Australian Patent Renewal Fees 2026
The official online fee for a standard Australian patent starts at AU$300 at the fourth anniversary and rises to AU$2,815 at the nineteenth anniversary. Paying every standard-patent renewal fee through the ordinary 20-year term totals AU$16,550 in official online fees.
Status and deadline checked
Written renewal confirmation
Know the anniversary, then know the official fee
Australian patent renewals are also called patent annuities, maintenance fees or continuation fees. The amount is not one flat price: it increases as the patent or complete application gets older.
Due at the fourth anniversary when paid through IP Australia online services.
Total published online renewal fees from the fourth to nineteenth anniversaries.
Total published fees through the ordinary term using IP Australia’s “other payment methods” column.
Standard Australian patent renewal fee table
The table uses IP Australia’s current published amounts. “Patent year funded” explains the common year-number wording; the legal deadline is tied to the anniversary shown in the first column.
Currency: Australian dollars · Checked: 22 August 2026
| Fee due at | Patent year funded | Online services | Other methods | Cumulative online fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th anniversary | Year 5 | AU$300 | AU$350 | AU$300 |
| 5th anniversary | Year 6 | AU$315 | AU$365 | AU$615 |
| 6th anniversary | Year 7 | AU$345 | AU$395 | AU$960 |
| 7th anniversary | Year 8 | AU$380 | AU$430 | AU$1,340 |
| 8th anniversary | Year 9 | AU$420 | AU$470 | AU$1,760 |
| 9th anniversary | Year 10 | AU$465 | AU$515 | AU$2,225 |
| 10th anniversary | Year 11 | AU$540 | AU$590 | AU$2,765 |
| 11th anniversary | Year 12 | AU$645 | AU$695 | AU$3,410 |
| 12th anniversary | Year 13 | AU$780 | AU$830 | AU$4,190 |
| 13th anniversary | Year 14 | AU$945 | AU$995 | AU$5,135 |
| 14th anniversary | Year 15 | AU$1,140 | AU$1,190 | AU$6,275 |
| 15th anniversary | Year 16 | AU$1,385 | AU$1,435 | AU$7,660 |
| 16th anniversary | Year 17 | AU$1,675 | AU$1,725 | AU$9,335 |
| 17th anniversary | Year 18 | AU$2,010 | AU$2,060 | AU$11,345 |
| 18th anniversary | Year 19 | AU$2,390 | AU$2,440 | AU$13,735 |
| 19th anniversary | Year 20 | AU$2,815 | AU$2,865 | AU$16,550 ordinary 20-year term |
The cumulative column is an ipReNewAl calculation based on IP Australia’s individual published online fees. It excludes application, examination, acceptance, excess-claim, professional, service, late, restoration and other costs.
Pharmaceutical patent extension fees
| Fee due at | Patent year funded | Online services | Other methods | Cumulative online fees since 4th anniversary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20th anniversary | Year 21 | AU$4,000 | AU$4,050 | AU$20,550 |
| 21st anniversary | Year 22 | AU$5,000 | AU$5,050 | AU$25,550 |
| 22nd anniversary | Year 23 | AU$6,000 | AU$6,050 | AU$31,550 |
| 23rd anniversary | Year 24 | AU$7,000 | AU$7,050 | AU$38,550 |
| 24th anniversary | Year 25 | AU$8,000 | AU$8,050 | AU$46,550 |
The five additional online fees total AU$30,000. Combined with the ordinary-term online fees, the published renewal-fee total through a full 25-year extended term is AU$46,550.
Australian patent renewal anniversary calculator
Enter the relevant filing date to estimate the next scheduled official fee, or check what the late charge may be where a previous fee has not been paid. This does not replace an official status check.
Your estimate will appear here
Use the patent number—not this calculator—for an exact instruction. A status record can reveal a different relevant date, lapse, extension or ownership issue.
The renewal rules that cause the expensive mistakes
The fee table is easy. The risky part is applying the right date to the right patent record and confirming whether the right or application is still in force.
