Filing cost

The all‐inclusive cost to file a South African national phase patent is only:

US$ 399

The filing fee includes:

• Preparing the Power of Attorney, Forms and Confirmatory Assignment (if required)
• Filing the patent application via a South African registered patent attorney (S&Z)
• Late filing fee (if the application is filed during the 31‐34 month period from the priority date)
• Official South African patent filing fee (approx. US$45)
• Emailing the filing receipt ‐ the South African Patent Office typically issues a patent application number within one business day of filing
• Emailing "acceptance" of the patent ‐ South African patents are typically accepted about 9 months after filing

The filing fee is fixed, irrespective the number of:

• Claims
• Pages
• Priority claims

Prosecution costs

Examination

South Africa only conducts substantive examination of pharmaceutical patents. All other South African national phase patents should be accepted within 9 months of filing, without incurring examination costs.

Acceptance and grant

We do not charge to report on Acceptance, and our fixed charge to arrange publication of Acceptance and Grant of the South African national phase patent is US$70.

Within 3 months of publication, we should receive the Patent Registration Certificate. This we scan and send to you by email without charge. Should you require us to courier the original Certificate to you, our fixed courier charge is US$110.

Renewal

Our PayAnnuity renewal system processes South African patent annuities for between US$60‐75 per annum, payable from the third year of the PCT filing date.

How we're able to offer such low pricing

Iptica has automated the entire South African national phase patent filing, acceptance and grant process ‐ integrating this online patent filing system with the South African Patent Office's e‐filing, reporting and publication system. No other South African patent firm / filing system offers a fully automated process. This enables us to handle large volumes of South African national phase patents efficiently and at an exceptionally low price.

Save at least 80% on your South African patent costs by using the Iptica online patent filing system.