What types of notices does the USPTO provide regarding maintenance fees?
The USPTO provides several types of notices regarding maintenance fees, although these are courtesies and not legal obligations. According to MPEP 2575, these include:
- Reminder notices in the patent grant and Notice of Allowance
- Official Gazette notices
- Maintenance Fee Reminders after the grace period begins
- Receipt notices upon request
- Expiration notices
It’s important to note that “the notices, errors in the notices or in their delivery, or the lack or tardiness of notices will in no way relieve a patentee from the responsibility to make timely payment of each maintenance fee to prevent the patent from expiring by operation of law.”
To learn more:
Topics:
MPEP 2500 - Maintenance Fees,
MPEP 2575 - Notices,
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure