Patents in Israel

What are the types of patents in Israel?

Israel’s patent system is administered by the Israel Patent Office (IPO), part of the Ministry of Justice, and is governed by the Patents Law, 5727-1967 (as amended). Israel has a highly sophisticated IP environment, driven by its status as a global technology and innovation hub (“Start-Up Nation”). Patent protection routes in Israel include:

• Israeli National Patent: Filed directly with the Israel Patent Office, providing up to 20 years of protection from the filing date. All applications must be filed in Hebrew, though an English filing with subsequent Hebrew translation is accepted.
• PCT International Application: Israel is a member of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. The Israel Patent Office acts as a receiving office. PCT applicants can enter the Israeli national phase within 30 months of the priority date.
• Divisional and Continuation Applications: Israeli patent law allows divisional applications where a single application contains more than one invention, and continuation-in-part (CIP) applications are recognised — aligning more closely with US practice than most EPC countries.

Note: Israel does not have a utility model or petty patent system. However, a patent of addition (improvement patent) can be filed for an improvement to a previously filed Israeli patent, with its term tied to the parent patent’s expiry.

What is the criteria for patentability in Israel?

Under the Israeli Patents Law, a patent must satisfy:

• Novelty: The invention must not be publicly known or used anywhere in the world before the filing date. Israel applies a strict worldwide novelty standard.
• Inventive Step: The invention must not be obvious to a person skilled in the relevant technical field in light of the prior art.
• Industrial Applicability: The invention must be capable of being manufactured or used in any kind of industry.

Excluded from Israeli patent protection: scientific theories, mathematical principles, mental acts, computer programs per se, methods of medical treatment of humans, and inventions contrary to public order or morality. Software-implemented inventions can be patented when claimed as a technical process or system — Israel’s approach is generally permissive on software patents.

What is the patent application process in Israel?

1. Prior Art Search: Conduct a prior art search using international databases. The Israel Patent Office publishes all Israeli patents and applications on its online database (applications from 2000 onwards in English; earlier ones in Hebrew).
2. File Application: Submit to the Israel Patent Office in Jerusalem, either online or by post. The application must be filed in Hebrew (or English with a Hebrew translation provided within 3 months). Include description, claims, abstract, and drawings. An official filing receipt establishing the priority date is issued upon submission.
3. Preliminary Examination: The IPO conducts a formalities check within 3–6 months. Applicants must respond to any formal deficiencies within the period specified.
4. Request for Examination: A substantive examination request must be filed within 5 years of the filing date. This unusually long window gives applicants strategic flexibility to assess commercial viability before committing to examination costs.
5. Substantive Examination: An examiner assesses novelty and inventive step. Average time from examination request to grant is 2–4 years. Israel has a notable tradition of in-depth patent prosecution with substantive back-and-forth between examiners and applicants.
6. Publication and Grant: Granted patents are published in the Israeli Reshumot (Official Gazette). After grant, third parties have 3 months to file an opposition.

How to renew/maintain a patent in Israel?

Israeli patents require annual renewal fees payable to the Israel Patent Office, commencing from the 3rd year of the patent’s life (from filing date). Fees increase progressively each year. A 6-month grace period is available for late payment with a penalty surcharge. Non-payment results in patent lapse. ipRenewal monitors all Israeli patent renewal deadlines and manages fee payments in ILS (New Israeli Shekel), ensuring your Israeli patent rights remain in force.

How much does a patent cost in Israel?

• Filing Fee: Approximately ILS 800 (approximately USD 220) for a standard application.
• Examination Fee: Approximately ILS 1,200 per independent claim (payable upon requesting examination).
• Annual Renewal Fees: Range from approximately ILS 600 (year 3) to ILS 2,500+ (year 20), totalling approximately ILS 20,000–30,000 (USD 5,500–8,200) over the 20-year term.
• Patent Attorney Fees: Israeli patent attorneys typically charge USD 3,000–15,000 for prosecution, depending on complexity and number of office actions.

Trademarks in Israel

How long does it take to obtain a trademark in Israel?

Israeli trademark registration is administered by the Israel Patent Office (which also handles trademarks). The process typically takes 12–24 months from filing to registration for straightforward applications without opposition. After acceptance, the mark is published in the Israeli Reshumot (Official Gazette) and Yediot Aharonot newspaper for a 3-month opposition period. Israel is a member of the Madrid Protocol, enabling international trademark registrations designating Israel via WIPO.

What is the Israeli trademark examination process?

The Israel Patent Office examines trademark applications on both absolute and relative grounds:

• Absolute Grounds: The mark must be distinctive and not consist solely of descriptive or generic terms. Marks contrary to law, morality, or public order, or which are misleading, are refused.
• Relative Grounds: The Registrar conducts a search for conflicting earlier registrations and notifies the applicant. Israel applies a broad confusion analysis that considers both visual and phonetic similarity, as well as the relatedness of goods/services.
• Examination in Hebrew and English: Both Hebrew and English transliterations of marks are considered — a Roman script mark will be assessed against both existing Hebrew-script marks and other Roman-script marks for similarity.

How to renew/maintain a registered trademark in Israel?

Israeli trademarks are initially registered for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely in 10-year increments. Renewal must be requested within 6 months before expiry, with a grace period available after expiry with a surcharge. Trademarks not used for 3 consecutive years in Israel may be subject to cancellation on non-use grounds — a stricter non-use period than many other jurisdictions.

How much does it cost to register a trademark in Israel?

• Application Fee (1 class): Approximately ILS 1,200 (approximately USD 330) official fee.
• Additional Classes: ILS 1,200 per class.
• 10-Year Renewal Fee: Approximately ILS 1,500 per class.
• Attorney Fees: Typically USD 500–2,500 for trademark prosecution.

How can ipRenewal help with your Israeli IP portfolio?

Israel’s technology sector generates some of the world’s highest per-capita patent activity, with a strong concentration in cybersecurity, medical devices, clean technology, and semiconductor sectors. Managing an Israeli IP portfolio requires navigating Hebrew-language official communications, a 5-year examination request window for patents (requiring careful commercial timing decisions), and a 3-year non-use threshold for trademarks. ipRenewal provides a centralised platform to monitor all your Israeli patent and trademark renewal deadlines, manage fee payments in ILS, and ensure full compliance with Israel Patent Office requirements — protecting your innovations across Israel’s dynamic and competitive market.