First fee at four years
For a standard patent or complete standard application, the first fee is generally due four years from the relevant patent date. Annual payments then continue until the term ends.
Six-month grace period
A late payment can generally be made during the six months after the anniversary, but the extra charge is AU$100 for each month or part month.
Lapse after the grace period
Failure to pay the fee and late charges within the prescribed period can cause a patent to cease or a complete application to lapse. Restoration is not something to assume.
Use the correct relevant date
- Standard patent: generally the filing date of the standard patent application.
- Divisional application: IP Australia identifies the parent application’s filing date for fee timing.
- Pending complete application: continuation fees can still be required before grant.
- Special history: extensions, conversions and other procedural events can change what must be checked.
What should be verified before payment?
- The Australian patent or application number and current official status.
- The registered owner and whether the ownership record is current.
- The relevant filing or parent date used for the anniversary.
- The last fee paid, current due date, grace-period position and next anniversary.
Innovation patent renewal fees
Australia’s innovation patent system has been phased out, but existing eligible rights can continue until expiry and still require annual fees. The last general filing day was 25 August 2021.
| Fee due at | Patent year funded | Online services | Other methods | Cumulative online fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd anniversary | Year 3 | AU$110 | AU$160 | AU$110 |
| 3rd anniversary | Year 4 | AU$110 | AU$160 | AU$220 |
| 4th anniversary | Year 5 | AU$110 | AU$160 | AU$330 |
| 5th anniversary | Year 6 | AU$220 | AU$270 | AU$550 |
| 6th anniversary | Year 7 | AU$220 | AU$270 | AU$770 |
| 7th anniversary | Year 8 | AU$220 | AU$270 | AU$990 |
Existing innovation patents filed on or before 25 August 2021 can remain in force until expiry. Some divisional or converted innovation applications can also remain possible where the relevant parent or standard application met the cutoff conditions. Read IP Australia’s phase-out guidance.
What does an Australian patent renewal actually cost?
The official fee is only one component. A useful quote shows each cost before you authorise payment instead of hiding the service layer inside one unexplained number.
Official IP Australia fee
The government amount determined by the patent type, relevant anniversary and payment method. These are the amounts in the tables above.
Renewal service fee
The provider’s fee for verification, deadline management, payment processing, records and confirmation. ipReNewAl discloses its fixed service fee with the official fee before instruction.
Exceptional costs
Late charges, restoration work, ownership corrections, specialist advice or unusual record issues should be identified separately rather than presented as a routine renewal fee.
Direct payment, traditional handling or ipReNewAl
| Requirement | Direct to IP Australia | Traditional adviser process | ipReNewAl process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay the official fee | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Official and service fees separated before instruction | Official fee only | Depends on provider | Itemised quote |
| Status and due-date verification | You perform it | Depends on scope | Built into process |
| Portfolio reminders and central records | You maintain them | Depends on retainer/system | Available through platform |
| Written completion record | Official transaction record | Depends on provider | Confirmation and next due date |
This is a process comparison, not a claim that one option is always cheaper. Direct payment may suit a simple single right where the owner is confident about the record and deadline. Managed renewal is more valuable where errors, volume, multiple jurisdictions or internal governance create real administrative risk.
How ipReNewAl handles a patent renewal
The workflow is designed to make the transaction predictable and reviewable—without burying the official charge inside an opaque invoice.
Identify
Provide the patent or application number, owner details and any portfolio context.
Verify
Check the official status, relevant date, current deadline and fee position before processing.
Quote and instruct
Review the official fee, fixed service fee and any exceptional item before approval.
Pay and confirm
Process the renewal, record the official reference and provide the next due date.
Should this patent be renewed at all?
Automatic payment is not always good portfolio management. Because fees rise sharply in later years, the commercial decision should be made before the deadline—not after a reminder becomes urgent.
Renewal case
- The patent protects a product, process or market that still creates value.
- It blocks a credible competitor or supports licensing, investment or a transaction.
- The territory remains commercially relevant and enforceability is realistic.
- The expected strategic value exceeds renewal and administration costs.
