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PCT application: Entry into the German national phase – deadline, requirements and official fees

An international patent application under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) gives applicants the advantage of initially covering more than 150 contracting states with a single filing. However, this does not yet create patent protection in Germany. By the end of the international phase at the latest, the application must be moved into the national phase before the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) or into the European regional phase before the European Patent Office (EPO). Applicants opting for the direct route via the DPMA should pay particular attention to the 31-month deadline as well as the required formalities and official fees.

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German Trade Mark: What Official Fees Are Charged by the DPMA?

Anyone filing a trade mark application with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) should pay particular attention to the number of classes of goods and services. The official basic fee covers up to three classes; from the fourth class onward, an additional class fee is charged for each further class. The official costs therefore depend significantly on the goods or services for which trade mark protection is claimed.

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German Utility Model: What official fees are charged by the DPMA?

The German utility model is particularly attractive for many technical IP protection strategies primarily because it can be registered relatively quickly. Unlike a patent, the DPMA does not comprehensively examine before registration whether the invention is actually new and inventive. Precisely for that reason, the utility model is not a “small patent,” but an independent intellectual property right with its own fee structure.

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Trademark Applications in Berlin 2025: Top Applicants and Market Development at a Glance

Berlin remains a strong trademark hub. In 2025, a total of 6,391 trademark applications were filed by companies and private individuals based in Berlin. This was 1,253 more applications than in 2024, representing an increase of around 24.4%.

After the decline between 2022 and 2024, filing activity has picked up noticeably again. The 2025 figure is only slightly below the previous peak recorded in 2021.

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Distinctiveness of Slogans – DPMA Implements Common Practice as of 16 February 2026

Since 2012, the trademark offices of the EU Member States and the EUIPO have been working in convergence projects to achieve the most consistent decision-making practice possible. Convergence Project 17 (KP17/CP17) addresses the question of when slogans are distinctive enough to be registered as trademarks and which factors typically play a role.

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IP Recruiting 2026: Fewer Job Ads – An Opportunity for Smaller Law Firms?

Anyone who has ever recruited as a smaller patent law firm knows the dilemma:

Good candidates are scarce — and when suitable profiles are open to change or graduates are looking to enter the IP field, large firms or industry/in-house positions often win out.

That is exactly why we have observed the market over a longer period of time — almost three years. Not out of curiosity, but to answer a very practical question:

IP Recruiting 2026: Fewer Job Ads – An Opportunity for Smaller Law Firms? read more

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