Fee Assistant

Fee Assistant

Our new free tool helps applicants quickly understand the costs involved in a European patent application including opportunities for fee reductions. It has been designed particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, universities, public research organisations, non-profits, individual inventors and natural persons. No detailed knowledge of the patent grant process is needed to use the tool, but you might like to also see our short summary of the process.

In just a few steps, the Fee Assistant shows for which fee reductions you might qualify and provides a clear comparison between standard fees and applicable reduced fees, with total costs displayed in euros.

How much does a patent cost?

Discover whether you qualify for reduced fees.

 

Open the Fee Assistant

Quick guide to the Fee Assistant

All you need to get started

What kinds of fee reductions does the Fee Assistant cover?

The Fee Assistant currently provides information on two types of EPO support measures, with reductions being applied in sequence:

  • Micro-entity support (MES): 30% reduction on all main fees for universities, public research organisations, non-profits, individual inventors and natural persons, as well as for microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees, and annual turnover or balance sheet below €2 million. To qualify, applicants must have filed fewer than five patent applications in the past five years.
  • Language-related support (LRS): 30% reduction on filing and examination fees for small entity applicants from EPC contracting states with an official language other than English, French or German.

With the tool, users can quickly evaluate potential savings and make informed choices about their patent applications.