by Jaynthi Kanesarajah
The UK government has recently announced increases to official fees for trademarks, patents and registered designs, effective 01 April 2026 (subject to parliamentary approval).
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has issued guidance confirming how the new fees will apply during the transition period.
Key Points
- Old fees apply to payments made up to and including 31 March 2026.
- New fees apply to applications filed or payments made on or after 01 April 2026, unless specific transitional provisions apply.
- Using the IPO’s “save” or “draft” function does not count as filing. The submission date determines the applicable fee.
Applications
- Applications filed on or after 01 April 2026 will generally attract the new fee.
- For trademark applications filed before 01 April 2026 where payment is made within the permitted grace period, the old fee will apply.
- For “Right Start” trademark applications filed and initially paid before 01 April 2026, the completion fee will remain at the old rate, provided it is paid within the deadline.
- Requests to register deferred designs made on or after 01 April 2026 will attract the new fee, even if the original filing was earlier.
Renewals
The applicable renewal fee depends on:
- The renewal due date, and
- The date payment is made
The table below shows which fee applies: –
| Payment made before 01 April 2026 | Payment made on or after 01 April 2026 (with no late fee due) | Payment made on or after 01 April 2026 (late fee due) | |
| Renewal due date before 01 April 2026 | Old fee | Old fee | Old renewal fee + new late fee |
| Renewal due date on or after 01 April 2026 | Old fee | New Fee | New renewal fee + new late fee |
Advance renewal may allow payment at the old rate in certain cases:
- Patents due in April or May 2026
- Trademarks and designs due up to and including 30 September 2026
Late renewal fees paid on or after 01 April 2026 will be charged at the new rate.
Patent Grant Fees (Section 18(4))
If a notification of grant under section 18(4) is issued before 1 April 2026, the old fees for:
- Excess claims, and
- Excess pages
will apply, even if payment is made on or after 1 April 2026 (see Rule 30A of the Patents Rules and Fees Rules 2007).
International Trademarks (Madrid System)
Fees for international trademarks are paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Individual UK designation fees will also increase from 1 April 2026.
Under Madrid rules:
- The old fee applies if renewal is paid before 1 April 2026.
- The new fee applies if renewal is both due and paid on or after 1 April 2026.
Risk of Underpayment
Applicants must ensure that the correct fee is paid in full by the relevant deadline.
If only part of the required fee is paid:
- The form or request will not be treated as filed until the balance is received.
- Failure to pay the balance in time may result in a missed deadline.
This may have serious consequences for the application or registered intellectual property right.
Next Steps
Clients with upcoming filings or renewals in Q2–Q4 2026 should review their portfolios now to determine whether advance payment before 01 April 2026 would be beneficial.
Please contact us at kass@kass.asia. if you would like a review of your upcoming deadlines or cost projections for your UK portfolio.
Applicant’s and Registered owners may also access the following links provided by the UKIPO on the fee increase for further information: –