PATENTS   
Patents > Organization > Examination Policy > PCT Contracting States
Welcome to the World of PCT
Image - PCT and non-PCT Countries
PCT Countries  PCT Countries   Non-PCT Countries Non-PCT Countries

PCT Contracting States*
Taken from the PCT Applicant's Guide - Volume I - Annex A

PDF Version

Name of State followed
by Country Code
Date on which State became
bound by the PCT*
Albania AL 4 October 1995
Algeria DZ 1 8 March 2000
Antigua and Barbuda AG 17 March 2000
Armenia AM 1 25 December 1991
Australia AU 31 March 1980
Austria AT 23 April 1979
Azerbaijan AZ 25 December 1995
Barbados BB 12 March 1985
Belarus BY 1 25 December 1991
Belgium BE 14 December 1981
Belize BZ 17 June 2000
Benin BJ 26 February 1987
Bosnia and Herzegovina BA 7 September 1996
Botswana BW 30 October 2003
Brazil BR 9 April 1978
Bulgaria BG 21 May 1984
Burkina Faso BF 21 March 1989
Cameroon CM 24 January 1978
Canada CA 2 January 1990
Central African Republic CF 24 January 1978
Chad TD 24 January 1978
China CN 1 January 1994
Colombia CO 28 February 2001
Comoros KM 3 April 2005
Congo CG 24 January 1978
Costa Rica CR 3 August 1999
Côte d'Ivoire CI 30 April 1991
Croatia HR 1 July 1998
Cuba CU 1 16 July 1996
Cyprus CY 1 April 1998
Czech Republic CZ 1 January 1993
Democratic People's Republic of Korea KP 8 July 1980
Denmark DK 1 December 1978
Dominica DM 7 August 1999
Ecuador EC 7 May 2001
Egypt EG 6 September 2003
El Salvador SV 17 August 2006
Equatorial Guinea GQ 17 July 2001
Estonia EE 24 August 1994
Finland FI 2 1 October 1980
France FR 1, 3 25 February 1978
Gabon GA 24 January 1978
Gambia GM 9 December 1997
Georgia GE 1 25 December 1991
Germany DE 24 January 1978
Ghana GH 26 February 1997
Greece GR 9 October 1990
Grenada GD 22 September 1998
Guatemala GT (will become bound on 14 October 2006)
Guinea GN 27 May 1991
Guinea-Bissau GW 12 December 1997
Honduras HN 20 June 2006
Hungary HU 1 27 June 1980
Iceland IS 23 March 1995
India IN 1 7 December 1998
Indonesia ID 1 5 September 1997
Ireland IE 1 August 1992
Israel IL 1 June 1996
Italy IT 28 March 1985
Japan JP 1 October 1978
Kazakhstan KZ 1 25 December 1991
Kenya KE 8 June 1994
Kyrgyzstan KG 1 25 December 1991
Lao People's Democratic Republic LA 14 June 2006
Latvia LV 7 September 1993
Lesotho LS 21 October 1995
Liberia LR 27 August 1994
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya LY 15 September 2005
Liechtenstein LI 19 March 1980
Lithuania LT 5 July 1994
Luxembourg LU 30 April 1978
Madagascar MG 24 January 1978
Malawi MW 24 January 1978
Malaysia MY1 16 August 2006
Mali ML 19 October 1984
Mauritania MR 13 April 1983
Mexico MX 1 January 1995
Monaco MC 22 June 1979
Mongolia MN 27 May 1991
Morocco MA 8 October 1999
Mozambique MZ 1 18 May 2000
Namibia NA 1 January 2004
Netherlands NL 4 10 July 1979
New Zealand NZ 1 December 1992
Nicaragua NI 6 March 2003
Niger NE 21 March 1993
Nigeria NG 8 May 2005
Norway NO 2 1 January 1980
Oman OM 1  26 October 2001
Papua New Guinea PG 14 June 2003 
Philippines PH 17 August 2001
Poland PL 2 25 December 1990
Portugal PT 24 November 1992
Republic of Korea KR 10 August 1984
Republic of Moldova MD 1 25 December 1991
Romania RO 1 23 July 1979
Russian Federation RU 1 29 March 1978
Saint Kitts and Nevis KN 27 October 2005
Saint Lucia LC 1 30 August 1996
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VC1 6 August 2002
San Marino SM 14 December 2004
Senegal SN 24 January 1978
Serbia and Montenegro YU 1 February 1997
Seychelles SC 7 November 2002
Sierra Leone SL 17 June 1997
Singapore SG 23 February 1995
Slovakia SK 1 January 1993
Slovenia SI 1 March 1994
South Africa ZA 1 16 March 1999
Spain ES 16 November 1989
Sri Lanka LK 26 February 1982
Sudan SD 16 April 1984
Swaziland SZ 20 September 1994
Sweden SE 2 17 May 1978
Switzerland CH 24 January 1978
Syrian Arab Republic SY 26 June 2003
Tajikistan TJ 1 25 December 1991
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia MK 10 August 1995
Togo TG 24 January 1978
Trinidad and Tobago TT 10 March 1994
Tunisia TN 1 10 December 2001
Turkey TR 1 January 1996
Turkmenistan TM 1 25 December 1991
Uganda UG 9 February 1995
Ukraine UA 1 25 December 1991
United Arab Emirates AE 10 March 1999
United Kingdon GB 5 24 January 1978
United Republic of Tanzania TZ 14 September 1999
United States of America US 6, 7 24 January 1978
Uzebekistan UZ 1 25 December 1991
Viet Nam VN 10 March 1993
Zambia ZM 15 November 2001
Zimbabwe ZW 11 June 1997
* All PCT Contracting States are bound by Chapter II of the PCT relating to the international preliminary examination.
1 With the declaration provided for in Article 64(5)
2 With the declaration provided for in Article 64(2)(a)(ii)
3 Including all Overseas Departments and Territories.
4 Ratification for the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
5 Extends to the Isle of Man.
6 With the declarations provided for in Articles 64(3)(a) and 64(4)(a).
7 Extends to all areas for which the United States of America has international responsibility.

 

Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy telephone numbers
International Liaison Staff
Manual of Patent Examination Procedure (MPEP) Staff
Senior Patent Attorney
Office of Petitions
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Legal Administration
You are herePCT Contracting States
Office of Patent Legal Administration
KEY: e Biz=online business system fees=fees forms=formshelp=help laws and regs=laws/regulations definition=definition (glossary)

The Inventors Assistance Center is available to help you on patent matters.Send questions about USPTO programs and services to the USPTO Contact Center (UCC). You can suggest USPTO webpages or material you would like featured on this section by E-mail to the webmaster@uspto.gov. While we cannot promise to accommodate all requests, your suggestions will be considered and may lead to other improvements on the website.


|.HOME | SITE INDEX| SEARCH | eBUSINESS | HELP | PRIVACY POLICY