UK Intellectual Property Office Fee Increases from 1 April 2026

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has announced that its official fees for trademarks, patents and designs will increase from 1 April 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.

These changes may affect businesses and individuals seeking to register, renew, or manage intellectual property rights in the UK.

Key fee changes:

The UKIPO has confirmed new fees across range of services for designs, patents and trademarks. Examples include:

• Patent application fees (when filed online) will increase from £60 to £75 along with increases to search fees and renewal fees.
• Trademark application fees will increase from £170 to £205 for online applications. Fees relating to assignments (changes of ownership), searches and renewals will also rise.
• Design application fees will increase from £50 to £60 for a single online design application, alongside increases to renewal fees and other related services.
• UKIPO services will see a fee increase across various application and administrative processes.

Further information on the full fee schedule can be found on the GOV.UK website: New fees from 1 April 2026 for designs, trademarks and patents – GOV.UK.

Why are the IPO fees increasing?

According to UKIPO, many of its core fees have remained unchanged for significant period since 1998 for trademarks, designs and since 2018 for patents. During this time, the UKIPO has invested in improving its digital systems while maintaining its existing fee structure. There has been a “32% rise in inflation since 2016” as quoted on the Gov website: New fees from 1 April 2026 for designs, trademarks and patents – GOV.UK.

Overall, the changes represent an average of approximately 25% increase to the UKIPO fees.

What this means for you?

Businesses and individuals intending to file applications may wish to consider submitting applications before 1 April 2026 to take advantage of the current lower fees.

For any assistance with filing trademark applications, please contact our Corporate Team at corporatedept@backhouses.co.uk.

This article was written by Emily Carpendale.