5 Tips to reduce South African lifetime patent costs by up to 90%
5 Simple Tips to reduce South African lifetime patent costs by up to 90%, saving about $4,868.50:
TIP 1: Pay all renewals upfront – instead of paying 17 patent renewals at a cost of about $200 per year (total renewal cost: about $3,400), pay all 17 renewals upfront for only $285 using the GlobalIPCo system.
Saving: about $3,115
TIP 2: Do not delay acceptance – South African patents may be amended after grant to reduce the scope of the claims. If the intention is ultimately to align the South African patent claims with narrower claims of corresponding examined patents, a delay of acceptance is not required. The cost of delaying acceptance for 27 moths is about $400.
Saving: about $400
TIP 3: Delay amending the South African patent until infringement proceedings are anticipated – although about 11,000 South African patents are filed each year, only about 5 South African patents are subject to infringement proceedings annually. We suggest delaying amending the South African patent until infringement proceedings are anticipated. Doing so will result in amendment of only 0.045% of South African patents. The cost of amending a South African patent is about $500.
Saving: about $500
TIP 4: Do not “vet” South African patents – South African patent law is aligned with US and EU patent law. If infringement proceedings are anticipated, the South African patent specification and claims will be scrutinised closely and amended prior to instituting infringement proceedings. Vetting and any additional amendment required may be made at this stage. The cost of vetting a South African patent is about $150.
Saving: about $150
TIP 5: Use the GlobalIPCo filing system – instead of paying about $1,000 to file a South African patent, use the #1 South African patent online filing platform that files about 5,000 African patents per year, and reduce the total cost from filing to courier of the patent certificate to only $296.50.
Saving: $703.50
TOTAL SAVING: about $4,868.50