Payment terms

To become or remain a Bluetooth Member (as such term is defined in the Bluetooth SIG Bylaws) in good standing, Members must pay and remain current on all applicable fees (as set forth in the Bluetooth SIG Schedule of dues and fees) in accordance with the following Bluetooth Payment Terms:

Bluetooth General Payment Terms

  1. Precedence. Unless specifically otherwise stated, the Payment Terms listed here control with regard to all invoices and payments of dues and fees owed to Bluetooth SIG.
  2. Payment Method. All payments shall be made by ACH or wire, or if offered, by credit card or otherwise offline. If you choose to pay offline, you will pay the invoice issued to you by Bluetooth SIG, according to the terms stated on the invoice. If you provide credit card payment information (as applicable), you agree that Bluetooth SIG or its third-party payment processor may charge your credit card immediately.
  3. Invoices. Any invoices issued by Bluetooth SIG will remain valid for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of issuance. Any invoice that remains outstanding for more than thirty (30) days will be deemed expired. If any invoice expires or is cancelled before payment is received, a new Fee payment request must be submitted to Bluetooth SIG for processing.
  4. Refunds. Refunds, including but not limited to refunds for Annual Membership Dues or Product Qualification Fees (including prepaid Product Qualification Fees evidenced by Receipt Numbers that have expired), or partial billing periods, are generally not provided under any circumstances, except as mandated by applicable law.
  5. Modifications. Bluetooth SIG reserves the right to modify and amend these payment terms and conditions as necessary, in its sole discretion, including the introduction of new fees from time to time, as approved by the Board of Directors.

Bluetooth Membership Payment Terms

  1. New Members. In order to become a new Member, in addition to paying the application fee and any applicable Annual Membership Dues in accordance with these terms, applicants must (1) complete the New Member Application process available at join.bluetooth.com/new-account and sign the required membership agreements during the New Member Application process, and (2) accept the Terms of Use, Code of Conduct, and additional documents as required by Bluetooth SIG.
  2. Annual Membership Dues. Contributing Adopter and Associate Members must remain current on all fees specified in the Bluetooth SIG Schedule of dues and fees, including annual dues, in order to maintain status in the applicable member class and to continue enjoying all associated rights and benefits of the applicable membership class.
  3. Automatic Payments. The Bluetooth SIG automatically processes payment upon membership activation for Contributing Adopter and Associate Members; and unless a Member opts out in writing, the Bluetooth SIG, will process successive Annual Membership Dues automatically upon such dues becoming due and payable (“Membership Anniversary Date”). An invoice reminder will be issued to all Members at least sixty (60) days before the Membership Anniversary Date. Unless Member downgrades membership under Section 5 (below) or withdrawals membership (pursuant to the member agreements or the Bylaws) prior to the Membership Anniversary Date, and Member does not opt out of automatic payments, membership will continue and all applicable fees will apply.
  4. Price Changes. Upon approval from the Board of Directors, Annual Membership Dues may change with a minimum of sixty (60) days’ notice.
  5. Membership Upgrades. Members may upgrade membership at any time in the membership section of Bluetooth.com and by paying the applicable fees. Bluetooth SIG will count the pro rata portion of any previous annual dues (as applicable) towards a new upgraded membership. Upgrading membership will reset the Membership Anniversary Date to the date on which the upgrade is successfully processed.
  6. Membership Downgrades. Contributing Adopter or Associate Members can downgrade memberships at any time in the membership section of Bluetooth.com. No refunds are provided under any circumstances and Members will  continue to have the same access to working groups and committees (as applicable), including any access to information permitted for other Members in such member class, and continue to receive any applicable discounts on fees, until the next Membership Anniversary Date. If a Contributing Adopter or Associate Member does not pay the applicable fees within 14 days from the Membership Anniversary Date, then such Member will automatically be demoted to a category of membership that is not required to pay annual dues, and upon demotion, such Member will have only those rights of membership granted to a member of such new class of membership (e.g. Adopter Members).

Bluetooth Qualification Payment Terms

  1. Product Qualification Fee. Member companies must pay the Product Qualification Fee, and any other associated qualification fees, specified in the Bluetooth SIG Schedule of dues and fees, or otherwise, before finalizing the Bluetooth Qualification Process. Until payment is processed and funds are received you will not be able to complete the Bluetooth Qualification Process. Product Qualification Fees are paid on behalf of the Member Company, regardless of payment method. Receipt Numbers (as defined in the Qualification Program Reference Document (“QPRD”)) may be used as proof of payment in lieu of paying a Product Qualification Fee as applicable.
  2. Receipt Numbers. Proof of payment is shown by a Receipt Number linked to the user account used for processing the applicable Product Qualification Fee. Bluetooth SIG may reassign, without notice, prepaid Product Qualification Fees evidenced by the applicable Receipt Number within a Member Company’s accounts if requested by the Member Company.
  3. Expiration. Prepaid Product Qualification Fees evidenced by a Receipt Number expire 12 months from receipt of payment for Associate and Promoter Members and 6 months for Adopter and Contributing Adopter Members. Corresponding Receipt Numbers become invalid after expiry. If a Member Company downgrades from Promoter or Associate Membership for any reason, any prepaid Product Qualification Fee evidenced by a Receipt Number that is not used as of the date of the downgrade will automatically be adjusted to match the terms of the new membership class, even if that means such Product Qualification Fee and Receipt Number has already expired.
  4. Transfers. Product Qualification Fees evidenced by the applicable Receipt Number cannot be transferred or reassigned to another Member Company.
  5. Qualification Discounts. Discounts based on membership class will no longer apply as of the date that a Member downgrades to a new class of membership (e.g., from Associate to Adopter). Outstanding invoices and use of prepaid discounted Product Qualification Fees will be automatically adjusted accordingly to match the terms of the new membership class. Member will be responsible for any increase of fees on any outstanding invoice. Further, upon redemption of any prepaid Product Qualification Fee evidenced by a Receipt Number, Member will be required to pay the difference between the current Product Qualification Fee and the previously discounted fee.
  6. Product Qualification. The Product Qualification Fee applies to the first Product (as defined in the QPRD) submission from a Member Company marketing and selling such Product under its trademark(s) or brand (Submitting Company) involving a specific Design, whether pre-existing or new. Subsequent submissions from that Submitting Company featuring the same Design do not incur this fee. Submissions from that Submitting Company with subset or reassessed Designs (as described in QPRD, Sections 3.2.2.2.1 and 3.2.2.2.2) are also exempt from the Product Qualification Fee.