Patent registration in India means filing an application with the Indian Patent Office in Form 1 with a provisional or complete specification in Form 2, then requesting examination in Form 18 within 31 months of the priority or filing date. The official filing fee is ₹1,600 for an individual, startup or small entity and ₹8,000 for others, and a granted patent lasts 20 years from filing. CorporateWalla coordinates the search, drafting brief, filing and objection replies, and the filing and prosecution are handled with our registered patent agent partner.
Any inventor, or the assignee of an inventor, can apply for a patent in India for a product or process that is new, involves an inventive step and is industrially applicable. The application can be filed by an individual, a company, an LLP, a university or a government body. The fee you pay depends on the applicant category, so it is worth fixing the right applicant before filing.
| Applicant | Fee column | How it is claimed | Expedited examination (Form 18A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual inventor (natural person) | Reduced | Applicant details in Form 1 | Only if a female applicant is among natural-person applicants |
| DPIIT-recognised startup | Reduced | Form 28 with proof of recognition | Eligible |
| Small entity (MSME) | Reduced | Form 28 with proof of status | Eligible |
| Educational institution | Reduced | Applicant details and supporting proof | Only through another Rule 24C ground |
| Other companies and LLPs | Standard (about five times higher) | Not applicable | Only through another Rule 24C ground |
If an application is later transferred to an applicant outside the reduced-fee categories, the new applicant pays the fee difference with the transfer request (Rule 7(3), Patents Rules, 2003).
| Stage | Form | Time limit | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | Form 1 + Form 2 (provisional or complete) | Any time before public disclosure | Application number and priority date issued |
| Patent agent authority | Form 26 | With the application | Authorises the registered patent agent to act |
| Statement on foreign filings | Form 3 | Within 6 months of filing; updates within 3 months of the first statement of objections | Discloses corresponding applications abroad |
| Complete specification | Form 2 | Within 12 months of the provisional | Missing it means the application is deemed abandoned (Section 9) |
| Inventorship declaration | Form 5 | With the complete specification, or within 1 month with permission | Names the true inventors |
| Early publication (optional) | Form 9 | Any time before 18 months | Publication ordinarily within one month of the request |
| Request for examination | Form 18 (or Form 18A) | Within 31 months of the priority or filing date | Without it the application is treated as withdrawn |
| Reply to objections | Written reply and amendments | Put in order within 6 months of the first statement of objections, extendable by 3 months on Form 4 | Hearing if objections remain |
| Grant and renewal | Renewal fee | From the 3rd year, every year | Patent lasts 20 years from filing (Section 53) |
Our registered patent agent partner drafts and files; CorporateWalla runs the drafting brief with you, collects the documents, checks the fee category and keeps the deadlines.
Fees below are the e-filing amounts in the First Schedule to the Patents Rules, 2003 as published on ipindia.gov.in. Physical filing costs more, and Form 18A is accepted only online.
| Item | Individual / startup / small entity / educational institution | Others |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1 application (up to 30 sheets, 10 claims) | ₹1,600 | ₹8,000 |
| Each sheet over 30 | ₹160 | ₹800 |
| Each claim over 10 | ₹320 | ₹1,600 |
| Complete specification filed after a provisional (base fee) | No fee | No fee |
| Form 9 early publication | ₹2,500 | ₹12,500 |
| Form 18 request for examination | ₹4,000 | ₹20,000 |
| Form 18A expedited examination | ₹8,000 | ₹60,000 |
| Form 4 extension of time (per month) | ₹480 | ₹2,400 |
| Renewal, years 3 to 6 (per year) | ₹800 | ₹4,000 |
| Renewal, years 7 to 10 (per year) | ₹2,400 | ₹12,000 |
| Renewal, years 11 to 15 (per year) | ₹4,800 | ₹24,000 |
| Renewal, years 16 to 20 (per year) | ₹8,000 | ₹40,000 |
Source: First Schedule fees, Patents Rules, 2003 (ipindia.gov.in). Our professional fee is separate and starts at ₹17,499 for a provisional filing; GST applies on professional fees.
| Point | Provisional | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Secures the priority date early | Defines what is protected and is examined |
| Claims | Not required | Required |
| When to use | Invention still being refined, or you need to disclose it soon | Invention is final and tested |
| Next deadline | Complete specification within 12 months | Form 18 within 31 months of priority |
| Risk | Matter added later may not get the earlier priority date | Higher drafting cost upfront |
A provisional filing is not a cheaper patent. It buys up to 12 months, and the complete specification still has to be drafted properly. Everything you want protected should be described in the provisional, because only what it discloses carries the earlier priority date.
A DPIIT-recognised Bengaluru startup has a working prototype of a low-power water-quality sensor and a product demo planned for investors in six weeks.
Official fees to this point come to about ₹11,520 at the reduced rates. A company outside the reduced categories filing the same application would pay ₹8,000 + ₹6,400 (claims) + ₹3,200 (sheets) + ₹20,000 for normal examination in Form 18, or about ₹37,600; it can use Form 18A (₹60,000) only if it meets another Rule 24C ground.
Illustrative scenario. Actual fees depend on the specification length, claims and applicant category at the time of filing.
Protecting the brand as well? See trademark registration. For software, content and designs that are expression rather than invention, see copyright registration.
Pick the speed and depth that matches your need. Same quality, same CA team — only the timeline changes.
Timeline: 10–15 working days (indicative)
Timeline: 15–25 working days (indicative)
Timeline: Until grant or refusal (indicative)
Government fee — paid by you at actuals
Official e-filing fees (First Schedule, Patents Rules, 2003), natural person / startup / small entity / educational institution vs others: Form 1 application ₹1,600 / ₹8,000; each sheet over 30 ₹160 / ₹800; each claim over 10 ₹320 / ₹1,600; Form 9 early publication ₹2,500 / ₹12,500; Form 18 examination ₹4,000 / ₹20,000; Form 18A expedited examination ₹8,000 / ₹60,000; Form 28 (startup / small entity status) no fee. Paid separately at actuals.
Every price above is a professional fee, excluding GST and government charges. 50% upfront, 50% on delivery.
The starting price covers one invention filed as a provisional application or a straightforward complete application by an individual, startup or small entity. Complete specifications for complex inventions, PCT national phase, FER replies and hearings are quoted after the patent agent reviews the invention disclosure.
You share an invention disclosure; we check what is new and, if ordered, run a patentability search against Indian and international databases.
File provisional to lock the priority date while the invention is still developing, or go straight to a complete specification if it is ready.
Our registered patent agent partner drafts the specification and claims from the brief we prepare with you; you approve the final draft.
Form 1 with Form 2 and the supporting forms are filed on the Patent Office e-filing system and the application number and priority date are issued.
The application is published after 18 months (earlier on Form 9) and examined after the Form 18 request, filed within 31 months.
The application must be put in order within six months of the first statement of objections; replies and any hearing lead to grant or refusal.
Tell us your requirement, a CA will call you in 30 minutes.
A provisional filing fixes your priority date quickly, so you can pitch, test or seek funding while the complete specification is prepared within 12 months.
Specifications and claims are drafted and filed by our registered patent agent partner; CorporateWalla runs the brief, timelines and paperwork.
We check startup, small-entity or natural-person status and file Form 28 so the reduced official fee schedule applies.
The 12-month, 31-month, six-month and renewal deadlines are diarised, because missing most of them abandons the application.
Patent, trademark and copyright protection for the same product handled together, so names, code and inventions each get the right form of protection.
