Definition
Maintenance fees are payments due at set intervals after a utility patent is granted, and failing to pay them causes the patent to expire early.
Why It Matters Legally
Missing a maintenance fee deadline can let a valuable patent lapse, freeing competitors to copy the invention. Calendaring and paying these fees is a routine but high-stakes part of portfolio management.
Example Use Case
A company forgets to pay a maintenance fee, its patent lapses, and a competitor begins selling the formerly protected product.
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Related Terms
Patent Term, Patent Expiration, Patent Grant, Patent Portfolio, Utility Patent