The GCC Patent Office

What The GCC Patent Office does

The GCC Patent Office is the intergovernmental regional patent authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council, operating under the GCC Secretariat General in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1992 and restructured under the new GCC Patent Law approved by the Supreme Council on January 5, 2021, the office administers a unified patent regime whose grants are valid across all six GCC member states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar). Three member states — Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar — have formally delegated their patent examination authority to the office, with Qatar resuming application processing on July 1, 2023. As of June 24, 2026, the office has received 41,756 total applications and granted 13,880 patents, with 87% of all applications decided.

The office's technology platform comprises an Electronic Filing System (نظام حماية) for online submission and case management, Quick and Advanced Search tools built to WIPO standards, and the WIPO Publish System launched in October 2023 to deliver ST.36-compliant electronic publication and PCT data exchange. Supporting modules include a Pre-Research Service, a 12-member Grievance Committee System spanning all GCC states, a public Patent Gazette, statistical dashboards, and an Innovation Award program (50,000–100,000 SAR per exhibition) to incentivize GCC inventors. The office is integrated with WIPO under an MoU covering the PCT, Arbitration and Mediation Center, and examiner training, and has additional bilateral cooperation agreements with the Japan Patent Office (2018) and CNIPA (2019).

As an intergovernmental body, the office does not operate as a commercial enterprise. It is funded by member-state contributions and collects cost-recovery fees: 1,500–3,000 SAR for filing, 2,500–5,000 SAR for publication/grant, 100–200 SAR for searches, and escalating annual maintenance fees (2,000–7,600 SAR, years 2–20). Its 20-year patent term and renewal lock-in create predictable long-tail fee revenue for any granted cohort.

Name

The GCC Patent Office

Legal name

Patent Office at the Secretariat General for Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (مكتب براءات الاختراع بالأمانة العامة لمجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية)

Website

https://gccpo.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The GCC Patent Office is the intergovernmental regional patent authority of the Gulf Cooperation Council, headquartered in Riyadh. It administers a single patent regime valid across all six GCC member states, having received 41,756 applications and granted 13,880 patents as of June 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patent Administration Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Patent Prosecution & Portfolio Management (BPAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration (BPAHAMAJ), Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF)

Keywords

• Patent administration services
• Patent examination services
• Intellectual property filings
• Patent registration platform
• Regional patent authority

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Patent Application Filing Fees: Fees charged at the time of patent application submission. Filing fees are 1,500 SAR for individuals and 3,000 SAR for companies under the current fee schedule.
2. Publication and Grant Fees: Fees charged for publishing and granting of patents: 2,500 SAR for individuals and 5,000 SAR for companies.
3. Annual Maintenance Fees: Annual fees charged each year starting from year 2 through year 20 of the patent term. Fees escalate progressively from 2,000 SAR (year 2) to 3,800 SAR (year 20) for individuals, and double for companies.
4. Search Fees: Formal search conducted by the office for patent applications: 100 SAR for individuals and 200 SAR for companies.
5. Examination Fees: Fees charged at each examination stage (first, second, and third examination). Third examination fees apply if amendments are required.
6. Grievance/Appeal Fees: Fees for filing grievances before the Grievance Committee (3,000 SAR individuals / 6,000 SAR companies) and for grievance renewal.
7. Compulsory Licensing Fees: Fees for requesting compulsory licensing (15,000 SAR individuals / 30,000 SAR companies) and for granting compulsory licenses (5,000 SAR individuals / 10,000 SAR companies).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The GCC Patent Office administers the regional patent system for the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states, providing end-to-end patent services including electronic filing, formal and substantive examination, publication in the Patent Gazette, patent grants valid across all GCC countries, annual maintenance fee administration, and appeals adjudication through a 12-member Grievance Committee. It charges differentiated fees for individuals and companies, with a current fee schedule including 1,500-3,000 SAR for filing, 2,500-5,000 SAR for publication/grant, and escalating annual maintenance fees from year 2 through year 20 of the patent term.

