UK Intellectual Property Office Announces Fees Increase

The UKIPO Announces Fees to Increase From April 2026 – First Increase for Several Years

It has been announced that official fees charged by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) will increase on 1st April 2026. The changes apply across the full range of patent, trade mark and design services. The last increases levied by the UKIPO were in 2018 for patent fees, 2016 for design fees and as far back as 1998 for trade mark fees. During that period, inflation has risen by about 32% and the UKIPO states that an increase has become necessary to maintain service quality and support investment in its systems.

The new fees remain subject to parliamentary approval but they are expected to take effect on the date proposed.

A full list of the new fees can be viewed here at the UKIPO website.

The changes form part of the UKIPO’s wider modernisation programme as the Office continues to upgrade its digital services under the ‘One IPO Transformation Programme’, which aims to introduce a consolidated system for patents, trade marks and designs.

According to the UKIPO, earlier fee freezes were achieved through process improvements and the use of existing financial reserves, but now, these measures can no longer offset the increased cost base.

The new fees apply to almost all activity before the UKIPO. Applicants and rights holders will see changes to filing costs, oppositions and invalidity proceedings, recordals, renewals and restorations.

The average increase across the fee schedule is about 25%.

Whilst that may seem a very sizeable increase, overall costs at the UKIPO compare favourably with the fees charged at most other national and regional offices.

Indeed, the UK system is cheap compared to other national offices and many businesses will continue to view the UK as a cost-effective jurisdiction for obtaining and maintaining IP protection.

Patents

Patent applicants will see an increase in official fees. These changes cover filing and search fees, examination fees, renewal fees and a range of post-grant actions.

Unlike trade marks and designs, patents can be renewed only three months before the due date, so the window for early payment to avoid the higher fee is narrower.

Nonetheless, owners of significant portfolios may wish to plan renewal timetables to ensure that all eligible renewals can be addressed before the new fee structure comes into effect.

Patent applicants who expect to file new patents in the next financial year may also consider advancing filings to mitigate additional filing costs, although once we move past 1st April 2026 the various new fees that will fall as a patent application progresses (e.g. requests for searches and examination) will become payable.

Businesses with ongoing research and development pipelines may find it useful to review future filings now, in case some filings can be secured prior to 1st April 2026.

The recordal of assignments, licences and security interests will also attract increased fees.

Trade marks

Trade mark applicants can expect new application fees, higher costs for additional classes and changes to opposition fees.

Applications filed on or after 1st April 2026 will be charged at the updated rates.

Applicants who intend to file new trade marks in the UK may therefore wish to advance filing plans where possible.

The fee for filing a notice of opposition will rise and rights holders who regularly enforce their rights should consider whether to bring forward the date when they oppose.

Businesses planning to clear older marks from the register should also be aware that revocation and invalidity proceedings will attract higher official fees.

Renewal costs will increase, but keep in mind that trade mark registrations can be renewed up to six months in advance of their expiry date.

Owners of large portfolios may therefore wish to review UK registration renewal deadlines due before October 2026 and identify any registrations that qualify for early renewal ahead of the new fee structure (i.e. any trade mark registration due for renewal before 1st October 2026 can be renewed before 1st April 2026 at the current fee rate)

Recordal fees will also rise. These include applications to record licences, changes of ownership, security interests and other registrable transactions.

Designs

Registered design applicants will face increased filing fees and higher costs for additional designs in multiple applications.

The UK system remains comparatively economical and encourages the use of multiple applications to protect a series of related designs.

Again, businesses planning to protect new design collections may wish to expedite their instructions to file designs so as to take advantage of the current lower fees.

The fee increases also apply to renewals. Registered designs can be renewed every five years up to a maximum term of twenty-five years and can be made six months before the deadline.

Therefore, businesses that rely heavily on appearance-led products may benefit from early renewal of key designs before 1st April 2026 and take advantage of the fact that design registrations (as with trade mark registrations) can be renewed up to six months in advance.

Recordal fees will rise in a similar manner to patents and trade marks.

It almost goes without saying that all businesses should review their UK patent, trade mark and design portfolios well in advance of 1st April 2026.

This will help identify opportunities to file or renew before the increases take effect. Of course, the larger the UK portfolios the larger the potential for savings.

The renewal windows for trade marks and designs offer the greatest opportunity for cost savings because it is possible to renew these up to six months in advance of the renewal dates.

Patent owners have more limited scope of a three-month window, but may still gain from a methodical review of renewal dates.

Businesses planning new filings may also benefit from early action because filing strategies can sometimes take several months to finalise and coordination with other jurisdictions may be required.

Applicants should therefore assess upcoming filing projects to ensure that applications are ready well before the 1st April 2026 implementation date.

Any parties presently considering enforcing their rights by challenging others should be aware of increased fees for oppositions, invalidity actions and revocations. It will be cost-effective to commence proceedings before the new fees apply, where there is practically possible to do so.