Effective January 1, 2025, Canada implemented a revised intellectual property (IP) fee schedule, marking a 4.4% increase across various fees associated with patents, trademarks, and industrial designs. These updates reflect adjustments to inflation and aim to sustain the country’s IP systems while addressing operational costs. Below is a breakdown of the key changes in the revised fee structure.
Patents
Several costs associated with patent filings, maintenance, and other procedures have risen under the new schedule:
- Filing Fees
- The cost to file a patent application increased from 555 CAD to 579.42 CAD.
- Examination and Final Fees
- Continued examination fees are now 1,158.84 CAD, up from 1,110 CAD.
- The final fee rose from 416 CAD to 434.30 CAD.
- Maintenance Fees
Patent holders will see adjusted fees for maintaining their rights:- Years 2-4: 130.50 CAD (previously 125 CAD).
- Years 5-9: 289.19 CAD (previously 277 CAD).
- Years 10-14: 362.27 CAD (previously 347 CAD).
- Years 15-19: 651.46 CAD (previously 624 CAD).
Trademarks
The revised trademark fee schedule reflects a proportional increase across application, opposition, and renewal procedures:
- Application Fees
- Filing fees for the first class of goods or services increased from 458 CAD to 478.15 CAD.
- Fees for each additional class of goods or services rose from 139 CAD to 145.12 CAD.
- Opposition Fees
- Filing a Statement of Opposition now costs 1,085.76 CAD, up from 1,040 CAD.
- Renewal Fees
- Renewing the first class of goods or services now costs 579.42 CAD, up from 555 CAD.
- Renewing each additional class of goods or services increased from 173 CAD to 180.61 CAD.
Industrial Designs
The updated fee schedule for industrial designs applies to filing, maintenance, and reinstatement:
- Filing Fees
- The cost to file an industrial design application increased from 567 CAD to 591.95 CAD.
- Maintenance Fees
- Maintenance fees rose from 496 CAD to 517.82 CAD.
- Reinstatement Fees
- Reinstating an abandoned design application now costs 296.50 CAD, up from 284 CAD.
The updated fee schedule underscores the importance of strategic planning in IP portfolio management. Applicants and rights holders must account for these increases in budgeting for filings, renewals, and ongoing maintenance. Notably, the revisions align with Canada’s efforts to enhance the functionality and sustainability of its IP framework.
As of 2025, the revised fees highlight the evolving costs of protecting intellectual property in Canada. Businesses and innovators should adapt to these changes to ensure seamless protection of their IP assets under the updated framework. Staying informed about these adjustments is essential to maintaining compliance and optimizing IP strategies.
