What Does a UK Patent Cost? The DIY Route from £405
The real numbers. UK patent fees broken down — application, search and examination from about £405 — versus the several thousand pounds an attorney charges.
Patents & Inventions
You can patent an invention yourself in the UK through the Intellectual Property Office, without paying thousands to a patent attorney. Our free, plain-English guides walk you through the process step by step, from checking what qualifies to filing your application. Start with how to patent an invention yourself, see the real costs in DIY from £405 vs an attorney, and run a free prior-art search first. Every guide is free to read — and when you’re ready, Chris can help you draft your own documents to a professional standard, in minutes.
How to Search for Existing Patents Yourself — A Free Prior-Art Search
Before you file, check no one has beaten you to it. How to run a free prior-art search yourself using Espacenet, Google Patents and the IPO’s own tools.
What Can — and Can’t — Be Patented in the UK
Before you spend a penny, check your invention actually qualifies. The three tests every UK patent must pass, and the things the IPO will never patent.
How to Patent an Invention Yourself in the UK (Without Paying a Patent Attorney)
A patent attorney charges thousands. The IPO lets you do it yourself from about £405. Here is the whole UK patent process, plain and simple — and honest about the hard parts.