The annual fee provided for in the second paragraph of Article L. 623-16 is payable for the first time on the date of issue of the plant variety certificate. It must be paid within two months of the notification made by the national plant variety authority to the owner of the plant variety certificate.
For subsequent years, it expires on the last day of the month of the anniversary date of the grant of the plant variety certificate.
Where, from the second year onwards, payment of the annual fee has not been made by the due date as defined above, the said fee may still validly be paid within a further period of six months on payment of a late fee.