Discounts, really?
On 12 September 2025, IPOS announced a pilot programme for a rebate of 30% of official fees for requesting examination when relying on their Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme. The announcement is provided in the following link.
Details
Pilot programme duration: 15 September 2025 to 31 December 2027 inclusive
What qualifies for the rebate: New examination requests for GPPH/PPH or existing requests that have been converted to be GPPH/PPH (if examination has yet to commence).
How much is the rebate: 30% of official fees for requesting examination. The quantum of the rebate is around US$340 to US$470.
When is the rebate paid out: 1 to 2 months after the PPH request is approved.
IPOS has been encouraging applicants to rely on PPH whenever possible. Are there any changes brought about by this latest pilot programme?
Applicants who have previously been relying on PPH now have an additional financial incentive to carry on with their choice to rely on PPH. Relying on PPH to leverage on the prosecution progress for a corresponding application is an efficient and, with this new rebate, a more cost effective option for applicants compared to the past and thus, PPH should be at the top of mind for applicants with a family of applications in different countries. The new rebate can then be utilised to offset subsequent prosecution costs to obtain grant in Singapore. Finally, we also note that this rebate is helpful for applicants to minimise the impact of the recent increase in excess claim fees as detailed in the following link.
