Our commitment to you
When working with you, we're committed to:
- being helpful and courteous
- ensuring you can easily access our services
- responding promptly while providing you with clear and accurate information
- being consistent, reliable and fair.
We measure our service delivery against our Customer service charter.
Our charter provides timeframes, so you'll know when to expect responses and action from us. We also provide monthly updates on current response times for trade marks and patents.
Transacting with us
Online Services
Our Online Services portal is a secure, reliable and convenient way to access a range of services.
You can use Online Services to:
- apply for an IP right
- renew or amend your application
- make payments
- manage your IP rights
- review correspondence
- update your details.
You can also use Online Services to access international application systems through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Fees and charges
There are fees involved in applying for and managing an IP right. We break down the different fees involved so you're aware of what's required at each stage.
You can also use WIPO's international trade mark fee calculator to determine how much your international application might cost.
Pay by card through Online Services
Pay your fees through Online Services using Visa, Mastercard, American Express (AMEX), Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard.
Pay outside Online Services
If you cannot pay through Online Services, download and complete the Payments Not Made via Online Services form.
You can use the form to pay by:
- Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
- cheque
- money order
- card, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express (AMEX), Visa Debit or Debit Mastercard.
Please do not email your form with credit card information.
EFT, cheque and money order payments are not preferred payment methods and do not receive the preferred-means discount.
Pay by direct debit
Direct debit is only available to business to business (B2B) customers. To set up direct debit, contact us.
Sending electronic physical media
For certain transactions you can forward physical media to us.
When sending electronic physical media to us, we accept USB.
Your media must be:
- not encrypted
- accompanied by a cover sheet that's generated after you've completed your transaction
- accompanied by a transmittal letter. The transmittal letter must list:
- the computer platform (for example, IBM-PC, Macintosh)
- the operating system (for example, MS-DOS, MS-Windows)
- the files, including name, size in bytes and date of creation
- name of the sender
- name of the invention (patents only)
- any relevant reference number
- creation date
- the order of media, if there's more than one.
Please note that we don't return any electronic media sent to us.
Fee refunds, waivers and exemptions
You may be eligible for a fee refund, waiver or exemption in certain circumstances. Some refunds are processed automatically. In other cases, you'll need to make a request in writing.
Automatically granted refunds
We'll automatically refund your payment if you have:
- paid for something we cannot process, such as car registration
- paid for a request that cannot be accepted, such as opposing a newly filed application
- accidentally overpaid a fee or paid the same fee twice.
We'll send you a letter explaining why we will be refunding you.
How to request a refund or waiver
If a refund is not automatically generated but you believe you're entitled to a refund, waiver or exemption, you'll need to request this in writing through Online Services.
What you need to know
You can find more information about how we assess refund and waiver requests in our guidelines.
Our corporate guidelines outline our policies for responding to:
- overpayments
- underpayments
- refunds
- waivers.
We'll make a final decision on whether to refund monies or waive fees. If you'd like to learn more about this process, please download the guidelines.
Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration
If you have experienced detriment as a result of IP Australia's defective actions or inaction, you may seek compensation under the Scheme for Compensation for Detriment caused by Defective Administration (the CDDA Scheme).
The CDDA Scheme allows government agencies to compensate persons who have experienced detriment where no other legal liability exists.
The CDDA Scheme is generally an avenue of last resort. If other viable avenues for redress exist, these must be explored first before you can apply for consideration under the CDDA Scheme.
Payments under the Scheme are discretionary and can be made where it is considered fair and reasonable to do so. This means there is no automatic entitlement to a payment.
We aim to acknowledge receipt of your compensation claim in writing within 7 business days of receiving it.
Once you provide all necessary information in support of your claim, we aim to process the claim and make a decision within 90 days.
Some complex claims and internal reviews may take longer to investigate and consider. In these cases, we will contact you about an anticipated reply date.
You can learn more about the CDDA scheme by reading the guidelines issued by the Department of Finance.
To submit a claim, please complete the below form. You can submit the form via post or email.
By post:
IP Australia
Office of Legal Counsel
PO Box 200
Woden ACT 2606
Or by email to the address provided on page 2 of the application form.