Service interruptions – Next Generation Patents
Please note that the Patent Office is currently open, but operating at a reduced technical capacity. For more information, consult our list of service interruptions.
This process explains how and when to pay maintenance fees for your application or patent.
Maintenance fees for divisional applications
Divisional applications carry their own maintenance fees. They are separate from the original (the "parent") application.
Applications and patents related to section 20 of the Patent Act (items of national security) have special procedures. Be sure to follow the necessary steps.
On this page
If you are already familiar with this process, submit your maintenance fee payment using MyCIPO Patents:
1. Before you pay
Before you pay, keep the following in mind:
- Maintenance fees for applications and patents related to section 20 of the Patent Act (items of national security), can't be paid online. Follow the steps required to pay maintenance fees for these applications or patents.
- You may be eligible to reduce your maintenance fees if you meet the requirements of the small entity status condition. For example, if you are an entity that has fewer than 100 employees or are a university, you are considered a small entity.
- Learn how to file a request using the small entity declaration tool.
- Use the General Correspondence - Patents to submit a small entity declaration.
2. Fees and timelines
Consult the Patent fees page for the current patent maintenance fee amounts.
When do I pay the patent maintenance fee?
You must pay a maintenance fee for your patent or patent application every year, starting on the second anniversary of your filing date. For example, if you file on , your first maintenance fee will be due on .
You will not receive a reminder that maintenance fees must be paid by a certain date.
If you don't pay your fee, you may lose your intellectual property protection and the technology described in your patent or application could be used by others.
You can pay your maintenance fees annually and can also pay in advance for any number of future years.
Note that the maintenance fees increase on the 5th, 10th and 15th anniversaries of the filing of the patent application.
Tools to help you figure out your fees
How to find your payment history
You can find your payment history using the Patent maintenance fee electronic service by selecting Payment History from the menu.
You can also find your payment history using the Canadian Patent Database by searching for your patent. Once you find your patent, click the Administrative Status tab and scroll down to Fee History.
What happens if I miss a payment?
If you miss a payment deadline, you'll be charged a late fee regardless of whether a notice to this effect is sent.
- Patent Late fee
The latest you can pay your missed payment and late fee is the later of:
- 6 months after your maintenance fee was originally due, and,
- 2 months after the date of the Commissioner's notice.
If you still don't pay your fees during this period, one of the following will apply:
- your application will be deemed to be abandoned (reinstate your abandoned application )
- your patent will be deemed to have expired (reverse the deemed expiry of the patent)
3. Pay maintenance fees
Pay the fees online
Maintenance fees can be paid online via MyCIPO Patents.
You need a My Canada Business Account to access CIPO's online services.
Don't have an account? Visit the login page and follow the steps to create an account.
In MyCIPO Patents, you will be able to pay maintenance fees on a National Entry Request application when filing that application (past due and/or next maintenance fee(s).
Accepted methods of payment
To pay your fees online you can only use:
- a credit card; or
- your CIPO deposit account
For security reasons, your session will be timed out after 30 minutes if there is no activity.
Other ways to pay
Patents general correspondence form
The patents general correspondence form should only be used for payment if you can't access MyCIPO Patents.
Fax
To pay by fax, we recommend you use the Fee form.
Complete your Fee form and fax it to either of the following:
- 819-953-2476
- 819-953-6742
Note: Do not also send a hard copy by mail, because this could result in you making 2 payments.
Accepted methods of payment
- Credit card
- Your CIPO deposit account
- Cheques or money orders
- Wire transfers
Learn more about our Methods of payment accepted.
To pay by mail, we recommend you use the Fee form.
Complete your Fee form and mail it to:
Commissioner of Patents
Canadian Intellectual Property Office
Place du Portage I
50 Victoria Street, Room C-114
Gatineau, QC K1A 0C9
Accepted methods of payment
- Credit card
- Your CIPO deposit account
- Cheques or money orders
- Wire transfers
Learn more about our Methods of payment accepted.
In person
To pay in person, download and complete the Fee form and bring it with you to our headquarters at 50 Victoria Street, Place du Portage I, room C-114 in Gatineau, Quebec. If you can't download a copy, we'll have a paper copy you can use.
Accepted methods of payment
- Credit card
- Your CIPO deposit account
- Cheques or money orders
- Wire transfers
- Debit card (only accepted at CIPO headquarters)
Learn more about our Methods of payment accepted.