UK patents can be obtained either by filing directly at the UK national patent office, by designating the UK in a European patent application, or by designating the UK or a European regional application in an international patent application under the Pat
For patents filed at the UK Patent Office, a combined search and examination report issues from the Patent Office within a period of around 3 months from filing.
Under the streamlined accelerated prosecution procedure, granted UK national patents can be obtained within a period of around 18 months from filing.
However, where the applicant wishes to delay the prosecution and keep the application in the "patent pending" phase longer, then the prosecution of the application before grant can be delayed for up to the maximum of 4½ years allowed by the UK Patents Act. At the end of the 4½ year period from filing, the application must either be granted or rejected.
Once granted, renewal fees are payable for the fourth and successive years, up to a maximum 20 year term.
For UK patent applications, we can receive instructions from foreign associates by fax, email or post. No power of attorney, notarisation or legalisation is required.
