Q&A
Account Registration
Join the IPFEE Patent Network to easily delegate your patent annuity payments and manage your patent cases using our free Patent Portfolio service.
Learn moreAdd New Patent Cases
If a patent case is more than 90 days away from the official due date and is not under continuous maintenance with IPFEE, please click Add New Case in the Patent Portfolio section to initiate pre-filing.
Annuity Instructions
To process annuity payments through the IPFEE platform, click Patent Portfolio on the homepage and follow the step-by-step guidance on the Q&A and demonstration pages to complete your instruction.
Why trust IPFEE with your patent renewals?
Unlike law firms that treat renewals as an ancillary task, IPFEE has s exclusively in global patent annuity management since 2006. We process all payments directly with national patent offices or vetted local agents, delivering precise, transparent, and cost-controlled execution for IP portfolios worldwide.
Do I need an account to use IPFEE?
You can freely browse public information without an account. However, creating a free membership is required to manage patent portfolios, submit payment instructions, and access confidential case records securely.
How do I confirm that my instruction was received and the annuity has been paid?
Once you submit an annuity payment instruction on the IPFEE platform, it is officially received and logged into our system.
Bank Remittance / Transfer: An invoice will be sent to your registered email address. Please remit the full amount on or before the due date.
Deposit Account Payment: The payment is processed immediately, and an official receipt is issued to your registered email address.
You can track the status of your request at any time under Patent Portfolio (e.g., Instructed or Paid). Once the transaction is f, IPFEE will upload an official payment receipt or an updated registry record from the relevant patent authority, subject to local office availability.
Bank Remittance / Transfer: An invoice will be sent to your registered email address. Please remit the full amount on or before the due date.
Deposit Account Payment: The payment is processed immediately, and an official receipt is issued to your registered email address.
You can track the status of your request at any time under Patent Portfolio (e.g., Instructed or Paid). Once the transaction is f, IPFEE will upload an official payment receipt or an updated registry record from the relevant patent authority, subject to local office availability.
How can I confirm that IPFEE has received my payment?
Once your payment is successfully received by the IPFEE platform, the system will send a Patent Status Report – Instructed to your registered email address.
At the same time, the case status in Patent Portfolio will be updated from Pending to Instructed, allowing you to verify the payment record at any time.
At the same time, the case status in Patent Portfolio will be updated from Pending to Instructed, allowing you to verify the payment record at any time.
After payment, how long does the annuity process take and how can I track it?
Processing typically takes 1 to 2 weeks, depending on the response times of individual national patent offices and local agents. Rest assured that as long as your instructions and payment are submitted before the official due date, your patent rights remain fully protected.
Tracking & Confirmation
Initiation: Once payment is confirmed, you will receive a Patent Status Report – Instructed email confirming that processing has begun.
Completion: After IPFEE remits the fee to the patent authority, your case status in Patent Portfolio will update from Instructed to Paid, and a Patent Status Report – Paid email will be issued.
You can track real-time progress anytime via your Patent Portfolio dashboard.
Tracking & Confirmation
Initiation: Once payment is confirmed, you will receive a Patent Status Report – Instructed email confirming that processing has begun.
Completion: After IPFEE remits the fee to the patent authority, your case status in Patent Portfolio will update from Instructed to Paid, and a Patent Status Report – Paid email will be issued.
You can track real-time progress anytime via your Patent Portfolio dashboard.
In the future, will IPFEE continue to manage my case if I pay the annuity fee on my own?
If you do not entrust IPFEE to process the annuity payment, the case will be marked as terminated, and IPFEE will no longer manage the case or provide annuity reminders for that period.
★ You may re-entrust IPFEE at any time to resume case management and annuity payment handling on your behalf.
★ You may re-entrust IPFEE at any time to resume case management and annuity payment handling on your behalf.
If I discover errors in the patent or other information after instructing IPFEE to make the payment, how will this be handled? Is a refund available?
If IPFEE identifies any inaccuracies in the information provided, or if you promptly notify IPFEE after discovering an error, we will assist in correcting the information or arranging a refund, as applicable.
★ Please note that any refund will be subject to deduction of processing fees and bank remittance charges, where incurred.
★ Please note that any refund will be subject to deduction of processing fees and bank remittance charges, where incurred.
Why do I need to log in as a member to accurately calculate annuity fees for certain countries?
In some countries, annuity fees for PATENTS and UTILITY MODELS vary based on factors such as the number of claims (e.g., Japan, South Korea, Philippines, and Indonesia). To calculate these fees accurately, member login is required.
After logging in, go to Patent Portfolio, select the case, and add it to the Cart. During Proceed to Checkout, the system will display estimated official fees and service fees based on the information available at the time of inquiry.
Please note that all displayed amounts are estimates. The final payable amount is determined by the official government fees and exchange rates applicable at the time the order is placed.
After logging in, go to Patent Portfolio, select the case, and add it to the Cart. During Proceed to Checkout, the system will display estimated official fees and service fees based on the information available at the time of inquiry.
Please note that all displayed amounts are estimates. The final payable amount is determined by the official government fees and exchange rates applicable at the time the order is placed.
