Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Information
For information concerning PCT member countries, see the notice
appearing in the Official Gazette at 1234 O.G. 28, on May 9, 2000.
Either the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the
European Patent Office may act as the International Searching
Authority for an international application filed in the United States
Receiving Office or the International Bureau as Receiving Office where
at least one of the applicants is either a national or resident of the
United States of America.
The European Patent Office may act as the International Preliminary
Examining Authority for an international application filed in the United
States Receiving Office or the International Bureau as Receiving Office
where at least one of the applicants is either a national or resident of
the United States of America, provided that the European Patent Office
acted as the International Searching Authority.
The search fee of the European Patent Office was decreased, effective
November 1, 2000, and was announced in the Official Gazette at 1239
O.G. 116, on October 17, 2000.
International fees were changed, effective on November 15, 2000, due to
a change in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar with regard to the Swiss
franc, and were announced in the Official Gazette at 1229 O.G. 116, on
October 17, 2000. A change in the maximum number of designation fees
payable, with effect from January 1, 2000, was announced in the Official
Gazette at 1229 O.G. 4, on December 7, 1999. A change in the reduction
for electronic filing, with effect from January 1, 2000, was announced
in the Official Gazette at 1229 O.G. 4, on December 7, 1999.
Certain domestic PCT fees have been changed by Public Law 106-113 on
November 29, 1999, and were announced in the Official Gazette
at 1229 O.G. 38, on December 14, 1999. The effective date of the fee change
is December 29, 1999.
The schedule of PCT fees (in U.S. dollars), as of November 15, 2000,
is as follows:
International Application (PCT Chapter I) fees:
Transmittal fee: $240.00
Search Fee
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as
International Searching Authority (ISA)
- No corresponding prior U.S. national
application filed under
35 U.S.C. 111(a) $700.00
- Corresponding prior U.S. national
application filed under 35 U.S.C.
111(a) and filing fee under
37 CFR 1.16(a) paid $450.00
- Supplemental search fee, per
additional invention (payable only upon invitation) $210.00
European Patent Office as ISA $846.00
International fees
Basic fee $382.00
Basic supplemental fee (for each page
over 30) $9.00
Designation fee per country or region
- For the first 8 national or regional
offices designated $82.00
- For each designation in excess
of 8 offices No Charge
Precautionary designation fee and confirmation fee
for each precautionary designation confirmed
(PCT Rule 15.5)
- Designation fee $82.00
- Confirmation fee $41.00
(A reduction of $117 in the international fees is available in certain cases
where PCT-EASY software is used to prepare the request, provided that the
necessary conditions are met. See 1217 OG 131 (December 29, 1998)).
International Application (PCT Chapter II) fees associated
with filing a Demand for Preliminary Examination:
Handling fee $137.00
Preliminary examination fee
USPTO as International Preliminary
Examining Authority (IPEA)
- USPTO was ISA in PCT Chapter I $490.00
- Additional examination fee, per
additional invention (payable only
upon invitation) $140.00
- USPTO was not ISA in PCT Chapter I $750.00
- Additional examination fee,
per additional invention (payable
only upon invitation) $270.00
Small
U.S. National Stage Fees Entity Regular
Basic National fee
USPTO was IPEA
- All claims presented satisfied
provisions of PCT Article
33(2) to (4) $50.00 $100.00
- All claims presented did not satisfy
provisons of PCT Article
33(2) to (4) $345.00 $690.00
USPTO was ISA but not IPEA $355.00 $710.00
USPTO was neither ISA nor IPEA
- Search report has not been prepared
by the European Patent Office or
the Japanese Patent Office $500.00 $1,000.00
- Search report has been prepared by
the European Patent Office or the
Japanese Patent Office $430.00 $860.00
Other National fees
- For each independent
claim in excess of 3 $40.00 $80.00
- For each claim in excess of 20 $9.00 $18.00
- For each application con-
taining a multiple depen-
dent claim $135.00 $270.00
- Surcharge for filing oath or
declaration after the time
limit applicable under PCT
Article 22 or 39(1) $65.00 $130.00
- Processing fee for filing
English translation after
the time limit applicable
under PCT Article 22 or
39(1) $130.00 $130.00
Sept. 22, 2000 Q. TODD DICKINSON
Under Secretary of Commerce for
Intellectual Property and Director of the
United States Patent and Trademark Office