How much should an international IP team set aside for trademark renewals? There is no reliable single rate. A portfolio can include national rights, EU trade marks and Madrid registrations, with different offices, currencies and service providers. This guide gives you a simple way to prepare a decision-ready budget without adding another tracking file.
Use three steps: identify the registrations likely to incur a cost, estimate the full amount for each one, and separate approved renewals from decisions still pending. Your portfolio record remains the source of truth for rights and deadlines.
Start with the registrations, not a portfolio total
Review rights for which a renewal cost may fall within the next 12 months. For each registration, check its number, owner, office or protection route, scope of protection and applicable official deadline. Record who can instruct the renewal and which legal entity will pay. This keeps the budget aligned with the team that must approve it.
Do not assume that national, regional and Madrid rights follow the same fee structure. Also check for duplicate internal records before adding costs. Deadline management has its own workflow; this guide focuses on the amount to approve. IPzen’s docketing overview explains how portfolio deadlines can be kept visible.
Estimate the full cost of each renewal
Expected cost per registration = official fee + relevant professional fees + identified additional charges. Official fees can depend on the office, classes and, under the Madrid System, designated members. Adviser fees depend on the work requested. Additional charges may include local representation, payment costs or currency conversion. Include a cost only when it applies to the specific matter.
Three official fee starting points, checked on 28 September 2026:
- France, INPI: EUR 290 for one class, then EUR 40 for each additional class.
- European Union, EUIPO: EUR 850 for online renewal of an individual EU trade mark in one class, EUR 50 for the second class and EUR 150 for each class beyond two.
- Madrid System, WIPO: CHF 653 basic fee, plus amounts that vary with the designated members and classes.
These are examples of three routes, not rates for other jurisdictions. Check the relevant INPI schedule, EUIPO guidance or WIPO renewal calculator before committing a figure. For other countries, use the current office schedule and a local adviser’s quote where needed. Late renewal can trigger extra charges, but it should be flagged as a specific risk rather than added to every matter.
Ask providers to separate official fees from service fees. If a charge is in a foreign currency, convert the quote to your organisation’s reporting currency using a dated rate and note that the final amount may move. Apply one consistent rule for indirect tax and identify the paying entity when several group companies are involved.
Give decision-makers a clear amount per registration
A useful budget can be read one registration at a time. This deliberately small example assumes EUR reporting and two one-class renewals. The professional fees are illustrative only; they are neither IPzen prices nor a client case.
| Registration | Calculation | Expected cost |
|---|---|---|
| Mark A, France | EUR 290 official fee + EUR 200 professional fee | EUR 490 |
| Mark B, European Union | EUR 850 official fee + EUR 300 professional fee | EUR 1,150 |
| Total for approval | EUR 490 + EUR 1,150 | EUR 1,640 |
For a real portfolio, replace each assumption with the applicable office fee and provider quote. A short record for each right is enough for review: registration, deadline, expected amount, outstanding decision and owner. Keep it in the system your team already uses. A Madrid or other non-EUR cost should be converted separately rather than treated as if the euro examples applied worldwide.
Keep pending instructions separate from approved renewals
A budget should not imply that every right will be renewed. Use three plain statuses: renew, decision pending and do not renew. Show the approved amount and the possible additional cost of matters still awaiting an instruction. Finance can then see the exposure without mistaking a provisional figure for a commitment.
The decision should consider the business use of the mark, the markets it protects and the cost of maintaining it. Record the instruction and the person who gave it. A cost estimate supports that decision; it does not replace the rights holder’s instruction or a check of the legal deadline.
Update the budget when the facts change
Refresh the estimate when a quote arrives, a renewal instruction changes or a foreign-currency amount moves materially. For a large portfolio, a quarterly overview can help, alongside a matter-level check before each near-term deadline. State what changed and why. There is no need to rebuild the whole budget after every invoice.
Before sending the figure to finance or a client, confirm that each amount has a source, pending decisions remain visible and a named person owns the next action. This short check prevents a precise-looking total from concealing an unresolved instruction.
Where IPzen fits into the process
IPzen brings together trademark records, deadlines and portfolio documents. This helps international teams find the rights in scope and the information to verify before requesting a quote or instruction. The renewal budget itself still needs the applicable official rates and provider quotes; do not assume IPzen automatically calculates the full cost.
In a demonstration, ask to see how to find upcoming renewals, open the relevant registration record and locate the document supporting a decision. Book an IPzen demonstration.
Trademark renewal budget FAQ
Should we budget only the official fees?
No. Add professional fees and any other charges that genuinely apply to the matter. Keep these components separate so the total is understandable and provider quotes can be compared.
How should we handle different currencies?
Use your organisation’s reporting currency and a documented conversion rate for each foreign-currency estimate. Keep the original quoted currency visible, and update the estimate if the rate or quote changes materially.
How do we estimate a Madrid System renewal?
Use WIPO’s calculator with the registration’s designated members and classes. Add any relevant adviser fees and convert the result according to your organisation’s reporting rule.
What if the business may stop using a mark?
Keep the possible renewal cost under decisions pending until the rights holder gives an instruction. An informal expectation is not enough to remove a right from the review.
When should the forecast be refreshed?
When a fee, quote or instruction changes. Periodic portfolio review helps identify gaps, but every imminent renewal still needs its own check.
Sources and methodology
Fee examples were checked on 28 September 2026 against the official INPI, EU trade mark regulation and WIPO pages and must be checked for each matter. Marks A and B are fictional. IPzen capabilities are described from its public product page and should be confirmed in a demonstration.