USPTO reveals 2013 fee changes

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

USPTO reveals 2013 fee changes

The USPTO has published new fees, most of which come into force on March 19

The changes will see reductions to the basic filing fee for utility patents (down to $280 from $380 for large entities) and design patents (reduced from $250 to $180).

Issue fees will be reduced and the $300 publication fee will be abolished in January 2014.

But maintenance fees are being increased, by between 26% and 56%.

There are also changes to claim fees, RCE fees, appeals, ex parte re-examination and inter partes reviews.

The fee changes result from the America Invents Act, which requires the USPTO to recover sufficient fees to cover its costs.

The agency proposed fee rules in September last year, and has reduced some fees in response to feedback received since then.

There are discounts for small and micro entities of up to 75% on many fees.

The full list of new fees is available on the USPTO website. Dennis Crouch on Patently O has summarised the major changes.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Law firms across the world are seemingly united in their reluctance to give juniors a chance, which shouldn’t be the case
In-house counsel say they want more visibility for the next generation of lawyers, but private practice practitioners believe jurisdictional challenges stand in their way
IP STARS, Managing IP’s accreditation title, reveals this year’s first rankings, showing how firms in Asia-Pacific are performing across a range of practice areas
A dispute over buggies, a decision on the UPC’s jurisdiction, and the formal launch of the Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre were among the top developments
Sofie McPherson says she is excited to work at a firm that offers an integrated approach between attorneys and litigators
Personality rights are among several measures the government must take to maximise the potential of the music licensing market, say lawyers
Pascal Faure, director general of INPI, explains why keeping a cool head is key, and discusses plans to leverage IP assets to secure funding
Lawyers at Carpmaels & Ransford explain how the healthcare sector has not simply participated in the UPC’s early years, but actively shaped it
The firm has hired former in-house counsel Quintin Cassady to lead the launch of the new office
The combined firm has strong IP credentials across the US, Middle East, UK and Europe, despite Taylor Wessing’s German and French practices not joining
Gift this article