Patent protection in the United Kingdom

Questions about patents in the United Kingdom

How much does a patent cost in the United Kingdom?

Our estimate is about US$2,958 to take a PCT application to grant in the United Kingdom. That is about US$610 in official fees and US$2,347 in attorney fees. By stage: filing US$939, search US$538, examination request US$462, office action response US$718 and grant / issuance / publication US$300 (one office action response included). Renewal fees over the patent's life add an estimated US$8,066. These are estimates only, for a standard application (10 claims, 30 pages, a company applicant): the actual cost depends on the law firm and the application. Request a quote from a law firm on this site for an exact price.

What is the PCT national phase deadline for the United Kingdom, and which routes are there?

The PCT national phase for the United Kingdom must be entered within 31 months of the earliest priority date. A European patent, granted by the European Patent Office, can also be validated in the United Kingdom; most patent protection there is obtained this way.

In which technologies is the United Kingdom an important patent market?

The United Kingdom's 10 largest fields of technology by patent publications are computer technology (1,201 a year), civil engineering (953 a year), transport (731 a year), electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (661 a year), medical technology (624 a year), digital communication (575 a year), measurement (563 a year), furniture, games (459 a year), engines, pumps, turbines (367 a year) and other consumer goods (362 a year). Within its region, it stands out for furniture, games (#4 in Europe and Central Asia), computer technology (#4 in Europe and Central Asia), audio-visual technology (#4 in Europe and Central Asia), biotechnology (#4 in Europe and Central Asia), basic communication processes (#5 in Europe and Central Asia) and civil engineering (#5 in Europe and Central Asia). Publications are growing fastest in materials, metallurgy (22% a year), digital communication (15% a year) and biotechnology (9% a year).

What does the United Kingdom's economy make and export?

The United Kingdom's GDP is US$4,002.6bn, of which services US$2,925.8bn, industry US$660.0bn (of which manufacturing US$307.3bn) and agriculture US$25.6bn. Spending a year: households US$2,419.1bn and health care US$407.2bn. The United Kingdom's exports of goods came to US$423.7bn in 2024. Its 10 largest exports were cars (US$36.2bn, 9% of its exports, #9 in the world), jet engines and gas turbines (US$32.2bn, 8% of its exports, #2 in the world), packaged medicines (US$18.2bn, 4% of its exports, #10 in the world), crude oil (US$17.1bn, 4% of its exports, #19 in the world), gold (US$15.1bn, 4% of its exports, #8 in the world), aircraft parts (US$12.9bn, 3% of its exports, #2 in the world), refined petroleum products (US$11.9bn, 3% of its exports, #18 in the world), spirits (US$9.0bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world), vaccines, blood products and biologics (US$6.8bn, 2% of its exports, #12 in the world) and natural gas and LPG (US$5.7bn, 1% of its exports, #16 in the world). It is also one of the world's top exporters of paintings (#2, US$2.5bn), diesel engines (#3, US$4.1bn) and iron and steel scrap (#3, US$3.4bn). Where products are made, a patent there can stop infringing copies being made, not only being sold.