Patent Filing Fees in India (2026)
Patents Rules, 2003, First Schedule · Paid to the Indian Patent Office
The government fee to file a patent application in India is ₹1,600 for a natural person, startup, small entity or educational institution and ₹8,000 for any other applicant when Form 1 is e-filed (Patents Rules, 2003, First Schedule). Examination is a separate fee: ₹4,000 or ₹20,000 on Form 18, or ₹8,000 or ₹60,000 for expedited examination on Form 18A. Renewal fees are payable every year from the third year.
- Reviewed by
- Registered Patent Agent
- Last updated
- Statutory fees only. From the First Schedule, with the date we last checked them.
- Your category confirmed. Whether the reduced fee applies, and the Form 28 proof needed.
- Lifetime costs mapped. Examination, extensions and renewals planned from filing.
- Vashi, Navi MumbaiOur office, Sector 30A
- Since 2008Filing with IP India
- Drafting to grantSpecification, FER reply and hearing
- Filing abroadConvention and PCT routes from India
Patent government fees at a glance
- Schedule
- First Schedule, Patents Rules, 2003, as amended
- Reduced tier
- Natural persons, startups, small entities and educational institutions
- Claimed on
- Form 28, with proof of status
- Filing fee covers
- Up to 30 pages and 10 claims; extra pages and claims cost more
- Paper filing
- About 10% more than e-filing; Form 18A is e-filing only
What are the official patent fees for e-filing?
| Government fee, e-filing | Natural person, startup, small entity or educational institution | All other applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Application for grant of a patent (provisional or complete)Form 1up to 30 pages and 10 claims | ₹1,600 | ₹8,000 |
| Request for examinationForm 18per application | ₹4,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Request for expedited examination (eligible applicants only)Form 18Aper application, e-filing only | ₹8,000 | ₹60,000 |
Government fees from Patents Rules, 2003, First Schedule, as amended (IP India), as checked on . Statutory fees only; the firm's professional fee is quoted separately in writing.
Expedited examination on Form 18A is open only to eligible applicants, such as startups, small entities, women applicants who are natural persons, government bodies, and applicants that chose the Indian Patent Office as PCT search or examination authority.
What does paper filing cost for a patent examination request?
| Government fee, paper filing | Natural person, startup, small entity or educational institution | All other applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Request for examinationForm 18per application | ₹4,400 | ₹22,000 |
Government fees from Patents Rules, 2003, First Schedule, as amended (IP India), as checked on . Statutory fees only; the firm's professional fee is quoted separately in writing.
Hard-copy filing carries an additional fee over e-filing under the First Schedule. We file online.
Who qualifies for the reduced patent fee?
Four kinds of applicant pay the reduced fee in the First Schedule:
- Natural persons, applying alone or jointly with other natural persons.
- Startups recognised by DPIIT, or a foreign entity meeting the equivalent criteria in the Rules.
- Small entities, enterprises within the small-enterprise limits under the MSME law, or a foreign equivalent.
- Educational institutions, as defined in the Patents Rules.
The status is declared on Form 28 with supporting proof, filed with each fee-bearing document. If every applicant is not in a reduced category, the higher fee applies. If the application is later transferred to an applicant outside the reduced categories, the difference in fees becomes payable.
What other official fees arise during a patent’s life?
These fees exist in the First Schedule but depend on your case. We confirm the amount for each in writing when it arises.
| Fee | When it arises | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Excess pages and claims | With the complete specification | Charged per page over 30 and per claim over 10 |
| Early publication (Form 9) | Optional, any time before 18 months | Brings publication and provisional rights forward |
| Extension of time (Form 4) | When a deadline needs more time | For example, the three-month FER extension |
| Renewal fees | Every year from the third year, by the anniversary of filing | Rise in bands over the 20-year term |
| Restoration of a lapsed patent (Form 15) | Within 18 months of lapse | With the unpaid renewal fees (Section 60) |
| Post-grant changes (for example Form 16) | On assignment or change of owner | To record the new patentee |
Form 9, renewal and restoration amounts are not shown here because we could not confirm them against the official schedule on the date checked. We quote them from the First Schedule when they arise.
What does it cost in government fees to file and examine a patent?
Worked examples using the e-filing fees above, for a complete specification within 30 pages and 10 claims. They exclude professional fees and renewal fees.
| Applicant | Calculation | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| Startup, normal examination | ₹1,600 + ₹4,000 | ₹5,600 |
| Startup, expedited examination | ₹1,600 + ₹8,000 | ₹9,600 |
| Individual inventor, normal examination | ₹1,600 + ₹4,000 | ₹5,600 |
| Company, normal examination | ₹8,000 + ₹20,000 | ₹28,000 |
Patent fee FAQs
Is there a separate fee for a provisional and a complete specification?
The application is filed on Form 1 with the filing fee when the provisional is filed. Filing the complete specification within 12 months does not attract a second Form 1 fee, but excess page and claim fees are assessed on it.
When do patent renewal fees start in India?
From the third year after the date of filing. Renewal fees are paid every year to keep the patent in force, and can be paid in advance for several years.
Does a startup pay less for patent examination?
Yes. A DPIIT-recognised startup pays the reduced fee for Form 18 and Form 18A, and can request expedited examination.
Can a large company use expedited examination?
Only on specific grounds, such as having chosen the Indian Patent Office as its PCT search or examination authority, or under a patent prosecution highway arrangement. The higher Form 18A fee applies.
Are the government fees refundable?
Generally no. One exception in the Rules is a partial refund of the examination fee when an application is withdrawn before the first examination report is issued, on a request made in time.
Is GST charged on patent government fees?
The statutory fee is paid to the Patent Office as set in the schedule. GST applies to professional fees, not to the government fee.
Official sources
Further reading
- PCT Deadlines and Costs from India: 12, 30 and 31 Months (2026)The 12, 30 and 31-month PCT deadlines from India, the decisions at each one, and when the official fees and other costs fall.
- Provisional vs Complete Specification: Which Should You File First?What each specification must contain, what a provisional really protects, and the fixed 12-month deadline.