The initial protection is 5 years, which can be renewed 4 times, each time for 5 years, and the maximum protection can be 25 years.
Authorization Fee: None
Annual Fee: Renewable every 5 years starting from the 5th year from the filing date.
IGE/IPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of invention patent applications. The applicant does not need to file a separate request for substantive examination. Before commencing the substantive examination, IGE/IPI will send an examination bill, which will indicate the deadline for payment of the prescribed fees. Patents granted in Switzerland are automatically protected in Liechtenstein.
yes. It is allowed to include multiple designs in one design application.
Filing Language: German/French/Italian Necessary documents:
- Exterior Design Picture (Six Views)
- A Brief Description
Attachments (if any):
- Power of Attorney
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property
English: Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, referred to as:
Website: Startseite - Eidgenössisches Institut für Geistiges Eigentum
Swiss Invention Patent Search: Swissreg - Institute for Intellectual Property
20 years
The initial protection is 5 years, which can be renewed 4 times, each time for 5 years, and the maximum protection can be 25 years.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
- Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: 3 months from the date of European patent grant
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
- EU appearance route: 6 months from the earliest priority date.
IGE/IPI only conducts formality examination of design patent applications. No novelty review is performed. Applicants may request a 30-month delay in publication.