Maintain patent protection

A patent can be maintained for 20 years.

If the patent relates to a medicinal or plant protection product, the term of the patent can in some cases be extended by five years, using supplementary protection.

The patent can cease to be valid when:

  • the patent term has expired
  • the annual fee has not been paid to PRV
  • the patent owner requests that the patent be terminated
  • the patent is revoked after opposition
  • the patent is declared invalid by a general court, known as annulment

A patent application can be terminated through:

  • being rejected by PRV
  • being dismissed by PRV
  • being withdrawn by the applicant who chooses to give up the exclusive right

Missed deadline

Here you find information of what you can do, if you have missed a deadline.

Dismissal

If you do not reply to an official notice within the time limit to reply, your application will be dismissed from further processing.

Give up exclusive rights

The simplest way to give up exclusive rights is to let a patent lapse by not paying the annual fee.

The Swedish Patent and Registration Office