Patents step 7 - After your patent is granted

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You can use a patent to protect your invention. It gives you the right to take legal action against anyone who makes, uses, sells or imports it without your permission.

If your application meets all the requirements of the  Patents Act 1977, the IPO will grant your patent, publish your application in its final form and send you a certificate.

The IPO does not enforce patents or sort out any problems relating to infringement. If you suspect that someone is infringing your patent rights, it is up to you to take appropriate action. However, you may wish to get legal advice before making any contact with the alleged infringer.

Once your patent is granted, you will need to pay renewal fees every year to keep it in force so that protection continues. The  amount you pay increases every year your patent is ‘live’. This is to avoid placing too much of a financial burden on you in the early life of your patent when you are likely to have other costs.