Patent Registration in Turkey

Patent registration in Turkey provides protection for inventions through the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT). Foreign applicants can seek patent protection in Turkey through a direct national patent application or by entering the Turkish national phase of a PCT application. European patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) may also take effect in Turkey through a separate validation procedure.

Patentability Requirements in Turkey

To obtain a patent in Turkey, an invention must meet three principal patentability requirements: novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability. These requirements are assessed during the search and substantive examination procedure before TÜRKPATENT.

Not every technical development is suitable for patent protection. Before filing, the invention and

Patent registration in Turkey

the available prior art should therefore be considered to determine whether patent protection is appropriate and how the application should be prepared.

How to Register a Patent in Turkey

Patent protection in Turkey can be obtained through different filing routes depending on the applicant’s existing rights and international filing strategy.

Direct National Patent Application
An applicant may file a patent application directly with TÜRKPATENT. Where an earlier foreign application exists, priority may be claimed subject to the applicable requirements and time limits.

PCT National Phase Entry
A PCT international application designating Turkey may enter the Turkish national phase. The application then continues before TÜRKPATENT under the applicable national phase procedure.

European Patent Validation
A European patent granted by the EPO and designating Turkey may take effect in Turkey through validation. This is separate from national or PCT filing and requires compliance with the Turkish translation and validation requirements.

How Long Does Patent Registration in Turkey Take?

The time required to obtain a patent in Turkey depends on the filing route, the search and examination procedure, the complexity of the application and any objections raised during prosecution. National and PCT national phase applications proceed through the applicable search and examination stages before TÜRKPATENT.

European patent validation follows a different procedure because the patent has already been granted by the EPO. The validation requirements and applicable deadline are explained on our European Patent Validation in Turkey page.

Patent Renewal Fees in Turkey

Patent protection in Turkey is subject to annual renewal fees. Renewal fees are payable from the third patent year onwards and increase progressively during the patent term. If an annual fee is not paid by the applicable due date, it may still be paid within the prescribed additional period together with the applicable surcharge.

Use of Patents and Compulsory Licensing

Turkish patent law provides for compulsory licensing in certain circumstances, including non-use or insufficient use of a patented invention. A compulsory licence may be requested after the applicable statutory period where the invention has not been used, serious and genuine preparations for use have not been made, or the level of use does not meet the needs of the national market.