The fees usually make up only a part of the total cost of patent protection. There are often additional expenses such as support from specialists, searches, or representation before other IP offices.

Fees for the application, examination and grant of a patent

• Application fee: this includes up to ten patent claims
• Examination fee
• Claims fees: for the eleventh patent claim and each subsequent patent claim
• Fee for an accelerated examination procedure

The optional Swiss Patent Application Search is also subject to a fee.

Renewal fees

• To keep a patent in force, annual fees have to be paid from the fourth year after the filing date. They are payable regardless of whether the application is still being examined or whether the patent has already been granted.

• Preliminary searches, developing the patenting strategy and preparing the technical documents
• Support from specialists, in particular, patent attorneys
• Translation of the patent application and patent specification for patent protection abroad
• Costs for enforcing the patent

Overview of the most important fees in the Swiss, European and international patent procedures