About the Netherlands Patent Office

We offer support and supervision to entrepreneurs, service organisations, scientists, students and other interested parties in the Netherlands. As the Netherlands Patent Office, we focus on 3 main tasks:

1. As a patenting organisation, we help you apply for patents and, by doing so, protect your invention.
2. As a knowledge centre, we inform you on the patents system and how to use patents as sources of information and inspiration.
3. As a representative, we represent the groups mentioned above in Europe and global organisations for industrial properties.

A short history of the Netherlands Patent Office

In 1893, the Patent Council began implementing the Trademark Act in the Netherlands. Since 1912, the Patent Council, a governmental organisation, has been granting Dutch patents formulated in the Patent Act. Because of the Patent Act 1995, the Patent Council changed its name to the Netherland Industrial Property Office. Since this Patents Act came into force, only patents not examined were granted. The system and our organisation underwent a radical reorganisation. The Patent Council was abolished in 2004.

As of 1 January 2014, our name is the Netherlands Patent Office. Read more on the history of patents in the Netherlands.

Products and services

We register granted patents in the Dutch Patent Register. Besides this, we also answer your questions about patent law. We offer the following products and services:

• Advice on how to search in Espacenet;
• Exploratory search for Dutch entrepreneurs;
• Appointment with a patent advisor;
• Lectures and workshops;
• Document supply service.

Read more about our products and services at the bottom of this page.

Object to our decision and supplementary protection certificates applications

If you do not agree with one of our decisions, you may file an objection.

You will receive letters, requests and certificates as PDF attachment by e‐mail.

You can submit supplementary protection certificates (SPC) applications and certificates by e-mail. You do not need to send the original documents.

Contact and visiting details of the Netherlands Patent Office

We answer your questions about patents and other ways of protecting intellectual property for free. The Netherlands Patent Office is accessible by e-mail, mail or telephone. We have listed all the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers:

Public information

You can contact us via:

• email: octrooicentrum@rvo.nl
• telephone: (+31) 088 042 40 02;
• in-person: see our location on Google maps
  
  Please keep in mind that you must identify yourself when visiting our office. Bring a valid identification document, such as a passport, European Union identification card, driving license or Dutch residence permit.

Patent management

teambeheer@rvo.nl

+31 88 042 66 56

For questions about:

• Annuities;
• Priority documents;
• Deeds;
• PCT applications;
• Supplementary protection certificates (SPCs).

European validations

teameuropese@rvo.nl

+31 88 042 65 55

NL-applications

teamverlening@rvo.nl

+31 88 042 63 33

MyPage

mypage@rvo.nl

+31 88 042 66 56

Bank account details

Please pay all your fees and costs to the Netherlands Patent Office, using the following bank account details:

ING BANK

PO Box 1800, 1000 BV Amsterdam

Account name: RVO Octrooien

Account number: IBAN NL41 INGB 0705 0012 96

BIC: INGBNL2A

Read more about our fees on Fees for Patents.

Good to know

• We do not accept cash payments.
• We only accept debit card transactions and bank transfers.
• The patent holder is responsible for paying the annual fee in time.
• You do not receive invoices for payments of annual fees, deeds, requests, and so on.
• You do not pay VAT on the amounts of annuities, deeds, requests, and so on. As a public authority, we are not subject to VAT.

MyPage

Do you want to file patent documents? Preferably use our online filing software or the eLoket (Dutch). 

Via the MyPage web module all correspondence sent by the Netherlands Patent Office can also be downloaded. We advise you to consult your file regularly for new documents or updates.

Sign up to use MyPage

• You register the smart card as follows:
• place the smart card in the smart card holder that is linked to your PC;
• check whether the smart card is visible in the browser you have selected;
• go to the MyPage portal;
• click to the right of the MyPage block on 'Read more';
• click on 'Register your SmartCard' to register your new card;

or

• click on 'Renew / Replace your Smartcard' to replace your card.

The card is now registered at the Netherlands Patent Office. You will receive an e-mail with further instructions when you first register.

Correspondence via MyPage

At the moment you can receive the following types of letters from the Netherlands Patent Office via MyPage:

• Confirmation and formal defects letters in the NL applications
• Removal formal defects letters in NL applications
• Search reports in NL applications
• Register and grant letters in NL applications
• Letters in European validations
• Correspondence in SPC applications
• Letters in PCT applications

For more information about MyPage, please send an email to mypage@rvo.nl.

Products and services of the Netherlands Patent Office

The Netherlands Patent Office is the patent granting agency for Dutch territories. We register granted patents in the Dutch Patent Register. We also answer all your questions about patent law.

Obligation of confidentiality

All our staff members have a duty to confidentiality. This means that you can speak freely with them about your idea or invention. Please, feel free to contact us if you need one of the following services.

Appointment with patent advisor

Are you an entrepreneur, scientist, or student? Do you work in the Netherlands? Do you have questions about patents or other intellectual property rights? Please contact us to meet with one of our patent advisors in your region. This is free of charge.

How to search in Espacenet

If you email us a short description of your idea, we will advise you on how to search in Espacenet, the worldwide patent database. You do not have to state any technical details. A short description will help us find the information you are looking for. We will send you our search results by email. In our advice, we also give you classification codes. With these codes, you can search for inventions similar to yours.

Exploratory search for entrepreneurs in the Netherlands

We will give you targeted patent information when we carry out an exploratory study for you. We base this information on the description of your innovative idea. The search results can help you decide whether you want to continue developing your invention. And if you wish to apply for a patent.

Not all companies can apply for an exploratory study. This depends on the size of your company and your experience with the patent system. And your company must be based in the Netherlands.

Lectures and workshops

We organise lectures and workshops for students and scientists in the Netherlands. The lectures cover various subjects, such as

• the worldwide patent system,
• the patentability of inventions, and
• scientific research or research exemption for patented inventions.

The workshops are about using databases for product and market development, patent databases for scientific research and patent management for entrepreneurs or scientists.

Please contact us if you are interested in a lecture or workshop at your university or institute.

Document supply service

For copies of patent publications, please email us. When you request documents, please give us complete publication numbers, consisting of

• the country code
• number, and
• kind code.

For example, EP 123456 A2. Please state how you wish to receive the requested publication, either by post or email.

Examples of patent publications include:

• Translations of patents;
• Patent documents from other countries;
• Supplementary protection certificates;
• Magazine articles.