Paying an annuity or renewal fee will maintain your patent for a period of up to 20 years. After that period, your invention will enter the public domain, i.e. it will no longer be protected and anyone can use it.
Conditions
You must pay the first annuity when you file the patent application. The second annuity must then be paid before the anniversary date of your patent application.
See below “When should annuities be paid?”
Important: you must pay the annuities, even if your patent has not yet been granted. Otherwise, the patent may lapse.
Who can pay annuities?
Anyone can pay the annuities on a patent.
When should annuities be paid?
Annuities must be paid by the anniversary date of the patent application.
For example, the annuities for a patent filed on 15 July 2015 can be paid up until 15 July of each year.
For patents granted by the European Patent Office designating Monaco, annuities must be paid by the last day of the anniversary month of the filing.
For example, the annuities for a patent filed on 2 May 2009 can be paid up until 31 May of each year.
However, payment may still be made within an additional grace period of six months, from the day after the deadline. In this case, you will need to pay late fees equivalent to 20% of the annuity due.
If you have been unable to pay your annuity after this six-month grace period, the patent will lapse.
The payment date is the date of the postal stamp in the case of payments sent by mail, or the date on which the DPI’s account is credited (the value date indicated by the banking institution) for payments made by wire transfer.
Important: annuities must be paid to the DPI every year at the patent holder’s initiative, and may not be paid more than one year in advance.
How much does an annuity cost?
The cost of an annuity varies depending on the number of years and applicable discounts.
| 1st year | 1 euros |
| 2nd year | 30 euros |
| 3rd year | 55 euros |
| 4th year | 60 euros |
| 5th year | 100 euros |
| 6th year | 135 euros |
| 7th year | 150 euros |
| 8th year | 160 euros |
| 9th year | 175 euros |
| 10th year | 195 euros |
| 11th year | 240 euros |
| 12th year | 285 euros |
| 13th year | 320 euros |
| 14th year | 365 euros |
| 15th year | 390 euros |
| 16th year | 405 euros |
| 17th year | 415 euros |
| 18th year | 420 euros |
| 19th year | 440 euros |
| 20th year | 470 euros |
Late penalty: 20% of the annuity due
How to pay
Annuities can be paid:
- by cheque made out to ““Trésorerie Générale des Finances” or “T.G.F.“
- in cash, but only at the Office in person
- by wire transfer (Bank details).
Your payment request must contain:
The patent number (filing / publication number);
- The year for which the annuity is being paid (patent year, e.g. 5th),
- The amount of the annuity
- The amount of the penalty
- The total amount
- The full name and address (street, post code, town/city, country) of the person paying the tax (details used for correspondence)
- Email address
- Whether you would like to receive the receipt by email rather than in paper format.
Where to remit your payment order
- In person at the Office
- By letter mailed to the Office
- By email to mcipo@gouv.mc
- In the “reason for transfer” section of the wire transfer order.
After payment
The Office will send you a receipt for payment of the annuity. The Office will check the annuity period and the amount of your payment.
If any irregularities are found, the Office will notify you by post if your payment does not match the annuity due or has not been made on time.
No partial payments will be accepted for annuities.