Patent Registration in Kenya
Kenyan national patent prosecution at KIPI under the Industrial Property Act 2001. The term is 20 years from filing — the KIPI annuity schedule runs to the 20th year — maintained by graduated annual fees. Kenya also offers utility-model certificates as a faster, cheaper alternative, and an application can be converted between patent and utility model. A non-resident applicant pays KIPI's US$ foreign-fee column and must act through a registered Kenyan patent agent or address for service. Regional and international routes exist alongside the national one: Kenya is an ARIPO member (Harare Protocol) and a PCT contracting state, so a patent can also reach Kenya via ARIPO or national-phase entry at KIPI.
10–30 business days
KES
What we will need from you
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Specification, claims, abstract and any drawings (Form 3)
KES 1,000 per claim beyond ten (foreign US$50), per Regulation 14(11).
Inventor and applicant details
Priority document
Where priority is claimed, including on PCT national-phase entry or an ARIPO designation.
Registered Kenyan patent agent or address for service, for an applicant based outside Kenya
KIPI's Patent Fees Schedule Note 1 defines the foreign fee as payable where the applicant does not reside in and has no principal place of business in Kenya; the agent requirement is the standard Industrial Property Act rule and is confirmed at quote against kipi.go.ke.
Cost breakdown
Our fee and the government’s are always separate lines. Government fees are passed through at exactly what the authority charges — we add nothing to them.
| Application for a patent (Form 3)VERIFIED from the official KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (First Schedule, Part A, item 3): KES 3,000 local; foreign fee US$150. | KES 3,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Excess claims fee — per claim over tenonly if it appliesVERIFIED from the KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (item 4): KES 1,000 per claim beyond ten; foreign US$50, per Regulation 14(11). | KES 1,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Publication of the patent application (Regulation 25)VERIFIED with mild caution on row alignment from the KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (item 9): KES 3,000 local; foreign US$150. Publication falls around 18 months from filing. | KES 3,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Request for substantive examination (Form 8)VERIFIED from the KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (item 10): KES 5,000 local; foreign fee US$250. | KES 5,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Grant of a patent (Regulation 29)VERIFIED from the KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (item 11): KES 3,000 local; foreign fee US$150. | KES 3,000Read at source on 2026-09-10 |
| Annual (annuity) fees — graduated per-year scheduleonly if it appliesVERIFIED as a graduated schedule on the KIPI Patent Fees Schedule PDF (item 18), rising by year of validity: 2nd year KES 2,000 (US$300), 3rd KES 6,000, 4th KES 7,000, 5th KES 8,000, 6th KES 10,000, 7th KES 12,000, then 13th KES 14,000 (US$700), 14th KES 16,000, 15th KES 18,000, 16th KES 20,000, 17th KES 30,000, 18th KES 35,000, 19th KES 40,000 and 20th KES 50,000. Carried as null because it is a table rather than a single fee — render the full schedule from the KIPI PDF at quote. | Confirmed before payment |
| Comriq professional fee | Fixed fee within 1 business day |
These are the authority’s published lines. Which of them apply depends on your filing — a schedule by headcount, capital or entity type is one line, not all of them — and the applicable line is confirmed before payment, at cost.
How it runs
You will see these exact stages update in your client portal as we progress.
Drafting
Specification and claims drafted; the claim count reviewed against the KES 1,000 excess-claim fee above ten claims.
Application Filed
Form 3 filed with KIPI (KES 3,000 local / US$150 foreign), through a Kenyan agent or address for service where the applicant is non-resident.
Published
The application is published (KES 3,000, Regulation 25) around 18 months from the filing or priority date.
Substantive Examination
Examination requested on Form 8 (KES 5,000 / US$250) and any objections answered.
Grant
Grant issued on payment of the KES 3,000 grant fee; the 20-year term runs from filing and is maintained by the graduated annuities.
Ready to start?
This one is priced to your situation — most of what we do needs a local filing agent, so we scope it rather than guess. Tell us the specifics and we come back with a fixed quote and a confirmed timeline, within one business day.
Not sure this is the right service? A paid expert call is credited against your order.
Verified September 2026
Requirements and statutory fees are set by Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) and change without notice. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your engagement letter and quote are the binding documents.