PCT application
An international patent application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, giving applicants one unified procedure across more than 150 countries.
A PCT application is an international patent application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). A single PCT filing — typically submitted through a national patent office — automatically designates more than 150 member states and starts a unified procedure that includes an international search, an international publication, and an optional international preliminary examination.
The PCT itself does not grant patents. After up to 30 (or 31) months from the priority date, the applicant must enter the “national phase” in the countries where actual protection is wanted, and each office then examines the application under its own law.
Why applicants use the PCT route:
• Delay national filing and translation costs while preserving the priority date.
• Get an early opinion on patentability through the international search and written opinion.
• Buy time to align internal decision-making with the commercial outlook of the invention.
• Keep options open across many jurisdictions with a single initial filing.