https://www.epo.org/en/service-support/website-updates/epo-offices-closed-24-december-2025-1-january-2026

EPO offices closed from 24 December 2025 to 1 January 2026

Our offices will be closed over the holiday period from 24 December 2025 to 1 January 2026 inclusive. They will open again on 2 January 2026.

This means that all time limits for filing documents and making payments that expire between 24 December 2025, and 1 January 2026 will be extended until 2 January 2026 (Rule 134(1) EPC). For PCT procedures, this applies mutatis mutandis (Rule 80.5 PCT). You can, however, continue to submit documents to the EPO during this period, preferably online via MyEPO services.

The new year will bring a change to EPO online services: eOLF will no longer be available as of 1 January 2026, since it will be decommissioned at the end of 2025. Please switch to Online Filing 2.0 and MyEPO if you have not already. Both services provide all functionalities covered by eOLF and more!

The automated mailboxes (located at Munich's PschorrHöfe building and in Berlin) are not affected by the Christmas closure and can be used at any time. Outside business hours, you can hand in documents to the porters at any of the EPO filing offices.

Our customer support will be available during business hours on working days in the closure period.

Further information

Contact us

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 10 June 2025 concerning the days on which EPO filing offices are closed in 2026 (OJ EPO 2025, A40)

EPO ‒ Office holidays

Rule 134(1) EPC – Extension of periods

MyEPO services

Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 8 July 2025 concerning the electronic filing of documents (OJ EPO 2025, A52)

Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 24 March 2025 concerning the continuous development of MyEPO and other online services (OJ EPO 2025, A27)

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 24 March 2025 concerning the continuous development of MyEPO and other online services (OJ EPO 2025, A28)

Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 2 April 2025 designating the EPO's filing offices (OJ EPO 2025, A33)

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 2 April 2025 concerning the availability of the EPO filing offices (OJ EPO 2025, A35)

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 8 July 2025 concerning the decommissioning of EPO Online Filing (OLF) (OJ EPO 2025, A53)