CNIPA Revokes Three Chinese Patent Firms’ Licenses for Fabricating Partners

On February 6, 2026, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) released three decisions revoking the operating licenses for three Chinese patent firms for fabricating partners.  Per CNIPA,  the actual controllers of the firms involved, in order to obtain a patent agency license, agreed with patent agents to act as nominal partners, paying them “license-hanging fees.” The agents merely registered their patent agent qualifications with the firms involved, without practicing full-time or participating in the firm’s daily operations. The patent applications they signed were actually signed by the firms involved without their consent. Furthermore, between July 2024 and June 2025, the State Intellectual Property Office, during its patent application quality monitoring, found that 213 of the party’s patent applications were preliminarily identified as abnormal patent applications and subsequently withdrawn. Between the three firms, over 600 “irregular” patent applications were filed and subsequently withdrawn.

CNIPA has been cracking down on irregular patent applications with roughly 10% indicated as irregular in 2024.  As such, patent grants have decreased significantly over the years.  Besides rejecting irregular patent applications, CNIPA has been sanctioning both patent firms and patent agents, as indicated by these decisions among many others. 

The original text of the decisions are available here, here and here (Chinese only). A translation of a representative decision follows.

On May 10, 2024, the party concerned submitted an application to the CNIPA for a patent agency practice license, along with application materials including a business license, partnership agreement, and a “Notification and Commitment Letter Regarding Approval Matters for Patent Agency Practice Licenses.” On May 14, 2024, the party concerned obtained the patent agency practice license.

An investigation revealed that the actual controller of the party involved, in order to obtain a patent agency license, agreed with patent agents Feng XX and Feng YY to have the two act as nominal partners, paying them “license-hanging fees.” From May 2024 to the present, Feng XX and Feng YY have merely registered their patent agent qualifications with the party involved, without practicing full-time or participating in the party’s daily operations. The patent applications they signed were actually signed by the party involved without their consent. Furthermore, between July 2024 and June 2025, the CNIPA, during its patent application quality monitoring, found that 213 of the party’s patent applications were preliminarily identified as abnormal patent applications and subsequently withdrawn.

On January 14, 2026, the CNIPA served the party concerned with the “Notice of Revocation of Administrative License” (国知撤函运字 [2026] No. 3), informing the party concerned of the facts, reasons, basis, and penalties for the proposed revocation of the administrative license, and informing the party concerned of their rights. After receiving the notice, the party concerned did not submit any statements or defenses within the statutory time limit, nor did they request a hearing.

The above facts are mainly proven by the following evidence:

1. The parties’ business license, partnership agreement, and “Notification and Commitment Letter Regarding Approval Matters for Patent Agency Practice License”.

2. Employment agreement, chat logs, transfer records, and social security payment records.

3. Interview records and inquiry records from the Shanghai Intellectual Property Office

4. List of patent applications that were preliminarily identified as abnormal and subsequently withdrawn by the party concerned.

In summary, the CNIPA believes that the party concerned, by using the qualifications and professional experience of other patent agents, fabricating all partners, and fraudulently obtaining a patent agency practice license, has committed the illegal act of “obtaining a patent agency practice license by concealing the truth and by fraudulent means” as stipulated in Article 24, Paragraph 1 of the Patent Agency Regulations.

In accordance with Article 24, Paragraph 1 of the Patent Agency Regulations, and taking into account the facts, nature, and circumstances of the party’s illegal conduct, the following penalty is hereby imposed:

The patent agency practice license of Shanghai XX Intellectual Property Agency (General Partnership) is revoked.

The party concerned shall, within 30 days of receiving the penalty decision, notify the clients to terminate the agency contract, properly handle any outstanding business, and apply to our bureau for the cancellation of the patent agency practice license. If the party concerned disagrees with this decision, they may apply for administrative reconsideration to the CNIPA within 60 days of receiving this decision, or file an administrative lawsuit with a competent people’s court within 6 months of receiving this decision. During the reconsideration and litigation periods, the above decision shall not be suspended.

CNIPA

January 29, 2026