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If you are planning a patent filing in Singapore in 2026, claim numbers can significantly affect your budget. For relevant search and examination requests filed from 1 September 2025, the IPOS applies a 15-claim threshold and charges S$80 for each excess claim.
At Pintas IP, we help applicants use a lean filing strategy that controls costs without removing commercially important protection. Applicants can also review our guide to avoiding IPOS excess-claim fees.
The Financial Impact: From 20 to 15 Claims
In the past, excess claim fees were assessed at the time of fling Patents Form PF11 or PF12 for claims numbers in excess of 20. However, if the claim count increased afterwards, additional top-up excess claim fees were paid at grant at S$40 per claim.
Since 1 September 2025:
- Current threshold: excess claims fees are still initially assessed, when Patent Form PF11 or PF12 is filed.
- Excess-claim fee: Each claim above 15 (not 20) now attracts an Official fee of S$80 (not S$40).
- Thirty-claim example: A 30-claim application attracts S$1,200 in excess-claim fees at the relevant request stage, and this is before the Agent fees are applied on top.
- Additional claims: If the claim count increases during prosecution, additional top-up excess claim fees are now paid when filing Patent Form 13A in response to an Office Action, and not upon grant.
The shift from paying any additional excess claim fees at the patent grant stage to the front-loading of costs during the prosecution phase, was carried out to encourage applicants to submit more concise, high-quality claim sets and improve examination efficiency.
Accordingly, this claim number calculation is particularly important for international applications entering Singapore with claim sets drafted for another jurisdiction, as they usually have over 15 claims, especially if they originate from the USA.
The Pintas 15-Claim Strategic Audit
A claim audit can help transition international portfolios into Singapore efficiently without treating claim reduction as a simple deletion exercise.
How the Audit Controls Costs
- Strategic consolidation: Combine those dependent claims that can be combined under Singapore law, with no loss of protection.
- Claim prioritisation: Focus independent and dependent claims on commercially important features.
- Timely amendments: Review the claims before filing Form 11 or Form 12, when the first excess-claim charge may arise.
Foreign and PCT applicants should also review the Singapore patent filing and prosecution checklist before selecting an examination route.
Is Your Patent Strategy Ready ?
Directly carrying a large foreign or PCT claim set into Singapore may create avoidable costs. Startups and multinational applicants should assess claim scope, examination timing, and commercial priorities before making fee-sensitive requests.
The goal is not always to remain within 15 claims. Additional claims may be justified where their commercial value exceeds the added cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the IPOS 15-claim framework take effect?
The current framework applies to relevant search and examination requests filed on or after 1 September 2025. It therefore continues to affect applicants managing Singapore patent filing fees in 2026.
How much does each excess claim cost?
IPOS currently charges S$80 for each claim above the applicable threshold, generally 15 claims for PF11 and PF12. The total fee depends on the number of claims at the relevant fee-triggering stage and the Patent Firm you employ, as they will also have their fees to add on.
What are PF11 and PF12?
PF11 is used to request search and examination, while PF12 requests examination based on an available search result. Under the current fee schedule, both may attract excess-claim fees if the number of claims exceed 15.
How much would 30 claims cost in excess fees?
A 30-claim application contains 15 claims above the standard threshold. At S$80 for each excess claim, the additional official fee would be S$1,200. Additional Patent Firm fees will vary from firm to firm.
Can voluntary amendments avoid all excess-claim fees?
Voluntary amendments may reduce or entirely eliminate excess claims fees, if claims are consolidated. However, applicants should not remove commercially important protection solely to reduce the claim count.
Optimize Your IP Costs Today
Do not let avoidable claim fees drain your innovation budget. Pintas IP provides cost-efficient patent prosecution focused on claim quality and commercial value.
Contact Pintas IP for a 15-Claim Audit and make your Singapore filing lean, powerful, and cost-effective.