Swiss Patent Law 2027: Fee-Based Search and Examination Options

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New patent law – what will change for applicants?

15.04.2026 | Patents The partially revised patent law is expected to come into force on 1 January 2027. From then on, we’ll carry out a fee-based search on the state of the art for every application. Additionally, applicants will be able to choose between a partial and a full substantive examination.

What does this mean for pending applications? Which applications will be examined under the current legislation and which under the new legislation? And what options will applicants have?

You can find answers to these and other questions on our website.

Keep an eye on our page. We’ll continue to update the FAQs as necessary, for example when the Federal Council adopts the Patents Ordinance and decides on the commencement date of the revised patent law. You can also access the page at any time via the short link www.ipi.ch/patents2027.

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