美國專利退費規定簡介 [2020/09/04]

美國專利退費規定簡介

美國專利申請案的費用除檢索費(Search fee)及超項費(Excess claims fee)可以申請退費外，原則上只有在誤繳、溢繳款項時，才能申請退費。檢索費(660 USD)及超項費(Excess claims fee)的申請，需要在審查在被作出(has been made)前，以撤回申請案為條件，在繳費日起算2年時效（不可延）內提出申請。而基本申請費(300 USD, Basic filing fee)、審查費用(760 USD, Examination fee)、超頁費(application size fee)和維持費(maintenance fee)，除誤繳、溢繳款項外，均無法退還。

 35 U.S.C. 42 (d) The Director may refund any fee paid by mistake or any amount paid in excess of that required.  

M.P.E.P. 607.02  Returnability of Fees   V. REFUND OF SEARCH FEE AND EXCESS CLAIMS FEE       The Office may refund the search fee and any excess claims fee paid in an application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) if applicant files a petition under 37 CFR 1.138(d) to expressly abandon the application before an examination has been made of the application. See MPEP § 711.01. The basic filing fee, non-electronic filing fee, the examination fee, and the application size fee cannot be refunded unless the fee was paid by mistake or in excess of that required.

M.P.E.P. S607 ...II. TIME PERIOD FOR REQUESTING A REFUND          Any request for a refund ...must be filed within the two-year nonextendable time limit set forth in 37 CFR 1.26(b). U.S.C. 37 1.28(a) ...

而申請人的改變主意，並不構成退費的理由。

37 CFR 1.26 (a) The Director may refund any fee paid by mistake or in excess of that required. A change of purpose after the payment of a fee, such as when a party desires to withdraw a patent filing for which the fee was paid, including an application, an appeal, or a request for an oral hearing, will not entitle a party to a refund of such fee. 

MPEP對誤繳(By mistake)示例為，在無需繳納費用時繳付費用。但，若申請人/專利權人在需要繳付費用時誤繳費用，不視為法規上的誤繳。惟若年費由如代繳公司繳納後，又想撤回時，由於繳納者非屬申請人/專利權人，能否以此主張為誤繳而申請退費？筆者目前未有結論。😅

 M.P.E.P. S607   (1) a fee paid by mistake (e.g., fee paid when no fee is required);

 M.P.E.P. S607  When an applicant or patentee takes an action "by mistake" (e.g., files an application or maintains a patent in force "by mistake"), the submission of fees required to take that action (e.g., a filing fee submitted with such application or a maintenance fee submitted for such patent) is not a "fee paid by mistake" within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 42(d).

而例外地，當大個體在申請後變更為小個體時，可以在各式規費繳足(Full fee)起算3個月（不可延）內申請退費。

M.P.E.P. S607 ...II. TIME PERIOD FOR REQUESTING A REFUND          ...Refunds based on later establishment of small entity status. A refund pursuant to § 1.26 , based on establishment of small entity status, of a portion of fees timely paid in full prior to establishing status as a small entity may only be obtained if an assertion under § 1.27(c) and a request for a refund of the excess amount are filed within three months of the date of the timely payment of the full fee. The three-month time period is not extendable under § 1.136 . Status as a small entity is waived for any fee by the failure to establish the status prior to paying, at the time of paying, or within three months of the date of payment of, the full fee. 

需注意的是，若委任事務所獨立申請退費，通常會被收取約100~200美元不等的服務費用，建議在委托事務所辨理撤案時，請事務所一併處理退費相關事宜，並要求事務所以退費抵服務費的方式處理退帳，比較不用麻煩會計部門做帳。👍

參考連結: 

1. 美國專利局規費列表
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/fees-and-payment/uspto-fee-schedule