Contact
If you have a question for the Netherlands Patent Office, you can contact the public information office. We answer general questions about patents or intellectual property.
Telephone: 088 042 40 02, dial 1 (opening hours: Monday to Friday, 08:30-17:00 CE(S)T).
Email: octrooicentrum@rvo.nl
When emailing us, please keep in mind that:
- the confidentiality in email communications is not guaranteed. Email as much as possible with the department or person you are in contact with.
- we do not accept patent applications sent by email.
Read how you file your patent application
Questions about specific topics
Do you have questions about your patent or a pending application? Below you find which department can help you further, depending on the topic you have questions about.
Dutch patent applications
For questions about:
- a pending application for a Dutch patent
- restoration of expired patents
Email: teamverlening@rvo.nl
Telephone: 088 042 40 02, dial 2
Patent management
For questions about:
- fees
- priority certificates
- PCT-submissions
- Supplementary protection Certificates
Email: teambeheer@rvo.nl
Telephone: 088 042 40 02, dial 3
European validations
If you want to validate a European patent in the Netherlands, you have to contact the Netherlands Patent Office within 3 months after granting the European patent. After you registrated your patent in the Netherlands, the patent is subject to the Dutch laws and regulations.
Good to know:
- If the language of filing at the European Patent Office is other than English, you have to submit a translation of the description in English or Dutch.
- In any case, you must file the so-called 'claims' (in Dutch: 'conclusies') in Dutch.
- The costs of submitting the translation are € 25,00.
If you have further questions about the validation of a European patent, you can use the contact details below.
Email: teameuropese@rvo.nl
Telephone: 088 042 40 02, dial 4
Filing an application
Do you want to file patent documents? You can do this online and on paper. Filing an application by email is not possible.
Online
Preferably use our online filing software: a system that allows you to file an application via the Internet. Do you have problems with the online filing software? You can send an email to eolf@rvo.nl.
Paper
You can also file an application on paper.
Postal address
Post Office Box 10366
2501 HJ The Hague (the Netherlands)
Visiting address
Prinses Beatrixlaan 2
2595 AL The Hague (opening hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00 CE(S)T)
Notice: if you bring your patent application to our visiting address, please bring a valid identification with you. We will ask you to show your identification because of security measures.
MyPage
All correspondence sent by the Netherlands Patent Office is available in MyPage. MyPage allows you to pay your annual fees electronically and track the status of your patent application.
Confidentiality
All employees who work for the Netherlands Patent Office have a duty of confidentiality. That means you can speak freely with them about your idea or invention.
Complaint
Do you have a complaint? You can report it to us in different ways. We process your complaint in compliance with the Dutch law.
- by email: octrooicentrum@rvo.nl
- by letter: Post Office Box 10366, 2501 HJ The Hague (Netherlands)
- by telephone: 088 042 40 02, dial 1
If you submit a written complaint, please mention your name, adress and telephone number. We will call you within 5 working days after receiving your complaint to talk about the content of your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the solution, the Netherlands Duth Patent Office will handle your complaint further according the rules of their complaint regulations. If you have questions about the content of the complaint regulations you can contact the Netherlands Patent Office.
Commissioned by: :)
Ministry of Economic Affairs