Patent filing cost in India is far lower in official fees than in the US or Europe. The gap is largest for startups and small entities. But official fees are only one part of the budget, and each office charges in a different way.
This guide sets out the main official fees at each office as they stand in October 2026. It does not include attorney fees, drafting, translations or currency conversion. Those usually cost more than the official fees themselves.
- In India, a startup or small entity can file and request examination online for ₹5,600 in official fees. A large company pays ₹28,000.
- At the USPTO, filing, search, examination and issue fees for a large entity total $3,290. Small entities pay 40 percent and micro entities 20 percent of that.
- At the EPO, the main fees up to grant total about €5,595 from 1 April 2026, before claims fees and renewal fees.
- Renewal fees over the life of a patent usually cost more than getting the patent granted.
- Every office charges extra for long specifications or many claims, so drafting choices affect cost.
India: official fees under the Patents Rules
The First Schedule to the Patents Rules, 2003 sets the fees. There are two rates. The lower rate applies to a natural person, a startup, a small entity or an educational institution. The higher rate applies to everyone else, including any application where such a person files jointly with a large company. Paper filing costs about 10 percent more than online filing.
Filing and examination
- Application for a patent (Form 1): ₹1,600 at the lower rate and ₹8,000 at the higher rate, for online filing.
- The base fee covers up to 30 pages and 10 claims. Each extra sheet costs ₹160 or ₹800. Each claim above 10 costs ₹320 or ₹1,600.
- Request for examination (Form 18): ₹4,000 or ₹20,000. A request made under rule 20(4)(ii) costs ₹5,600 or ₹28,000.
- Request for expedited examination (Form 18A): ₹8,000 or ₹60,000. Expedited examination is open only to specified categories of applicant.
- Request for early publication (Form 9): ₹2,500 or ₹12,500.
So a startup filing a complete specification of 30 pages with 10 claims pays ₹5,600 to file and request examination. A large company pays ₹28,000 for the same application. A startup or small entity claims the lower rate by filing Form 28 with supporting evidence. Foreign companies can qualify as startups or small entities if they meet the definitions in the Rules.
Renewal fees
Renewal fees start in the third year, counted from the date of the patent. They rise in four bands.
- Years 3 to 6: ₹800 or ₹4,000 a year.
- Years 7 to 10: ₹2,400 or ₹12,000 a year.
- Years 11 to 15: ₹4,800 or ₹24,000 a year.
- Years 16 to 20: ₹8,000 or ₹40,000 a year.
Keeping a patent alive for the full 20 years costs ₹76,800 in renewal fees at the lower rate. At the higher rate it costs ₹3,84,000. Our step by step guide to filing a patent in India explains where each fee falls in the process.
United States: USPTO fees
The USPTO fee schedule effective 19 January 2025 is still current. It has three tiers. Small entities pay 40 percent of the large entity fee. Micro entities pay 20 percent. Small entity status depends mainly on size and on not having licensed the invention to a large entity. Micro entity status adds limits on income and on earlier filings.
- Basic filing fee for a utility application: $350, $140 or $70.
- Search fee: $770, $308 or $154.
- Examination fee: $880, $352 or $176.
- Issue fee on allowance: $1,290, $516 or $258.
- Provisional application: $325, $130 or $65.
- Each claim over 20: $200. Each independent claim over three: $600. Both are at the large entity rate.
- A surcharge of $400 for a large entity applies to applications not filed electronically.
So the core fees from filing to grant total $3,290 for a large entity, $1,316 for a small entity and $658 for a micro entity. After grant, maintenance fees fall due at 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years. For a large entity they are $2,150, $4,040 and $8,280. Small and micro entities pay the same reduced percentages.
Europe: EPO fees from 1 April 2026
The EPO adjusted its fees on 1 April 2026. A European patent application pays the following main fees.
- Filing fee for online filing: €135. Each page above 35 costs €17 more.
- Search fee: €1,595.
- Designation fee: €720, covering all designated states.
- Examination fee: €2,010 for a direct European application. A Euro PCT application without a supplementary search report pays €2,240.
- Fee for grant: €1,135.
- Claims fee: €290 for each claim from the 16th to the 50th, and €720 from the 51st.
These main fees total about €5,595 up to grant. Renewal fees are payable to the EPO while the application is pending. They start in the third year counted from the filing date. The third year fee is €725 and the fee reaches €1,865 from the tenth year.
A 30 percent reduction applies to several fees for microenterprises, natural persons, non profit bodies, universities and public research organisations. The applicant must have filed fewer than five European applications in the previous five years. Small and medium enterprises do not qualify. After grant, the patent is either validated country by country or registered as a Unitary Patent. Each route has its own renewal and translation costs.
How the three systems compare
- Who gets a discount. India gives the lower rate to individuals, startups, small entities and educational institutions. The discount is often 80 percent. The US gives 60 percent off to small entities and 80 percent off to micro entities. The EPO gives 30 percent off to a narrower group.
- When examination is paid. India charges for examination only when the applicant asks for it, within 31 months from priority. The US charges search and examination fees on filing. They may be paid later with a surcharge. The EPO examination and designation fees fall due within six months after the search report is published.
- Renewals. India and the EPO charge annual fees. The US charges three maintenance fees after grant.
- Size of the application. All three charge for extra pages and claims. India counts sheets above 30 and claims above 10. The EPO counts claims above 15. The US counts claims above 20 and independent claims above three.
For an Indian startup, the official fees for the Indian application are small. The real cost lies in drafting, in responding to examination reports and in filing abroad. Our guide to protecting startup IP on a budget covers how to stage those costs, and our note on when to file a PCT application covers the timing of foreign filings.
Practical steps to control cost
- Check whether you qualify for the lower rate in India, small or micro entity status in the US, or the EPO reduction. File the required declaration at the start.
- Draft claims with care. In India, keep to 10 claims where you can. At the EPO, keep to 15. In the US, keep to 20 claims and three independent claims.
- Decide early whether expedited examination in India is worth its higher fee for your applicant category.
- Budget for renewal fees before grant. They grow each year and can exceed the cost of filing.
- Review the portfolio each year and drop patents that no longer protect a product or a licence.
Our patent services cover drafting and filing in India, and our international filing support covers the US, the EPO and PCT routes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the patent filing cost in India for a startup?
The official fees to file online and request examination are ₹5,600 for a complete specification up to 30 pages and 10 claims. Attorney and drafting fees are extra.
How much does a US patent cost in official fees?
Filing, search, examination and issue fees total $3,290 for a large entity, $1,316 for a small entity and $658 for a micro entity. Extra claims and maintenance fees cost more.
How much are EPO fees in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the main fees are €135 to file online, €1,595 for search, €720 for designation, €2,010 for examination and €1,135 for grant.