Revision of Fee Schedule Under 2015 Amendments (Effective on April 1, 2016)
06
February
By
UpdatedMarch 03,2016 14:43pm
Following the enactment of the Act on Partial Amendments to the Patent Act .etc (hereinafter referred to as “Amended Laws, etc.”), the fee schedule for patents, trademarks and international searches concerning international applications has been revised.
The new fee schedule that will be effective after the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016) is displayed as follows. In addition, how to apply new and old fee rules during the transitional period is also explained below.
After this amendment, the application fees and annuity fees for patent will decrease around 10% and the renewal fees for registered trademark will decrease about 25%.
New fee rules after April 1, 2016
Patent annual fees (for applications for which examinations were requested on and before March 31, 2004)
(2) Trademarks
Registration fees and renewal fees
Individual fees for trademark right based on international registration
(3) Fees concerning PCT international applications
Applicability of new fee rules
* The old fee rules shall apply to patent fees and others that will be paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
* The new fee rules shall apply to patent fees and others that will be paid on and after the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
* The old fee rules shall apply to the following patent fees, etc. even after the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(1) Patent (registration) fees to be paid for the establishment of registration of rights if the 30th day calculated from the day when the certified copy of the examiner's decision to grant a patent is served is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(2) Patent fees and patent surcharge, and trademark registration fees and trademark registration surcharges (if only the time limit for the payment is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(3) The second payment of the registration fee to be paid by installments, the first payment of which was paid according to the old fee rules (e.g. because it was paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force); and the second payment of the renewal fee to be paid by installments, the first payment of which was paid according to the old fee rules (e.g. because it was paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force).
(4) International search fees and additional search fees concerning international applications shall be based on the filing day of international applications*1, and preliminary examination fees and additional preliminary examination fees shall be based on the payment day of the preliminary examination fees. If such base day is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016), the old fee rules shall apply, and if such base day is on and after the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016), the new fee rules shall apply.
(5) The filing day of international applications is the day when international applications are received (PCT Regulations 14.1 (c), 15.3, and 16.1 (f)).
The new fee schedule that will be effective after the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016) is displayed as follows. In addition, how to apply new and old fee rules during the transitional period is also explained below.
After this amendment, the application fees and annuity fees for patent will decrease around 10% and the renewal fees for registered trademark will decrease about 25%.
New fee rules after April 1, 2016
(1) Patents
Application fees | ||
Before revision |
After revision |
|
Patent application | ¥15,000 | ¥14,000 |
Application in foreign language | ¥24,000 | ¥22,000 |
Submission under the Patent Acts 184-5 (1) | ¥15,000 | ¥14,000 |
Request under the Patent Acts 184-20 (1) | ¥15,000 | ¥14,000 |
Patent annual fees (for applications for which examinations were requested on and after April 1, 2004) | ||
Before revision | After revision | |
1–3rd year: annually | ¥2,300 + ¥200 per claim | ¥2,100 + ¥200 per claim |
4-6th year: annually | ¥7,100 + ¥500 per claim | ¥6,400 + ¥500 per claim |
7-9th year: annually | ¥21,400 + ¥1,700 per claim | ¥19,300 + ¥1,500 per claim |
10-25th year: annually | ¥61,600 + ¥4,800 per claim | ¥55,400 + ¥4,300 per claim |
Patent annual fees (for applications for which examinations were requested on and before March 31, 2004)
Before revision | After revision | |
1–3rd year: annually | ¥11,400 + ¥1,000 per claim | ¥10,300 + ¥900 per claim |
4-6th year: annually | ¥17,900 + ¥1,400 per claim | ¥16,100 + ¥1,300 per claim |
7-9th year: annually | ¥35,800 + ¥2,800 per claim | ¥32,200 + ¥2,500 per claim |
10-25th year: annually | ¥71,600 + ¥5,600 per claim | ¥64,400 + ¥5,000 per claim |
(2) Trademarks
Registration fees and renewal fees
Before revision | After revision | |
Registration fee (for 10 years) | ¥37,600 per classification |
¥28,200 per classification |
Registration fee (by installments) | ¥21,900 per classification |
¥16,400 per classification |
Renewal fee (for 10 years) | ¥48,500 per classification |
¥38,800 per classification |
Renewal fee (by installments) | ¥28,300 per classification |
¥22,600 per classification |
Defensive mark registration fee | ¥37,600 per classification |
¥28,200 per classification |
Defensive mark renewal fee | ¥41,800 per classification |
¥33,400 per classification |
Individual fees for trademark right based on international registration
Before revision | After revision | |
Equivalent to registration fee | ¥37,600 per classification |
¥28,200 per classification |
Equivalent to renewal fee | ¥48,500 per classification |
¥38,800 per classification |
(3) Fees concerning PCT international applications
Before revision |
After revision | ||
For an application in Japanese |
For an application in English |
||
International search fee and transmittal fee | ¥80,000 | ¥80,000 | ¥166,000 |
Additional search fee per invention | ¥60,000 | ¥60,000 | ¥126,000 |
Preliminary examination fee | ¥26,000 | ¥26,000 | ¥58,000 |
Additional preliminary examination fee per invention | ¥15,000 | ¥15,000 | ¥34,000 |
Applicability of new fee rules
* The old fee rules shall apply to patent fees and others that will be paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
* The new fee rules shall apply to patent fees and others that will be paid on and after the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
* The old fee rules shall apply to the following patent fees, etc. even after the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(1) Patent (registration) fees to be paid for the establishment of registration of rights if the 30th day calculated from the day when the certified copy of the examiner's decision to grant a patent is served is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(2) Patent fees and patent surcharge, and trademark registration fees and trademark registration surcharges (if only the time limit for the payment is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016).
(3) The second payment of the registration fee to be paid by installments, the first payment of which was paid according to the old fee rules (e.g. because it was paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force); and the second payment of the renewal fee to be paid by installments, the first payment of which was paid according to the old fee rules (e.g. because it was paid before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force).
(4) International search fees and additional search fees concerning international applications shall be based on the filing day of international applications*1, and preliminary examination fees and additional preliminary examination fees shall be based on the payment day of the preliminary examination fees. If such base day is before the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016), the old fee rules shall apply, and if such base day is on and after the day when the Amended Laws, etc. come into force (April 1, 2016), the new fee rules shall apply.
(5) The filing day of international applications is the day when international applications are received (PCT Regulations 14.1 (c), 15.3, and 16.1 (f)).
Recommended News
Most popular Article
First
Second

Producers of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ win dismissal of copyright suit over ‘Soft Kitty’ lyrics
Apr 10,2017
Producers of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ win dismissal of copyright suit over &lsq...