Anyone who files a patent application usually wants to know early on: When will it become a granted patent?
There is no general answer to this question. The duration of a German patent grant procedure depends not only on the processing time at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office, but also on the chosen filing strategy.
How long does it take from filing a German patent application to patent grant? read more
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the summer, the whole world will be watching the action on the pitch. But it is also worth taking a look behind the scenes: few events bring together so many industrial property rights in such a concentrated space as a World Cup tournament. Even the ball rolling across the grass is a small lesson in intellectual property.
Selected IP rights show how patents, designs and trademarks interact in modern football.
How Much Intellectual Property Is Behind the 2026 FIFA World Cup? read more
Our new PCT Phase Entry Fee Calculator provides applicants, in-house IP departments and foreign patent attorneys with a practical first estimate of deadlines and official fees for entering the German national phase or European regional phase from a PCT application.
Introducing Our PCT Phase Entry Fee Calculator read more
An international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) gives applicants the advantage of initially covering more than 150 contracting states with a single filing. However, this does not yet create patent protection in Germany. By the end of the international phase at the latest, the application must be moved into the national phase before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) or into the European regional phase before the European Patent Office (EPO). Applicants opting for the direct route via the DPMA should pay particular attention to the 31-month deadline as well as the required formalities and official fees.
Anyone filing a trade mark application with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) should pay particular attention to the number of classes of goods and services. The official basic fee covers up to three classes; from the fourth class onward, an additional class fee is charged for each further class. The official costs therefore depend significantly on the goods or services for which trade mark protection is claimed.
German Trade Mark: What Official Fees Are Charged by the DPMA? read more
From 1 June 2026, the Republic of Moldova will be an EPC contracting state and thus part of the regular European patent system.
Republic of Moldova becomes the 40th EPC Contracting State read more
Anyone filing a German design with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) should keep an eye not only on the filing fee, but also on the subsequent maintenance fees. Design protection is initially granted for five years and can then be extended step by step up to a maximum of 25 years.
German Design: What Official Fees Are Charged by the DPMA? read more
The German utility model is particularly attractive for many technical IP protection strategies primarily because it can be registered relatively quickly. Unlike a patent, the DPMA does not comprehensively examine before registration whether the invention is actually new and inventive. Precisely for that reason, the utility model is not a “small patent,” but an independent intellectual property right with its own fee structure.
German Utility Model: What official fees are charged by the DPMA? read more
Berlin remains a strong trademark hub. In 2025, a total of 6,391 trademark applications were filed by companies and private individuals based in Berlin. This was 1,253 more applications than in 2024, representing an increase of around 24.4%.
After the decline between 2022 and 2024, filing activity has picked up noticeably again. The 2025 figure is only slightly below the previous peak recorded in 2021.
Trademark Applications in Berlin 2025: Top Applicants and Market Development at a Glance read more
What does a German patent application at the DPMA cost – and which official patent fees accrue over the maximum term of 20 years from the filing date? This article explains the official DPMA fees (excluding attorney fees), including annual renewal fees from the 3rd to the 20th year of protection.
Costs of a German Patent Application – Official Fees Over the Full 20-Year Term read more
