The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has announced that it is set to increase its fees by an average of 25% from 1 April 2026 in order to offset recent rises in inflation. The UKIPO has stated that the increases “will enable the IPO to continue to invest in its systems and provide high quality services.”
The changes will affect all forms of registerable intellectual property rights, being trade marks, registered designs and patents. For instance, the fee for filing a trade mark in one class online will increase from £170 to £205, and the fee for renewing a trade mark registered in one class after 10 years will increase from £200 to £245. The fee for filing a single registered design online will increase from £50 to £60. The increases in trade mark fees are the first since 1998.
For those who are planning to apply for registrations, it is worth considering doing so before the increases take effect on 1 April. Similarly, for those who have renewals due up to the end of September 2026, which can be processed up to 6 months in advance, the payment of increased fees can be avoided by filing before 1 April.
If you have any questions on the above, or if you need any advice or support in respect of your own intellectual property, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
