The European Patent Office (EPO) has confirmed that a number of its official fees will increase from the 1st of April 2026, following a decision of the EPO Administrative Council in December 2025. The updated fee schedule was published in the January 2026 issue of the Official Journal.
Overall, most affected fees will increase by around 5%, reflecting the EPO’s return to a biennial inflation-based review of official fees.
Key fee changes
The increases apply to a few commonly incurred fees during European patent prosecution. These include:
- European search fee increasing from €1,520 to €1,595
- Examination fee increasing from €1,915 to €2,010
- Designation fee increasing from €685 to €720
- Grant and publication fee increasing from €1,080 to €1,135
- Claims fee (16th – 50th claim) increasing from €275 to €290
Renewal fees payable during the application stage will also increase by approximately 5%.
Fees remaining unchanged
Not all official fees will be affected by the increase. The following fees are some which will remain at their current levels:
- Filing fees (including online filing)
- Additional page fees
- Opposition fees
- Appeal fees
This means that the most significant changes primarily affect core prosecution and renewal stages of the European patent process.
When the new fees apply
The revised fees will apply to payments made on or after the 1st of April 2026. This means that applicants may be able to reduce costs by paying certain fees before that date where the rules allow early payments.
There will also be a six-month transitional period. If a fee is paid at the previous rate after the 1st of April, the payment will still be accepted provided that any shortfall is paid within two months of the EPO requesting it.
Practical considerations for applicants
Given that many prosecution and renewal fees are increasing, applicants may wish to review their portfolios ahead of April 2026. In some cases, it may be possible to pay upcoming fees early to secure the current lower rates, depending on the applicable deadlines and payment rules.
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