Japanese Patent Application Flow and Fee Timing
JPO fees and attorney fees by stage

In a Japanese patent application, not all fees arise at the beginning. JPO fees and patent attorney fees generally arise step by step as the application proceeds.

Key points

Fees mainly arise at filing, request for examination, response to an office action, and registration. A prior art search is optional, but useful when you wish to check similar technologies before filing.

When claiming priority

If domestic priority or Paris Convention priority is claimed, the later application must generally be filed within one year from the filing date of the basic application. Deadline management is important.

Request for examination and timing

In Japan, substantive examination does not start merely by filing. A request for examination must be filed within three years from the filing date. According to JPO statistics, the average period from request for examination to the first examination result is about 9.1 months, and the average period from request to grant is about 13.0 months.

Office action response

Receiving a notice of reasons for refusal is common in Japanese patent practice. The applicant may respond by filing arguments and/or amendments. At this stage, attorney fees usually arise.

Summary

JPO fees and attorney fees arise in stages. Actual fees and timing vary depending on the number of claims, technical field and examination history, and will be advised for each matter.

How MEVRO Can Support You

Source: Prepared by MEVRO based on public materials of the Japan Patent Office. This page provides general information only; actual fees and timing vary by case.

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