Terms of Service

These Terms of Service govern the use of the ChinaIPMark website and the services described on it. By using the site or ordering a service, you agree to these terms.

1. Who provides the service

ChinaIPMark is a consulting and coordination service operated by Changsha Souyu Technology Co., Ltd., Changsha, Hunan, China. Official trademark and patent filings are prepared and submitted by CNIPA-registered partner agencies.

2. Nature of the service

We provide consultation, coordination, translation and progress reporting. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Nothing on this website creates a lawyer-client relationship.

3. No guarantee of approval

Trademark and patent applications are examined by CNIPA and can be refused. We do not and cannot guarantee approval. The risk of refusal is inherent to the application process.

4. Quotes and fees

Quotes list the official CNIPA fee and our service fee separately. Prices are in USD unless stated otherwise. If official fees change before filing, the new amount is shown to you before payment.

5. Payment and refunds

• If we identify a clear conflict in the pre-filing search and you decide not to proceed, no service fee is charged for a search-only quote.
• Plans and refunds. The Essential plan (USD 199 per class) and the Standard plan (USD 299 per class) do not include a refund.
• The Registered or Refunded plan (USD 499 per class) is offered for word marks and carries a full refund. We refund 100% of what you paid for that application, including the CNIPA official fee, where CNIPA finally refuses the application in whole, the refusal is on relative grounds (the mark sits too close to an earlier mark), the decision is issued within 15 months of the filing date, you have cooperated with any notice that needed your input, kept the mark and the goods list as filed, have not withdrawn or abandoned the application, and claim within 30 days of the final refusal notice.
• Refunds are not available in the following cases, which mirror the indemnity terms of our filing agency: (1) the same applicant files the same mark again in the same class after it has already been refused, without changing the mark; (2) the mark is identical to a mark that a third party has already registered, or has had preliminarily approved, for the same or similar goods or services; (3) the application is only partly refused and part of the goods or services is granted; (4) the mark is a figurative or logo mark; (5) a word mark is refused on absolute grounds, for example because it is descriptive, lacks distinctive character, is generic or is deceptive; (6) the official examination result is issued more than 15 months after the filing date.
• Once an application is filed, official fees have been paid to CNIPA; under the Essential and Standard plans they are non-refundable.
• Refunds are made in US dollars to the account the payment came from. Bank charges on the refund transfer are borne by you.
• Before filing, our service fee is refundable minus any work already completed, at our discretion.

6. Your responsibilities

You agree to provide accurate, complete and authentic information and documents, to own or have the right to use the brand or design you ask us to protect, and not to submit forged or misleading materials. We may refuse to proceed if materials appear invalid.

7. Confidentiality

We treat the information you share with us as confidential and use it only for your matter, except where disclosure is required by law.

8. Ownership

Your trademark, design, and any intellectual property you ask us to protect remain yours. We acquire no ownership rights in your materials.

9. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our total liability for any claim related to our services is limited to the fees you paid for the specific matter. We are not liable for decisions made by CNIPA or other authorities, for delays caused by third parties, or for indirect or consequential damages.

10. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the People’s Republic of China. Any dispute will be submitted to the competent courts of Changsha, Hunan.

11. Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent to the contact email shown on the contact page.