How to Make Payments for a Plant Variety Certificate of Protection

Application Fees

The total cost of protection is $5,150.

This price includes $4,382 for the application and examination and $768 for the certificate fee. These fees are subject to change. A complete list of itemized fees is provided on the back of this sheet or on our website.

Fees and charges shall be paid at the time of making application or at the time of submitting a request for any action by the office for which a fee or charge is payable and established. Make checks and money orders payable to "Treasurer of the United States.” We also accept electronic payments.

Pay.Gov is the most efficient and effective way to make payments.  Pay.gov can accessed directly from the Internet or from the ePVP.

Payment Options

Fees can be paid by using:

  • The ePVP System after an application has been entered, applicant must have an e-authenticated username and password.
  • Pay.gov (accepts major credit cards such as VISA, American Express, Discover, or Master Card)  An e-authenticated account is not required.
  • Check or money order payable to the "Treasurer of the United States" which is mailed to the PVPO.

Electronic Plant Variety Protection System (ePVP)

Serves to provide applicants with an easier method to filing applications, track the status of an application, respond to requests from the PVPO, search for applications, and make payments.

Please note that a user must have an e-Authenticated account to access the ePVP System.  More information on the ePVP System is available on the US PVPO Application Process informational sheet on the PVPO website, see web link at the bottom of this page.

Using Pay.gov

  • To make a payment for PVP services via ACH bank account, Amazon account, PayPal, Debit or Credit Card, please use Pay.gov.
  • The pay.gov system can be accessed from within the ePVP System by clicking on the “Pay Fees” tab from the “Main” menu screen.
  • Payments can be made directly from the internet at www.pay.gov.  When navigating to this system click on “Find an Agency” and select “Agriculture (USDA): Ag Mkt Service (AMS) Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO).

PVPO Services and Fees

Service Fee

Application Initial fee for filing, examination, and certificate issuance (due at time of filing)

$5,150.00

Submission of new application data prior to issuance of certificate

$432.00
Granting extensions for responding to data requests $89.00
Refunds pursuant to § 97.178 may be issued for portions of the initial application fee  -
Examination Refund $3,864
Certificate Issuance Refund $768
Reconsideration of application $589.00
Revival of an abandoned application $518.00
Filing a petition for protest to Commissioner $4,118.00
Appeal to Secretary (refundable if appeal overturns protest to Commissioner) $4,942.00

Visit our fees page for more information

Contact Information

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
Science and Technology Program
Plant Variety Protection Office
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 2915 South, Stop 0274
Washington DC 20250
Phone: (202) 260-8983
pvpomail@usda.gov