First, let’s take a look at the regulations regarding annual fees. Annual fees must be paid starting from the year of patent grant, and they must be paid every year until the patent expires.
The deadline for paying the annual fee each year is crucial: it’s the corresponding date of the previous year’s expiration date, meaning the date corresponding to the application date of the previous year. Don’t delay, prepare in advance!
If you miss the deadline, don’t worry, there is a six-month “grace period” to help you catch up. However, remember that you must also pay a late fee. The amount of the late fee is not arbitrary—it increases progressively for each month overdue, ranging from 0% to 25%.
If you still haven’t paid the annual fee after six months, don’t despair, there is still a chance! Within two months of receiving the notice of patent rights termination, you can apply for restoration of rights. Of course, you must pay the fees for restoring rights, the outstanding annual fee, and the corresponding late fees.
Dealing with annual fees may seem tedious, but once you understand the rules, things become much easier! Follow this guide to annual fee inquiries and protect your patents!
Chinese Patent Annual Fee Search Steps:
1.Log in to the public account
2.Enter the application number (9 or 13 digits, including the check digit, without decimals), enter the verification code, and you can proceed with the search.
3.Click on “Fee Information,” and you can query the information of fees already paid and the remaining fees to be paid!