Product overview

The GCC Patent Office operates a comprehensive, unified patent administration platform that manages the full lifecycle of patent applications across GCC member states. The core platform consists of an Electronic Filing System (نظام حماية) for submitting and managing patent applications online, supported by Quick Search and Advanced Search tools for searching granted patents and applications. The WIPO Publish System — launched in partnership with WIPO — handles electronic publishing according to international ST.36 standards. The Patent Gazette publishes granted patents, fallen patents, rejected applications, and archived bulletins. Supporting modules include a Pre-Research Service for pre-filing guidance, a Grievance Committee System for appeals against office decisions, a Statistical Reports Dashboard for tracking application volumes and patent grants by technical field, and an annual Innovation Award program to incentivize GCC inventors. The office also processes patent applications on behalf of delegating GCC member states (Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, and State of Qatar) under the new GCC Patent Law of January 2021.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Electronic Filing System (نظام حماية) The office's primary electronic platform enabling inventors and applicants to file new patent applications, track application status, pay fees, and manage correspondence related to patent filings online. Serves individual inventors, companies, and institutions filing for GCC-wide patent protection.
• Pre-Research Service (خدمة البحث المبدئي) A preliminary search service allowing potential applicants to submit basic information about an invention idea for initial guidance before formally filing a patent application. Charges formal search fees (100 SAR individuals / 200 SAR companies).
• Grievance Committee System (لجنة التظلمات)
• Patent Gazette (نشرة براءات الاختراع)
• WIPO Publish System An electronic publishing system launched in partnership with WIPO, enabling the office to publish patent applications in compliance with international standards (ST.36) and exchange published patent data with GCC member states and other patent offices globally, including PCT national phase entry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 41,756 total applications filed; 13,880 granted patents as of June 24, 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2023MoU between the GCC General Secretariat (represented by the Patent Office) and WIPO. A WIPO delegation visited October 1-5, 2023 to complete technical procedures, leading to the launch of the WIPO Publish System for electronic publishing of patent applications per international ST.36 standard. The system facilitates exchange of patent data with GCC national offices and enables international PCT filings. Cooperation also includes WIPO's Arbitration and Mediation Center (MoU signed October 6, 2022).
• China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2019MoU between the GCC General Secretariat and China's National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). A CNIPA delegation visited the GCC Secretariat in April 2019 within the framework of this MoU to strengthen bilateral cooperation in intellectual property.
• Japan Patent OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2018MoU signed between the GCC Patent Office and Japan Patent Office to strengthen cooperation in intellectual property. The MoU facilitates exchange of expertise, technical assistance, and best practices in patent examination and administration.
• Kingdom of Bahrain (National IP Office)coreOthersThe Kingdom of Bahrain has delegated its patent examination authority to the GCCPO, allowing the office to examine and grant patents on behalf of Bahrain.
• State of Kuwait (National IP Office)coreOthersThe State of Kuwait has delegated its patent examination authority to the GCCPO, allowing the office to examine and grant patents on behalf of Kuwait.
• State of Qatar (National IP Office)coreOthersThe State of Qatar has delegated its patent examination authority to the GCCPO. The office resumed receiving patent applications on behalf of Qatar from July 1, 2023, after previously suspended processing. Three countries total have now delegated to the GCCPO.
• GCC Member State National Offices (Collective)coreOthersNational intellectual property offices of all six GCC member states (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar). The office exchanges patent data with national offices, presents applications to them for review, and national offices refer applicants to the GCCPO. A regional framework is being developed under the Commercial Cooperation Committee to adopt a GCC pathway for patent examination.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Japan Patent Office (JPO): Established national patent office with an active MoU with the GCCPO (signed 2018). JPO provides technical assistance and best-practice exchange, positioning it as both an ecosystem partner and a comparable large-scale examiner authority.
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): Largest national patent office globally and the benchmark for examination standards. USPTO does not compete directly in the GCC, but its standards and PCT data shape the international benchmarks the GCCPO aligns to via ST.36.
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Global IP authority that administers the PCT and operates the international publishing infrastructure that the GCCPO integrates with. Not a direct competitor (does not grant regional patents), but the apex body in the GCCPO's ecosystem.
• China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA): The world's largest patent office by volume and a strategic GCCPO partner under the 2019 MoU. CNIPA's scale and approach to examiner capacity building is a reference point for the GCCPO's own institutional development.

Direct peers

• European Patent Office: Regional patent office granting patents valid across multiple European member states via a single application — the closest functional analog to the GCCPO's GCC-wide model. Both operate under a supranational legal framework, conduct substantive examination, and monetize via filing and renewal fees.
• Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO): Regional patent office issuing patents effective across Eurasian member states under a single procedure. Comparable in providing unified regional patent protection with a common examination authority, similar to GCCPO's GCC mandate.
• African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO): Regional IP office receiving patent applications on behalf of multiple African member states and offering protection across the region — directly comparable mandate, structure, and revenue model to the GCCPO.

Regional players

• Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP): National IP authority for Saudi Arabia, the GCCPO's largest member state. Operates in parallel to GCCPO for Saudi-resident applicants, making it both a complementary channel and a competitive alternative for regional filings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GCCPatentOffice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfOFhvDXMWQNnS1LtGBNRXg/feed
• Instagraminstagram.com/gccpatentoffice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The GCC Patent Office