Patent Filing Deadline Calculator — PCT & National Phase Dates | PatSnap Eureka
Patent Filing
Deadline Calculator
Enter your priority date, choose your filing route and target markets — get every critical PCT and national phase deadline, with live countdown to each date.
For reference only — not legal advice. Deadlines may not reflect recent changes in law or treaty rules. Always confirm critical dates with a qualified patent attorney before acting.
Calculate your patent deadlines
Enter your earliest priority date, select your filing route, choose your target jurisdictions, and get every critical deadline — with days remaining and urgency alerts.
PCT vs Paris Convention — which route is right?
The two main routes for international patent protection have different timelines, costs, and strategic advantages.
File your first application
Your patent rights begin on the date you file your first application — typically in your home country. This is your priority date, and the clock starts here for all subsequent international filings.
Choose your route by 12 months
By 12 months you must either: (a) file a PCT application to preserve rights in 150+ countries simultaneously, or (b) file directly in each country via the Paris Convention. Most applicants choose PCT for broad coverage.
Enter national phase by 30 months
For PCT applications, you have until 30 months from your priority date to “enter” individual national/regional phases — paying fees and translating claims for each jurisdiction you want protection in.
AI agents for your entire IP workflow
PatSnap Eureka IP automates novelty search, patent drafting, FTO analysis, and office action responses — so your team spends less time on process and more time on strategy.
PCT and Paris Convention patent deadlines — quick reference
Under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), an applicant who has filed a national patent application must file an international PCT application within 12 months of the priority date to preserve the priority claim (PCT Rule 4.10(b)). Once filed, the international application is automatically published by WIPO at 18 months from the priority date under PCT Article 21. Applicants who wish to obtain an International Preliminary Examination Report (IPER) must file a Chapter II demand by 22 months from the priority date, or within 3 months of the International Search Report (ISR) — whichever is later (PCT Rule 54bis.1(a)).
For national and regional phase entry, the standard deadline is 30 months from the earliest priority date under PCT Rule 159(1) and Article 22. Several major jurisdictions allow an extended period of 31 months: the European Patent Office (EPO), South Korea (KIPO), Australia (IP Australia), and India (IPO). One critical non-standard exception is OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle), which did not adopt the 30-month amendment and requires national phase entry within 20 months of the priority date — a deadline that frequently catches applicants by surprise.
For applicants using the Paris Convention route instead of PCT, foreign national applications must be filed within 12 months of the original priority application under Paris Convention Article 4C(1) (6 months for design patents). Missing this Paris Convention deadline does not prevent filing in foreign countries, but the foreign application will not benefit from the priority date — meaning any prior art published or third-party applications filed in the intervening period may be cited against it.
Missing any of these deadlines can result in the permanent loss of patent rights in the affected jurisdiction. Some countries permit late national phase entry or reinstatement under PCT Article 48(2), but reinstatement is not guaranteed, is subject to strict conditions, and is costly. All deadlines should be verified with a qualified patent attorney and confirmed directly with the relevant patent office, as national law and treaty obligations can change. This page was last updated on .
Patent Filing
Deadline Calculator
Enter your priority date, choose your filing route and target markets — get every critical PCT and national phase deadline, with live countdown to each date.
For reference only — not legal advice. Deadlines may not reflect recent changes in law or treaty rules. Always confirm critical dates with a qualified patent attorney before acting.
Calculate your patent deadlines
Enter your earliest priority date, select your filing route, choose your target jurisdictions, and get every critical deadline — with days remaining and urgency alerts.
PCT vs Paris Convention — which route is right?
The two main routes for international patent protection have different timelines, costs, and strategic advantages.
File your first application
Your patent rights begin on the date you file your first application — typically in your home country. This is your priority date, and the clock starts here for all subsequent international filings.
Choose your route by 12 months
By 12 months you must either: (a) file a PCT application to preserve rights in 150+ countries simultaneously, or (b) file directly in each country via the Paris Convention. Most applicants choose PCT for broad coverage.
Enter national phase by 30 months
For PCT applications, you have until 30 months from your priority date to “enter” individual national/regional phases — paying fees and translating claims for each jurisdiction you want protection in.
AI agents for your entire IP workflow
PatSnap Eureka IP automates novelty search, patent drafting, FTO analysis, and office action responses — so your team spends less time on process and more time on strategy.
PCT and Paris Convention patent deadlines — quick reference
Under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), an applicant who has filed a national patent application must file an international PCT application within 12 months of the priority date to preserve the priority claim (PCT Rule 4.10(b)). Once filed, the international application is automatically published by WIPO at 18 months from the priority date under PCT Article 21. Applicants who wish to obtain an International Preliminary Examination Report (IPER) must file a Chapter II demand by 22 months from the priority date, or within 3 months of the International Search Report (ISR) — whichever is later (PCT Rule 54bis.1(a)).
For national and regional phase entry, the standard deadline is 30 months from the earliest priority date under PCT Rule 159(1) and Article 22. Several major jurisdictions allow an extended period of 31 months: the European Patent Office (EPO), South Korea (KIPO), Australia (IP Australia), and India (IPO). One critical non-standard exception is OAPI (Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle), which did not adopt the 30-month amendment and requires national phase entry within 20 months of the priority date — a deadline that frequently catches applicants by surprise.
For applicants using the Paris Convention route instead of PCT, foreign national applications must be filed within 12 months of the original priority application under Paris Convention Article 4C(1) (6 months for design patents). Missing this Paris Convention deadline does not prevent filing in foreign countries, but the foreign application will not benefit from the priority date — meaning any prior art published or third-party applications filed in the intervening period may be cited against it.
Missing any of these deadlines can result in the permanent loss of patent rights in the affected jurisdiction. Some countries permit late national phase entry or reinstatement under PCT Article 48(2), but reinstatement is not guaranteed, is subject to strict conditions, and is costly. All deadlines should be verified with a qualified patent attorney and confirmed directly with the relevant patent office, as national law and treaty obligations can change. This page was last updated on .