http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/37/section/25Patents Act 1977An Act to establish a new law of patents applicable to future patents and applications for patents; to amend the law of patents applicable to existing patents and applications for patents; to give effect to certain international conventions on patents; and for connected purposes.1979-04-30texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-02-20Expert Participation2025-01-01 Patents Act 1977s. 63(3)(a)Patents Act 2004s. 2(4)s. 17(1)Patents Act 1977s. 63(3)(b) and wordPatents Act 2004s. 2(4)s. 17(1)Patents Act 1977s. 56(4)(a)(iiia) and wordThe Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 (Consequential Modifications) (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Order 2006Sch. para. 2(b)art. 1(2)(b) Part I251A patent granted under this Act shall be treated for the purposes of the following provisions of this Act as having been granted, and shall take effect, on the date on which notice of its grant is published in the journal and, subject to subsection (3) below, shall continue in force until the end of the period of 20 years beginning with the date of filing the application for the patent or with such other date as may be prescribed.2A rule prescribing any such other date under this section shall not be made unless a draft of the rule has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.3Where any renewal fee in respect of a patent is not paid by the end of the period prescribed for payment (the “prescribed period”) the patent shall cease to have effect at the end of such day, in the final month of that period, as may be prescribed.4If during the period ending with the sixth month after the month in which the prescribed period ends the renewal fee and any prescribed additional fee are paid, the patent shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as if it had never expired, and accordingly—aanything done under or in relation to it during that further period shall be valid;ban act which would constitute an infringement of it if it had not expired shall constitute such an infringement; andcan act which would constitute the use of the patented invention for the services of the Crown if the patent had not expired shall constitute that use.5Rules shall include provision requiring the comptroller to notify the registered proprietor of a patent that a renewal fee has not been received from him in the Patent Office before the end of the prescribed period and before the framing of the notification.S. 25(3) substituted (1.10.2005) by Patents Act 2004 (c. 16), ss. 8(1), 17(1); S.I. 2005/2471, art. 2(a) (with art. 3)Words in s. 25(4) substituted (1.10.2005) by Patents Act 2004 (c. 16), ss. 8(2), 17(1); S.I. 2005/2471, art. 2(a) (with art. 3)