Article Processing Charge Refunds
Directive Publications levies an article processing charge (APC) on acceptance to sustain open-access publication, peer-review administration, and permanent online hosting. This policy explains when an APC is refundable.
When a refund applies
- Rejected before or during peer review: if a manuscript is declined before the editorial and peer-review process is completed, any APC paid is refunded in full.
- Early withdrawal: authors may withdraw a manuscript within one week of submission at no charge. Withdrawals after this period, but before production, may incur a partial administrative fee.
- Duplicate or erroneous payments: accidental double payments or demonstrable overpayments are refunded in full after verification.
When a refund does not apply
- Once a manuscript has completed peer review and been accepted or published, the APC is non-refundable, as the editorial and production work has already been performed.
- Requests made after acceptance or publication are handled under our Corrections & Retractions Policy, not as refunds.
Processing fees
Where a refund is issued against a card payment, a payment-gateway processing fee of up to 2% may be deducted, reflecting non-recoverable transaction costs.
How to request a refund
Email our editorial office via the Contact page with your manuscript ID, the payment reference, and the reason for the request. Approved refunds are processed within 30 days. Authors who are unable to pay should review our Waiver Policy before submission.