validation fee for Cambodia[ 7 ]	180
015[ 8 ] 016[ 8 ]	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
	for the 16th and each subsequent claim up to the limit of 50	250
	for the 51st and each subsequent claim	630
055	Flat-rate fee for an additional copy of the documents cited in the European search report	110
	Examination fee
006	for applications filed before 1 July 2005	1 955
006	for applications filed on or after 1 July 2005	1 750
006	for international applications filed on or after 1 July 2005 for which no supplementary European search report is drawn up	1 955
007	Fee for grant[ 9 ], 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	990
010	Opposition fee	840
131	Limitation fee	1 245
141	Revocation fee	560
	Fee for appeal
011	for an appeal filed by an entity other than those referred to in Rule 6(4) and (5) EPC	2 785
011	for an appeal filed by a natural person or an entity referred to in Rule 6(4) and (5) EPC	2 015
111	Fee for petition for review	3 115
	Fee for further processing
123	in the event of late payment of a fee	50% of the relevant fee
121	in the event of late performance of the acts under Rule 71(3) EPC	275
122	non fee-related cases	275
013	Fee for re-establishment of right of priority	685
067	Fee for late furnishing of a sequence listing	245
	Renewal fees for the European patent application
033	for the 3rd year	505
034	for the 4th year	630
035	for the 5th year	880
036	for the 6th year	1 125
037	for the 7th year	1 245
038	for the 8th year	1 370
039	for the 9th year	1 495
040-050	for the 10th and each subsequent year	1 690
	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	110
005	Joint designation fee for the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein	110
	Fee for grant[ 10 ], including fee for printing the European patent specification, where the application documents to be printed comprise:
007	not more than 35 pages	990
008	more than 35 pages: for the 36th and each subsequent page an additional	16
015 016	Claims fee for the 16th and each subsequent claim	250

Fees for international applications (applicable as of 1 April 2022)

Code	EPO receiving Office	EUR
019	Transmittal fee[ 11 ] Rule 14 PCT; Rule 157(4) EPC	140
003	Search fee Rule 16 PCT	1 775
225	International filing fee Rule 15.2 PCT	1 235[ 12 ]
222	Supplement for each sheet in excess of 30 sheets	14[ 12 ]
316 318 319	PCT reduction for filing in electronic form	93[ 12 ] 186[ 12 ] 279[ 12 ]
063	Late payment fee Rule 16bis.2 PCT[ 13 ]	50% of the unpaid fee(s) but not to exceed EUR 617.50
013	Fee for requesting restoration of right of priority Rule 26bis.3(d) PCT	685

 

Code	EPO International Searching Authority; Supplementary International Searching Authority	EUR
003	Additional search fee Rule 40.2(a) PCT; Rule 158(1) EPC	1 775
	Fee for a supplementary international search Rule 45bis.3(a) PCT	1 775[ 14 ]
066	Fee for the late furnishing of sequence listings Rule 13ter.1(c) and Rule 13ter.2 PCT	245
062	Protest fee (Rule 158(3) EPC, Rules 40.2(e) and 68.3(e) PCT) relating to an additional international search	935
069	Review fee (Rule 45bis.6(c) PCT) relating to a supplementary international search	935
	Supplementary search handling fee (Rule 45bis.2 PCT)	CHF 200[ 14 ]
	Late payment fee relating to a supplementary international search (Rule 45bis.4(c) PCT)	50%[ 14 ] of the supplementary search handling fee

 

Code	EPO International Preliminary Examining Authority	EUR
224	Handling fee Rule 57 PCT	186[ 15 ]
021	Fee for preliminary examination Rule 58 PCT; Rule 158(2) EPC	1 830
064	Late payment fee[ 16 ] Rule 58bis.2 PCT	50% of the unpaid fee(s) but not to exceed EUR 372.00
066	Fee for the late furnishing of sequence listings Rules 13ter.1(c) and 13ter.2 PCT	245
062	Protest fee (Rule 158(3) EPC, Rules 40.2(e) and 68.3(e) PCT) relating to an additional international search	935

Fees payable to the EPO for international applications upon entry into the "regional phase" (Euro-PCT applications)^[ 17 ] (applicable as of 1 April 2022)

Code		EUR
	Filing fee[ 18 ]
020	online filings of EPO Form 1200	130
020	other filing methods	270
520	Additional fee for a European patent application comprising more than 35 pages (not counting pages forming part of a sequence listing) for the 36th and each subsequent page	16
	Designation fee
	Extension fee/Validation fee
	Claims fee
	Search fee[ 19 ]
	Examination fee[ 20 ]
	Flat-rate fee for an additional copy of the documents cited in the supplementary European search report
	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 filing[ 19 ], [ 20 ]	505
013	Fee for requesting restoration of right of priority Rule 49ter.2(d) PCT	685
013	Fee for reinstatement of rights Rule 49.6(d) PCT	685