Complete Specification
Filing — The Application
That Gets Examined & Granted
The complete specification is the actual patent application — with formal claims, full technical description, abstract, and drawings. It is what gets examined by the Indian Patent Office and, if successful, what gets granted. TaxClue's registered patent agents draft complete specifications with strategically broad claims across all technology areas.
File Complete Specification
Drafted & filed within ✅ 3–5 weeks
Converting Provisional vs Direct Complete Specification
There are two main routes to filing a complete specification. The right one depends on whether you previously filed a provisional application — and when.
Converting Provisional to Complete Specification
The most common route — provisional was filed, 12-month deadline approaching
Direct Complete Specification — No Prior Provisional
Filing complete specification directly — without a provisional application first
The 12-Month Deadline Is Absolute
Under Section 9(4) of the Patents Act, 1970, if the complete specification is not filed within 12 months of the provisional application date, the provisional is deemed abandoned and the priority date is permanently lost. There is no provision for extension. No court has the power to restore it. The only remedy is to file a fresh application — but your priority date is now the new filing date, and any disclosures made in the interim (your product, papers, public demos) may count as prior art against you.
9 Components of a Complete Patent Specification
Unlike a provisional, the complete specification must include all of these components — each one drafted with strategic precision by TaxClue's registered patent agents.
Title of Invention
Field of Invention
Background / Prior Art
Summary of Invention
Detailed Description
Claims — The Monopoly Defined
Abstract
Drawings / Figures
Sequence Listing
The Examination Journey — Filing to Grant
Filing the complete specification starts the clock on examination. TaxClue handles every stage of prosecution — from publication to grant.
Filing & Date Received
Application number and filing date issued by IPO. Priority date confirmed. "Patent Pending" status active.
Day 1 of filingPublication (18 Months)
Application published in Official Patent Journal. Invention becomes publicly visible. Publication triggers the right to claim damages from infringers from this date.
18 months from filingExam Request (Form 18)
Request for Examination filed within 48 months. This triggers the examiner to conduct a search and examination of the application.
Within 48 monthsFirst Examination Report
IPO issues FER — prior art objections, Section 3 objections, formal objections. TaxClue drafts response within the 12-month reply window.
12–18 months after exam requestGrant & Sealing
After all objections resolved, patent granted and sealed. Certificate of Patent issued. 20-year monopoly commences from filing date. Annual renewal fees due.
3–6 years total (average)TaxClue Handles the Entire Prosecution — Filing to Grant
First Examination Report (FER) Response
TaxClue drafts a comprehensive response to every FER objection — prior art arguments, claim amendments, Section 3 rebuttals, and formal corrections. Response filed within the 12-month window.
Claim Amendments During Examination
If prior art requires narrowing claims, TaxClue proposes targeted amendments that preserve the broadest defensible scope — using dependent claims as the amendment baseline to minimise scope loss.
Hearing Before the Controller
If the examiner maintains objections after the written response, a hearing is scheduled with the Controller. TaxClue prepares technical and legal arguments and represents the applicant at the hearing.
Early Publication Request (Form 9)
By default, applications publish at 18 months. TaxClue files Form 9 for early publication where the applicant wants to start the examination clock earlier and achieve faster grant.
PCT National Phase Entry
If you filed an international PCT application, TaxClue handles national phase entry into India — filing the complete specification in the prescribed format within the 31-month PCT deadline.
Annual Renewal (Post-Grant)
After grant, annual renewal fees are due to keep the patent in force (Years 3–20). TaxClue tracks and pays renewal fees — a missed renewal causes the patent to lapse.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
You can expand and elaborate in the complete specification, but you cannot claim priority for anything not disclosed in the provisional. The complete specification can add detail, provide examples, include experimental data gathered after the provisional was filed, and describe improvements — but the core inventive concept for which you claim the provisional's priority date must have been adequately described in the provisional. TaxClue writes provisionals strategically to capture multiple embodiments precisely so that later claim expansion in the complete spec stays within the provisional's disclosure scope.
The Request for Examination (Form 18) must be filed within 48 months of the priority/filing date. Filing it earlier gets you into the examination queue sooner and leads to an earlier grant. However, many applicants strategically delay the Form 18 to get the benefit of more time in "Patent Pending" status — during which time they can assess commercial viability before committing to examination costs. TaxClue advises on the optimal Form 18 timing based on your commercialisation timeline and competitive landscape.
A First Examination Report rejection is not final — it is the start of a dialogue. You have 12 months to respond with arguments and amendments. TaxClue's FER response strategy involves: (1) arguing why the cited prior art does not anticipate or render obvious the claimed invention, (2) amending claims to avoid prior art while preserving maximum scope, and (3) addressing any Section 3 objections with legal and technical arguments. If the response is not satisfactory to the examiner, a hearing with the Controller is scheduled — TaxClue represents you at the hearing as well.
An Indian patent only gives you rights in India — it cannot be directly enforced in other countries. However, if a foreign company imports patented products into India, makes them in India, or uses the patented process in India, they infringe your Indian patent. For global protection, you need separate filings in each target country — either through the PCT system (which India is a member of) or through the Paris Convention. TaxClue advises on global filing strategy and coordinates with foreign patent attorneys in key jurisdictions.
There are two separate fees: (1) the filing fee paid when the application is filed on Form 1+2 — ₹1,600 for individuals (e-filing); and (2) the examination request fee paid when Form 18 is filed — ₹4,000 for individuals. Additionally, there are excess claim fees (₹160 per claim above 10, for individuals) and excess page fees (₹160 per page above 30, for individuals). TaxClue calculates the exact fee based on your applicant category and specification length before filing, ensuring no surprises.
⚠️ Complete Specification Mistakes That Cost Patents
These errors either lose the priority date, narrow the claims needlessly, or risk rejection:
- Missing the 12-month provisional deadline — the priority date is permanently and irrevocably lost
- Claims that are narrower than what the provisional described — leaving scope unprotected when it could have been claimed with the provisional's priority date
- Insufficient description — if the specification doesn't fully enable reproduction, claims can be revoked post-grant under Section 64
- Failing to file the Request for Examination (Form 18) within 48 months — application deemed abandoned
- Not responding to the FER within 12 months — application abandoned; no extension available
- PCT National Phase Entry missed at 31 months — cannot enter India under the international application
- Not paying annual renewal fees post-grant — patent lapses; cannot be restored easily
Full Patent Journey with TaxClue
Provisional Patent Filing
Lock your priority date in 2–3 days — before filing the complete spec.
Learn More →Prior Art Search
Identify existing patents before drafting — scope claims around prior art.
Learn More →Patent Drafting & Filing
Full specification — description, claims, drawings — all tech areas.
Learn More →Trademark Registration
Protect the brand alongside the patent — dual IP protection strategy.
Learn More →Complete Specification Filing — The Document That Becomes Your Patent
The complete specification is what gets examined, argued, and eventually granted as a 20-year monopoly. TaxClue's registered patent agents draft every section for maximum scope — and handle the full prosecution from filing to grant.
🔒 Confidential · NDA on Request · 4.9★ · 12-Month Deadline Tracked · FER Response Included · Registered Patent Agents