We are happy to process patent renewal and patent maintenance fee payments for you. Here are the patents and patent applications we support:
- US patents,
- EP patent applications, pending before the EPO,
- EP patents validated in contracting member states of the EPC,
- EP patents extended to extension states of the EPC,
- EP patent validated in validation states of the EPC,
- National German patents and patent applications,
- National UK patents and patent applications, and
- Unitary patents
Why use Plevan Ltd for your Renewal Fee Payments?
At Plevan Ltd, your renewal fee payments are top priority. The payment of patent maintenance fees or patent renewal fees is executed personally by our patent attorneys or together with a patent attorney from a foreign jurisdiction acting on our behalf.
Read more about our service principles or schedule a free 15 min consultation with Dr. Michael Plevan.
Our 3-Step Renewal Payment Process
With our 3-step renewal payment process, we will make the payment of patent renewal fees as easy as possible:
Step 1: Essential Information
To get started, write us an email to: [email protected].
Please include:
- your contact information,
- your preferred currency,
- your preferred payment means, and
- the patent(s) or patent application(s). A list of publication numbers or patent numbers is sufficient in most cases. Anything that allows us to identify the patent or the patent application.
Step 2: Our Invoice
We’ll get back you as soon as possible. If the renewal fee can still be paid within a feasible time frame, we will get back to you with an invoice without further ado.
This invoice will include the following aspects:
- Official fee in the amount and currency of the patent office
- Official fee converted to your preferred currency
- Our service fee in your preferred currency
- Taxes (if applicable)
- Sum
- Due date for payment of the renewal fees and invoice
Step 3: Success! Our Payment Report
Once our invoice is paid timely, we proceed with the payment of the renewal fee and send you our payment confirmation. This usually happens within 24hours after payment was received in our account. If the patent office issues a payment confirmation, we will include this into our payment report.
Step 4 (optional): Docketing service
By default, we will add patents and patent applications to our docketing system and will remind you in the subsequent years. This way you leave the docketing and reminding to us. We’re happy to offer custom auto-payment options for the subsequent years, too.
Of course, you can always ask us to delete all information pertaining to you and the patent documents.
That’s it!
Additional Information
What are patent renewal fees or patent maintenance fees?
Almost all patent offices in the world charge recurring fees to keep a patent alive in that country. These fees are essentially periodic payments to the patent office where the patent in question is listed.
- What is the purpose patent maintenance fees? On the one hand, renewal fees serve as an expense allowance for the patent offices. On the other hand, such fees are a mechanism to ensure that patent owners are really interested in maintaining their patent rights. As a result, due to renewal fees, only those patents will remain in force that are worth something to the applicants themselves. If this is not (any longer) the case, the invention becomes publicly available and can be freely used by anyone.
- Different names, amounts and payment intervals: Maintenance fees for patents are sometimes referred to as “annuities”, “patent annuity fees”, “patent renewal fees”, or “patent maintenance fees.” In jurisdictions that require fees to be paid annually, they are usually referred to as “annual fees”, “annuities”, or the like. In jurisdictions with other payment intervals, they are often referred to as “renewal fees” or “maintenance fees.” The purpose and effect are the same in either of those cases. The amount, due date, and payment intervals of these fees can also vary widely among jurisdictions.
- Applications and Patents: Most jurisdictions charge renewal fees only for issued patents. However, some also charge for pending patent applications.
FAQs
- Do I need to have you as my officially registered patent attorney for renewal fee payments? No. Whether we are your officially registered patent attorney or not, we can handle your renewal fee payments. These payments run independently from patent representation.
- Can you represent my patent in specific jurisdictions? Absolutely. We can take over representation in the U.S., E.P., Germany (DE), the UK, and UPC matters.
- Do you provide reminders for due payments? Yes, we understand the importance of timely renewal fee payments. We offer docketing and reminder services as part of our standard service to ensure you never miss a due date.
- Will Plevan Ltd show up in the register because of a renewal fee payment? No. Patent offices only indicate whether a renewal fee for a patent has been paid or not. No information pertaining to the source of the payment is included in the register.
- The register already shows a patent attorney/law firm as representative. Do I have to inform them that I am using your services? You don’t have to. It is common practice to have someone else handle renewal fee payments. However, we do recommend to let the current representative know that they shall not monitor renewal fee payments for you. This will make sure you avoid reminders and unnecessary workloads at the representative.
- I’m in a time squeeze/late with the renewal fee payment. Is that a problem? If the renewal fee is too urgent for us to handle, overdue, or if there are other obstacles in the way, we will get back to you by email and outline the situation. We will do our best to help you get your patent renewed.
- Will you charge for information about the renewal fee payment? Basic information is included. Substantive consultation pertaining to healing an overdue renewal fee payment, answering to a notice of loss of rights, etc. may incur additional costs, depending on the complexity of the matter.
- Will you let me know before additional costs are incurred? Absolutely. All services will be outlined by email or in writing, including expected price ranges or package prices. We will not send you surprise invoices.
