37 CFR § 1.363 — Fee address for maintenance fee (MPEP Coverage Index) – BlueIron IP

This page consolidates MPEP guidance interpreting 37 CFR § 1.363, including 33 rules from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Summary

The Fee address for maintenance fee is the correspondence address used during prosecution of an application, to which all notices, receipts, and refunds related to payment or refund of maintenance fees will be directed.

What this section covers

This section outlines the address where all notices, receipts, and refunds related to payment or refund of maintenance fees will be directed.

Key obligations

Practitioners must ensure all notices, receipts, and refunds are directed to the correspondence address used during prosecution of the application.
Maintain an accurate and up-to-date correspondence address to ensure timely communication regarding maintenance fees.

Practice notes

Regularly update your correspondence address with the USPTO to ensure timely receipt of all maintenance fee-related communications.
Avoid using outdated or incorrect addresses, as this can result in delays and potential patent expiration due to missed maintenance fee payments.

Guidelines for Submission of Maintenance Fees and SurchargesMPEP 2515
Patentee Can Authorize Others to Pay Maintenance FeesMPEP 2515Permitted
Office Will Not Verify Payment Authorization for Maintenance FeesMPEP 2515
Office Notices Mailed to Fee Address Set by PatenteeMPEP 2515Permitted
Return Address for Unaccepted Payments RequiredMPEP 2515Recommended
Correspondence Address for Maintenance Fees Must Be Set During ProsecutionMPEP 2540
Fee Address Must Be Linked to Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required
Fee Address for Maintenance Fee CommunicationsMPEP 2540
Change of Correspondence Address Allowed During Patent LifeMPEP 2540
Proper Fee Address Required for Maintenance FeesMPEP 2540Recommended
Fee Address Must Be Associated With Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required
Customer Number Required for Fee AddressMPEP 2540Permitted
Fee Address Must Use Specific FormsMPEP 2540
Customer Number Required for Fee Address DesignationMPEP 2540Recommended
Customer Number Required for Fee AddressMPEP 2540Recommended
Issue Fee Payment Requires Designating a Fee AddressMPEP 2540Permitted
Fee Address Indication Required After Issue Fee PaymentMPEP 2540Permitted
Fee Address Forms Available Online and In PersonMPEP 2540
Request for Customer Number Available Online and at Electronic Business CenterMPEP 2540
Fee Address Must Be Established Before PaymentMPEP 2540Recommended
Additional Patent Numbers May Be Assigned Upon RequestMPEP 2540Permitted
Notice of Patent Expiration Must Be MailedMPEP 2575Required

Fee Address Must Be Linked to Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required
Fee Address Must Be Associated With Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required
Notice of Patent Expiration Must Be MailedMPEP 2575Required

Patentee Responsible for Paying Maintenance Fees TimelyMPEP 2540
Patentee Must Monitor Payment TimelyMPEP 2540
Reminder Not Excusing Payment ObligationMPEP 2540
Patentee Responsibility for Timely Payment of Maintenance FeesMPEP 2540
Single Address for Maintenance Fees RequiredMPEP 2540
No Reminder Until Grace Period BeginsMPEP 2575
Reminder Sent to Fee Address After Grace PeriodMPEP 2575
Changeable During Patent LifeMPEP 403.01(a)Permitted
Correspondence Address for Maintenance FeesMPEP 403.01(a)
Changeable During Patent LifeMPEP 403.01(b)Permitted
Correspondence Address for Maintenance FeesMPEP 403.01(b)

MPEP Section	Rules
MPEP § 2515	Guidelines for Submission of Maintenance Fees and SurchargesMPEP 2515 Patentee Can Authorize Others to Pay Maintenance FeesMPEP 2515Permitted Office Will Not Verify Payment Authorization for Maintenance FeesMPEP 2515 Office Notices Mailed to Fee Address Set by PatenteeMPEP 2515Permitted Return Address for Unaccepted Payments RequiredMPEP 2515Recommended
MPEP § 2540	Correspondence Address for Maintenance Fees Must Be Set During ProsecutionMPEP 2540 Fee Address Must Be Linked to Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required Fee Address for Maintenance Fee CommunicationsMPEP 2540 Change of Correspondence Address Allowed During Patent LifeMPEP 2540 Proper Fee Address Required for Maintenance FeesMPEP 2540Recommended Patentee Responsible for Paying Maintenance Fees TimelyMPEP 2540 Patentee Must Monitor Payment TimelyMPEP 2540 Reminder Not Excusing Payment ObligationMPEP 2540 Patentee Responsibility for Timely Payment of Maintenance FeesMPEP 2540 Single Address for Maintenance Fees RequiredMPEP 2540 Fee Address Must Be Associated With Customer NumberMPEP 2540Required Customer Number Required for Fee AddressMPEP 2540Permitted Fee Address Must Use Specific FormsMPEP 2540 Customer Number Required for Fee Address DesignationMPEP 2540Recommended Customer Number Required for Fee AddressMPEP 2540Recommended Issue Fee Payment Requires Designating a Fee AddressMPEP 2540Permitted Fee Address Indication Required After Issue Fee PaymentMPEP 2540Permitted Fee Address Forms Available Online and In PersonMPEP 2540 Request for Customer Number Available Online and at Electronic Business CenterMPEP 2540 Fee Address Must Be Established Before PaymentMPEP 2540Recommended Additional Patent Numbers May Be Assigned Upon RequestMPEP 2540Permitted
MPEP § 2575	No Reminder Until Grace Period BeginsMPEP 2575 Reminder Sent to Fee Address After Grace PeriodMPEP 2575 Notice of Patent Expiration Must Be MailedMPEP 2575Required
MPEP § 403.01(a)	Changeable During Patent LifeMPEP 403.01(a)Permitted Correspondence Address for Maintenance FeesMPEP 403.01(a)
MPEP § 403.01(b)	Changeable During Patent LifeMPEP 403.01(b)Permitted Correspondence Address for Maintenance FeesMPEP 403.01(b)

Related Provisions

Based on MPEP Last Modified: 10/30/2024 08:50:22

37 CFR § 1.363 — Fee address for maintenance fee (MPEP Coverage Index) – BlueIron IP

37 CFR § 1.363 Fee address for maintenance fee

Summary

Official MPEP § 1.363 — Fee address for maintenance fee

1.363 Fee address for maintenance fee purposes.

Verbatim in MPEP

Required Actions

Key Interpretations

Topics

MPEP Coverage

Related Provisions