One of the effects of the Leahy-Smith Act recently signed into law by President Obama is that USPTO fees have (as of today) gone up on average 15%.
For an updated fee schedule, see this link.
Here are a few of the new fee amounts:
| Old Fee Amount | New Fee Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Filing Fee** |
$462 |
$530 |
| Issue Fee |
$540 |
$620 |
| Publication Fee |
$300 |
$300 |
| 1 Month Extension of Time |
$65 |
$75 |
| 2 Month Extension of Time |
$245 |
$280 |
| 3 Month Extension of Time |
$555 |
$635 |
** The above fees are for small entities. Filing fee assumes electronic filing.
There is a new fee category listed on the fee schedule for “Request for prioritized examination” which we will discuss in greater detail in a later post. But, suffice to say, this is a new program in which the applicant can pay a fee for an accelerated examination (a final disposition within 12 months). The fee for small entities is $2400 — which is well worth considering, in many cases. The Patent Office will limit the program to 10,000 petitions per year.
