The nature of the Lebanese registration system is a deposit system. There is no examination for patent applications. The specification of the patent can be filed in Arabic, French or English. One Power of Attorney, which must be filed with the application, can be used for filing several patent applications.

As per the Paris Convention, any person who has duly filed an application for the registration of a patent, in one country of the Paris Union established by the Convention, shall enjoy for the purpose of filing in Lebanon, a right of priority during a period of 12 months. In case of claiming a priority right, late filing of the Power of Attorney and the priority document is possible within 3 months from the acceptance date.

There is no provision for opposing the registration of a patent. Patents are protected for 20 years from the acceptance date (grant date). An annuity fee is payable on the anniversary of the acceptance date. There is a 6-month grace period for late renewal of a patent.

Under normal circumstances, the registration of a patent is completed within a period of 2 weeks; while the relevant patent certificate is issued within 2 weeks of the registration date.

Every person, subject to public or private laws, is entitled after 3 years from the date of the patent grant, to present an official request for a compulsory license to exploit the invention in Lebanon, according to the conditions hereinafter stated, if the patent owner or his successors did not exploit the patent or actually and practically prepare to exploit the invention being the subject of the patent in the Lebanese Territory.

Compulsory license may also be requested, if the patent owner or his successors started the exploitation, then seized to do so for a period not less than 3 years for no legitimate reason.