Review or lapse case
- The protected product has been abandoned or superseded.
- The claims no longer cover the commercial implementation that matters.
- The market, owner or licensing strategy has changed.
- The right adds cost but no defensible commercial leverage.
A renewal provider can supply dates and costs. Decisions about validity, enforceability, ownership, licensing and commercial value may require advice from an appropriately qualified patent attorney or lawyer.
A pharmaceutical portfolio renewed with one itemised instruction
A pharmaceutical innovator had patents across nine jurisdictions. Earlier provider quotes were approximately AU$16,000 to AU$22,000. ipReNewAl’s approximately AU$13,900 quote included official fees, service charges and identified additional costs.
This 2023 portfolio example is not a promise of the same saving for an Australian patent or another portfolio. Each quote depends on the rights, countries, dates and status.
Australian patent renewal fee FAQs
These answers are deliberately direct. The patent number and official record still control the actual deadline and payment position.
How much are Australian patent renewal fees?
For a standard patent, IP Australia’s published online fee starts at AU$300 at the fourth anniversary and rises to AU$2,815 at the nineteenth anniversary. The exact amount depends on the anniversary and patent type. Service, late-payment and exceptional costs are separate.
When is the first standard patent renewal fee due in Australia?
The first standard patent renewal fee is due four years from the relevant patent date. This is generally the filing date of the standard patent application. For a divisional application, IP Australia says the parent application’s filing date is used.
Is an Australian patent renewal due at the end of the month?
No. The deadline is tied to the relevant anniversary date, not automatically the last day of the month. A relevant date of 18 November ordinarily produces an 18 November renewal deadline in each applicable year.
What is the total of the official online fees for a standard Australian patent?
Paying every published online renewal fee from the fourth through the nineteenth anniversary totals AU$16,550 in official IP Australia fees for the ordinary 20-year term. This excludes filing, examination, acceptance, service, late and restoration costs.
What happens if an Australian patent renewal is late?
IP Australia provides a six-month grace period. The published late charge is AU$100 for each month or part of a month. A payment only 12 days late therefore attracts AU$100. If the fee and late charges are not paid within the grace period, the patent may cease or the application may lapse.
Can a pharmaceutical patent be renewed for 25 years in Australia?
Some eligible pharmaceutical patents may receive an extension of term and continue for up to 25 years. Where an extension applies, IP Australia publishes additional online renewal fees of AU$4,000, AU$5,000, AU$6,000, AU$7,000 and AU$8,000 at the twentieth through twenty-fourth anniversaries.
Do innovation patents still have renewal fees?
Yes, existing innovation patents can still require renewal fees until expiry. The innovation patent system has been phased out and the last general filing day was 25 August 2021, but eligible existing, divisional and converted rights can remain in force.
Do pending standard patent applications require annual fees?
A complete standard patent application can require continuation fees before grant. Failure to pay within the prescribed period can cause the application to lapse. The relevant date can be affected by divisional or other circumstances, so the official record should be checked rather than inferred from a document title.
What is included in an ipReNewAl patent renewal quote?
The quote is designed to separate the official IP office fee from the fixed ipReNewAl service fee, with any special or exceptional costs identified before instruction. The exact quote depends on the patent record, status, due date and jurisdiction.
Can I pay an Australian patent renewal directly to IP Australia?
Yes. Patent owners can use IP Australia’s online services. A renewal provider is useful when you want status checking, portfolio-wide deadline monitoring, an itemised quote, payment coordination and written confirmation in one process.
What information is needed for an exact renewal quote?
Usually the Australian patent or application number is the best starting point. The registered owner, relevant filing date, patent type, current status, due date and any grace-period position should then be verified against the official record.
Where the figures come from
Transparent sourcing is not decoration. It lets patent owners, search engines and AI systems distinguish the official fee from ipReNewAl’s calculations and service description.
Last fee check: . Next scheduled review: November 2026, or earlier if IP Australia announces a fee change. This guide is general information, not legal advice, and does not create a client relationship.
