Is there a grace period for paying maintenance fees?
Yes, there is a grace period for paying maintenance fees. According to MPEP 2501:
“Unless payment of the applicable maintenance fee under paragraph (1) is received in the Office on or before the date the fee is due or within a grace period of 6 months thereafter, the patent shall expire as of the end of such grace period.”
This means you have an additional 6 months after the due date to pay the maintenance fee, but the USPTO may require a surcharge for payments made during this grace period.
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 2500 - Maintenance Fees,
MPEP 2501 - Introduction,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure