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Filing options
Applications for European patents can be filed at EPO headquarters in Munich, its branch at The Hague and the Berlin sub-office. Depending on the national legislation of the contracting state in question, European patent applications might also be filed at the central industrial property office of the contracting state.
At the European Patent Office, applications can be filed by post, fax or online or be handed in personally at the following locations:
| Site | Postal address |
Building address |
Opening hours |
Fax number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munich (Isar building) |
80298 Munich, Germany |
Erhardtstrasse 27, 80469 Munich, Germany |
Mon-Thurs: 08.00 - 16.45 hrs Fri: 08.00 - 15.30 hrs |
+49 (0) 89 2399-4465 |
| Munich (PschorrHöfe) |
80298 Munich, Germany |
Bayerstrasse 34, (entrance via Zollstrasse 3) 80335 Munich, Germany |
Mon-Thurs: 08.00 - 16.45 hrs Fri: 08.00 - 15.30 hrs |
+49 (0) 89 2399-4465 |
| The Hague |
Postbus 5818, 2280 HV Rijswijk, Netherlands |
Patentlaan 2, 2288 EE Rijswijk, Netherlands |
Mon-Fri: 08.00 - 18.00 hrs |
+31 (0) 70 340-3016 |
| Berlin |
10958 Berlin, Germany |
Gitschiner Strasse 103, 10969 Berlin, Germany |
Mon-Thurs: 09.00 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 15.00 hrs Fri: 09.00 - 12.00 hrs |
+49 (0) 30 25901-840 |
Automated mailboxes
Automated mailboxes are installed in Munich and Berlin, which may be used at any time. In Munich the mailboxes are to be found next to the EPO buildings in Kohlstrasse and Zollstrasse. In Berlin the mailbox is located next to the entrance to the EPO. In The Hague, documents may be handed to the porter outside office hours.
Applications and documents other than authorisations and priority documents may be filed by fax. You cannot file European patent applications or other documents with the EPO by e-mail, telegram, telex or teletext.
Online filing
The range of EPO Online Services provides a popular way of filing a patent application and managing it throughout the grant procedure. These services are free of charge and offer a high level of filing security. Further information on the range of EPO online services can be found at www.epoline.org.
If your application contains nucleic acid and amino acid sequences, you may want to make use of PatentIn software, which generates sequence listings complying with WIPO standards.