• Patent fees

Fees associated with filing patent applications in Finland as well as other patent fees are available in the fee calculator.

• Term for filing patent application in Finland

The term for filing of a patent application claiming conventional priority in Finland is 12 months from the date of priority. In case this term has expired, the patent application in Finland still may be filed with restoration within 16 months from the earliest priority date.

• Filing requirements in Finland

Patent applications in Finland can be filed and processed in Finnish, Swedish (only if the native language of the applicant) or English. If filed in English, the Finnish translation of the abstract and claims must be provided within 18 months from the date of filing before the publication of the application.

To obtain the filing date, a patent application in Finland must contain the description together with drawings, if necessary, one or more claims, and preferably an abstract (in Finnish or English). The inventor's name must be stated. When the applicant is not the inventor, the applicant must prove his rights to the invention.

Original certified copy of the Priority Document must be filed within 16 months from the priority date. The translation thereof may be requested by the Office.

An attorney can be appointed either by indicating his/her details in the filing form (signed by the applicant) or by filing a separate Power of Attorney. A copy of the simply signed Power of Attorney is sufficient. The time limit for filing of the Power of Attorney is two months from the invitation by the Office.

• Examination of a Finnish patent application

Finnish patent applications are examined as to compliance with formal and substantive requirements. The substantive examination of the patent application in Finland is conducted automatically, and no specific request needs to be filed.

• Novelty grace period

Disclosure of the information about the invention within 6 months before the filing or priority date does not disprove the novelty of the invention in Finland in the following cases:
- the disclosure resulted from an evident abuse in relation to the applicant or his/her predecessor in title;
- the invention was disclosed at an official or officially recognised international exhibition.

• Grant, validity term and maintenance fees

The term for payment of the official fee for publication is two months from the notification by the Office. Patents in Finland are valid for 20 years from the filing date. The due date for payment of annual fees is the last day of the month containing the anniversary of the filing date. Annual fees become due from the first year, however, the fees for the first and second year are payable alongside the fee for the third year, when it becomes due. The annual fee cannot be paid earlier than 6 months before the due date. Late payment is possible within 6 month after the due date, provided that a 20% surcharge is paid.

• Duration of registration procedure

Average time from filing up to grant of a patent in Finland is 2-2.5 years.

• Utility Model

Inventions may also be protected as utility models in Finland. An invention must be new, industrially applicable and have an inventive step to be registrable as a utility model. The required level of an inventive step is lower than for patents. The maximum protection term of a utility model in Finland is 10 years from the filing date. The initial term of protection is 4 years from the filing date, renewable for two further periods of 4 and 2 years. Utility model applications are examined as to compliance with formal requirements, unity and registrability. Novelty search is not conducted, if not specifically requested. Average time from filing up to registration is 3 months.

• Representation by a patent attorney

For foreign applicants, not residing in the European Economic Area (EEA), it is necessary to perform patent prosecution in Finland through an agent domiciled in the European Economic Area.

• Notes

1. Online Search Databases: Finnish Patents and Utility Models, European Patents (EPO).
2. The patent protection in Finland may be obtained via European patent and its further validation in Finland.

Brief summary is based on the information provided by Patentia Oy on 14.02.2024
Please contact us if the above information is not in conformity with Finnish IP Laws