The Indonesian Ministry of Law has promulgated Regulation No. 6 of 2026, which introduces significant adjustments to patent application procedures in accordance with the new Patent Law. This regulation, which became effective on February 23, 2026, covers multiple stages of the patent life cycle, including electronic filing requirements, publication options, divisional applications, substantive examination procedures, and post-grant review processes. These changes are consistent with Patent Law No. 65 of 2026. This article outlines the key changes and points that patent applicants should note when filing and managing patent applications in Indonesia.  

Patent Application Requirements

Applications must be filed electronically through the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) system.

The regulation also stipulates the following regarding applications:

· Additional fees must be paid at the time of filing if the application contains more than ten claims.

· Biological sequences must be submitted in an approved format and in PDF format.

· Applications involving genetic resources and/or traditional knowledge must be accompanied by a declaration letter regarding the origin of the genetic resources and/or traditional knowledge.

· If not filed within 12 months from the priority date, it may be extended by a maximum of 4 months, subject to the payment of corresponding fees.

Applicants must complete the administrative requirements for new patent applications within 3 months, with a maximum extension of only 2 months.

Patent Publication

After completing the administrative formalities, an applicant may request accelerated publication, provided that the publication is not earlier than 3 months from the date of filing. The official publication period for patent applications is 6 months. Patent applications claiming priority are not eligible for accelerated publication.

Divisional Applications

Divisional patent applications must be filed while the original application is still under examination. Divisional applications generally retain the filing date and priority of the original application. While regulations vary across jurisdictions, some countries (such as Indonesia) have stipulated that a divisional application must be filed within 3 months after responding to an examination report.

Regular Substantive Examination

Substantive examination will be conducted after the publication period ends. The authorized official shall make a decision on granting or rejecting the patent application within the following timeframes:

· Within 30 months from the date the applicant files the request for substantive examination; or

· If the request for substantive examination is filed before the end of the publication period, within 30 months from the date the publication period expires.

Early Substantive Examination

Upon the applicant's request, substantive examination will be initiated after administrative requirements are met and before the application is published. The authorized official shall make a decision on approving or rejecting the application within 12 months after the publication period ends.

If a third party files an opposition during the publication period, the authorized official shall make a decision on the request for early substantive examination within 30 months after the publication period ends.

Legal Remedies

For decisions made by the Directorate regarding regular substantive examination, early substantive examination, and simple patents, the applicant may file a request for substantive examination within 9 months from the date of receiving the notification.

Regarding decisions made by the Patent Office on regular substantive examination, early substantive examination, and simple patents, the applicant may file an appeal request to the Patent Appeal Commission within 9 months from the date the decision is issued.

Against decisions of the Patent Appeal Commission, the applicant may file an appeal to the Commercial Court within 3 months from the date the decision is issued.