The US Department of Commerce is considering a new patent fee mechanism: charging 1-5% of the total patent value.

Insiders revealed that officials from the US Department of Commerce are discussing charging patent holders 1% to 5% of the total value of their patents, and Commerce Secretary R. Lutnick is considering this idea. This new mechanism will bring significant changes to the 235-year-old patent application practice, and for some patent holders, the new fee will be a much higher cost, similar to property tax. It is not yet clear whether the new fee will replace existing fixed fees or be added on top of them. Insiders said officials from the US Patent and Trademark Office, under the Department of Commerce, are circulating proposal drafts and financial models. Analysts estimate that the total value of all US patents reaches trillions of dollars. Companies like Samsung and Apple receive thousands of patents each year. Insiders said the Department of Commerce is discussing using this additional income to pay off the deficit or for other purposes.