Fees
Understanding trademark fees starts with the scope of work before comparing amounts. The number of marks, goods or service classes, procedural stage, evidence workload, countries and languages may all affect a quotation. Providing existing records together with the issue you want to resolve helps Liangma define the engagement.
What makes up the total cost?
Professional fees, official fees and third-party expenses should be understood separately. Before comparing quotations, check whether they cover the same work so that one component is not mistaken for the total cost.
- Professional fees: the agreed legal analysis, document preparation, filing or dispute work. Confirm individually whether searches, reports, submission, corrections, responses and subsequent proceedings are included.
- Official fees: charged by the receiving authority according to the matter and filing method. Check the applicable rates, charging units and application quantities when the work is carried out. An official fee in the materials is not the price of the whole service.
- Third-party expenses: depending on the matter, these may include translation, notarisation or legalisation, investigation and evidence gathering, expert assessment, travel or overseas counsel. The quotation should explain whether they arise, who charges them and whether they are included.
Fixed fees, starting fees and ranges
A fixed fee suits work with a defined scope. Read it alongside the number of marks or cases, procedural stage, deliverables and excluded work.
A starting fee is the minimum quotation for a particular basic scope; a range describes prices under stated conditions. Ask which conditions affect the final amount and what the final quotation covers.
Litigation, complex disputes and coordination across countries may first require assessment of the documents, procedural stage and proposed engagement. Every fee structure needs a defined scope; a price list does not establish the outcome.
The same service name can cover different work
For example, filing an application alone differs from work that also includes searches, risk analysis, class selection and application preparation. The initial quotation should explain whether later refusals, oppositions or other proceedings require a separate engagement.
The amount of evidence, number of rights and procedural stages affect the work in a dispute. Assess a quotation against the issue, available materials, required documents and the point at which the service ends.
For foreign entities or overseas platforms, define the actual scope
A foreign entity handling a trademark matter in China requires different documents and coordination from a Chinese business addressing overseas platforms or foreign disputes. Explain the entity’s location, target country or region, languages and platform, and provide notices or documents already received.
Cross-border quotations should clarify translation documents and workload, whether notarisation or legalisation applies, communication and coordination scope, and any local counsel involvement. A quotation for one task in China does not establish a single total price for several countries or platforms.
Confirm these conditions with the quotation
Before engagement, check the currency, tax and invoicing treatment, effective date and validity period, and specify the charging unit. One mark, class, registration number, case, platform or project can represent different scopes of work.
Confirm included and excluded tasks, deliverable formats, communication languages, revision or handling rounds, and how additional matters will be approved. Monitoring and advisory work should specify the term, covered subjects, frequency and boundaries.
Additional marks, countries, products or procedural stages after engagement require clear confirmation of the extra work and fees. Payment, refunds, discounts and fee credits are governed by the parties’ final agreement.
Prepare information for a quotation that fits the matter
You do not need to identify every legal procedure before asking for a quotation. Start with the current problem, desired objective, available trademark information and documents, and timing requirements. Materials that relate to the actual matter help distinguish current work from possible later work.
If you have received an official or platform notice, provide the complete notice, receipt date and attachments so the team can identify procedures and dates requiring review. Do not calculate an individual case’s deadlines solely from this fees page.
What to Prepare for a Quotation
- Entity and contact: proposed client, country or region, contact person and communication language.
- Trademark or product: proposed mark, registration or application number, goods or services, and number of brands or products.
- Market and use: Chinese operations, overseas sales, procurement or OEM production, platform listings, licensing or transactions.
- Current position: applications filed, rights obtained, official or platform notices received, and current procedural stage.
- Proposed scope: searches, applications, reports, evidence organisation, disputes, monitoring or continuing advice.
- Timing and materials: known arrangements, notice receipt date, available documents and desired delivery language.
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