IPO proposes fee increases of 25% in 2026

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

The UK’s Intellectual Property Office is asking Parliament to approve an increase in the fees it charges for IP registration and related services by an average of 25% to offset rising costs.

If Parliament does approve, the UK IPO intends for the prices rises to take effect from April 1st, 2026.

In a news story posted to its website, the IPO explains:

“The IPO’s fees have not increased since 2018 for patents, 2016 for designs and 1998 for trade marks. During this time, the IPO has avoided fee increases by improving efficiency and investing in digital services using existing reserves. The proposed 25% increase allows us to address the 32% rise in inflation since 2016 and future cost pressures that cannot be fully offset through further efficiency savings or reserves. These increases will enable the IPO to continue to invest in its systems and provide high quality services.”

The IPO says it will publish full guidance early next year to help customers whose fees may be due around the time of the planned changes. However, in the official notification on the UK Government website, it does include a list of all proposed fee changes, which can be accessed here.

The proposed price increases would see, for example, charges for a patent search going up from £150 to £200 and a trademark application from £170 to £205. A patent renewal in year five (the point at which patent holders have to start paying to renew their rights) would increase from £70 to £90; renewal fees for year 20 (the final year a patent can last for) would increase from £610 to £810.

Anybody with patents, trademarks, or design rights should check with whoever is responsible for initial registration and renewal of these rights; there is an option to pay fees up to three months in advance, so anyone with rights that are expiring (and that can be renewed) may want to pay early as it could save significant amounts.

Inngot’s Head of IP Services, Dr Ian Goodyer, says:

"Anyone with IP expiring soon may want to renew early to avoid the price increase. You can pay up to three months before the date of renewal, and you'll be charged the rates that are in force then. So, if your renewal date is early 2026 – or even May or June 2026 – you could save some money. Talk to your in-house IP team, or to whatever external providers you use for drafting and filing trademark, patent and design applications with the IPO."

Dr Goodyer adds:

“Events like this underscore the importance of having a full register listing all your IP rights, both granted and applied for, and the dates they are due to be renewed. Also, some clients may have opted to delay paying filing fees, which they can do for up to a year in the case of patents; they may want to review this decision, if paying before April 1st, 2026, saves them money.”