EPO claims, page and examination fees
Beyond the basic filing and search fees, the EPO charges for each claim above 15, each page above 35, and for examination and designation. Claims 16 to 50 cost each, claims from the 51st onward each, and excess pages each. The rates below are read from the current official EPO fee schedule.
The exact claims and page surcharges for your application can be calculated in seconds.
Calculate claims and page feesExcess claims fees
The first 15 claims carry no claims fee. From the 16th to the 50th claim, a fee of per claim applies; from the 51st claim onward, per claim (Rule 45 EPC). The claims fee is assessed on the claims on file at the relevant stage, so a set of claims trimmed before payment falls due is charged at the lower count. Limiting an application to 15 claims avoids the claims fee entirely.
Excess page fees
An application of more than 35 pages attracts an additional fee per page from the 36th page. At filing, the rate is per page (Rule 38(2) EPC); a corresponding page fee of per page applies in the grant procedure for documents exceeding 35 pages. The page count includes the description, claims, and drawings, so concise drafting and the removal of redundant matter keep this fee in check.
Examination and designation fees
The examination fee () falls due when examination is requested, within six months of the mention of publication of the search report (Rule 70(1) EPC). The designation fee () covers the contracting states designated in the application and is payable within the same six-month period (Rule 39(1) EPC). Both are flat fees, independent of the number of claims or pages.
Claims, page and procedural surcharges
The amounts below are taken from the current EPO fee schedule. Claim and page fees are charged per unit above the respective threshold; the examination and designation fees are fixed.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Excess claims fee, 16th to 50th claim (each) | |
| Excess claims fee, 51st claim and beyond (each) | |
| Excess page fee at filing, 36th page onward (each) | |
| Excess page fee at grant, 36th page onward (each) | |
| Examination fee | |
| Designation fee |
Claim and page fees are the most controllable items on this list. Restricting the claim set and trimming the description before filing reduces them directly, without affecting the scope ultimately pursued.
Drafting to control the surcharges
The claims and page fees reward discipline at drafting. Consolidating dependent claims, deferring optional fallback claims, and presenting a tightly written description all reduce the count on which the fees are assessed. Where the prior art genuinely requires a larger claim set, the surcharge is a justified cost; where it does not, it is avoidable. The trade-off is best weighed before filing, not after the fees fall due.
Frequently asked questions
Claims 16 to 50 are charged at each, and claims from the 51st onward at each (Rule 45 EPC). The first 15 claims carry no claims fee.
Applications exceeding 35 pages attract a per-page fee from the 36th page: per page at filing (Rule 38(2) EPC), with a corresponding fee of per page in the grant procedure. The count includes description, claims, and drawings.
The examination fee is and the designation fee is . Both are flat fees, payable within six months of the mention of publication of the search report (examination fee: Rule 70(1) EPC; designation fee: Rule 39(1) EPC), and do not depend on the number of claims or pages.