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November 2025
Worldwide
1999 to 2024
Note: Percentages are calculated as the number of patent applications filed in year t and in force in 2024, divided by the total number of patent applications filed in year t. Patent holders must pay maintenance fees to maintain the validity of their patents. Depending on technological and commercial considerations, patent holders may opt to let a patent lapse before the end of the full protection term. This figure shows the distribution of patents in force in 2024 as a percentage of total applications in the year of filing. However, not all offices provide these data. Data for 85 offices show that 35.3% of the applications for which patents were eventually granted remained in force for at least 10 years after the application date, and about 17% lasted the full 20-year term.
