News

JPO Fee Reduction System for Small Entities to be Applied More Broadly

Mar. 19, 2019

Currently, the JPO implements a system to reduce the fee for requesting examination, and the patent fee for the first to the tenth year, for small entities such as small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, etc. Depending on the status of an applicant, these fees can be reduced to half or one-third of the normal fees by utilizing this fee reduction system.
 
As of April 1, 2019, the JPO will implement a modified fee reduction system in accordance with amendments made to the Patent Law. Modifications to the fee reduction system include expansion of the scope of applicants or patentees to whom the fee reduction system is available, and simplification of the procedures for utilizing the system.
 
Under the current fee reduction system, only some small and medium-sized enterprises, such as research-driven enterprises, enterprises having 20 employees or less, and enterprises founded within the last 10 years are eligible to utilize the fee reduction system. As of April 1, applicants eligible to utilize the fee reduction system will be expanded to all small and medium-sized enterprises.
 
Further, under the modified fee reduction system, documents providing proof of eligibility will not be required.
 
The modified fee reduction system will be applied to patent applications for which a Request for Examination is filed on or after April 1, 2019.
 
 
Overview of the new fee reduction system (Japan Patent Office JPO))
https://www.jpo.go.jp/system/process/tesuryo/genmen/genmen20190401/document/index/leaflet_e.pdf
 
Updated July 17, 2019


 
Summary prepared by Taro Yoko, International Information Group
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