Cost tool

European patent renewal fee calculator

Compare the classic route — validating a European patent country by country — with the Unitary Patent. Pick your target markets and how long you plan to keep the patent alive.

1 · Target countries

Countries marked non-UP sit outside the Unitary Patent territory and always need a separate national validation.

Year 3Year 20 (full term)

3 · Options

Classic validation

€37,015

National annuities
€34,065
Validation / translation
€2,950
Countries
5

Unitary Patent (+ non-UP states)

€50,010

Renewal fees
€48,660
Validation / translation
€1,350
Separate validations
2

Over 20 years, classic validation is cheaper by €12,995. With a small footprint you pay less by validating only where you actually trade — and you keep the option to drop countries later.

Annual fee profile

Y3
€303€240
Y4
€490€350
Y5
€677€590
Y6
€864€820
Y7
€1,051€1,045
Y8
€1,238€1,300
Y9
€1,425€1,545
Y10
€1,612€1,800
Y11
€1,799€2,155
Y12
€1,986€2,540
Y13
€2,173€2,940
Y14
€2,360€3,360
Y15
€2,547€3,805
Y16
€2,734€4,285
Y17
€2,921€4,755
Y18
€3,108€5,240
Y19
€3,295€5,710
Y20
€3,482€6,180

Dark bar = classic validation · brass bar = Unitary Patent route.

Assumptions & fee schedules

What each input means

Target countries
The countries where you would validate a granted European patent. Countries marked non-UP are outside the Unitary Patent territory and always need a separate national validation, even if you choose the Unitary Patent route.
Keep alive until year
The last patent year you intend to pay renewal fees. Year 3 is the first EPO renewal year; year 20 is the maximum patent term. Dropping countries earlier is one of the main flexibilities of the classic route.
Include validation costs
One-off fees for local agents, translations and formalities required to turn a granted European patent into a national title. The Unitary Patent removes most of these inside its territory.

Fee schedules used

Unitary Patent renewals
Official annual renewal fees published by the Unified Patent Court (UPC), paid in euros. The same single fee covers all participating EU member states.
EPO national renewal fees
Indicative national annuity fees for each selected country, modelled from each national patent office's published schedule. Actual fees change by year and are paid in local currency, then converted to euros.
Validation costs
Approximate one-off costs for local representation and translation in each country. These are estimates; the exact cost depends on patent length, language pair and local attorney rates.

Indicative official fees only, in euros, for planning purposes. National annuities, translation requirements and attorney charges vary by country and by year, and exchange rates move. Ask for a written estimate before budgeting.

What the numbers hide

Cost is only half of the decision

One basket, one court

A Unitary Patent lives or dies as a whole before the UPC. Classic validations can be attacked only country by country.

You cannot prune later

With classic validation you drop expensive countries as the product matures. Unitary renewal fees are all-or-nothing.

Coverage you may not need

The Unitary Patent covers participating states you might never sell in — worth it only if the fee curve still beats your real footprint.

Get a written estimate→European Patent Attorney services →