- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.
- Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: 3 months from the date of European patent grant
The initial protection period is 4 years, which can be extended for two consecutive three years, and the maximum protection period is 10 years.
- Grant fee: It must be paid together with the granted announcement fee within one month from the receipt of the granted notice.
- Annuity: pay year by year from the first year of the application date, and should be paid before the last day of the month of the application date at the latest, not exceeding one patent year, and the annual fee can be paid within a grace period of 6 months if it is overdue, and paid at the same time 200% late fee.
2-5 years
A 12-month novelty grace period is available if:
- The designer, his legal successor, or a third party arising from the information or activities of the designer or his legal successor
- Third party that harms the interests of the designer
The BPO conducts formality examination of design patent applications.
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- The way of the Hague Agreement: The Hague Agreement will automatically take effect in Bulgaria after 6 months from the registration of the Hague Agreement.
- EU appearance route: 6 months from the earliest priority date.
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" and "unintentional/due care" accepted.
A 12-month novelty grace period is available if:
- The applicant authorizes others to use
- manifest misuse by a third party
It is protected for 10 years from the date of application, and can be renewed for 3 times, each time for 5 years, with a maximum protection of 25 years.
4-6 months