Circulars and Practice Directions
View practice guidelines and circulars for applicants and practitioners.
Last updated 3 September 2026
Circulars
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2026
Year 2026
4 Jan 2026 | Acceleration Programmes Under Review – Suspension of Acceptance of New Requests Under SG Patents Fast and SG Trade Marks Fast | |
10 June 2026 | Promoting Uptake of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) | |
10 June 2026 | Clarification on Invitation to Amend (ITA) for the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) or Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) Programme | |
12 August 2026 | Extension of Time Pilot for Search and/or Examination Report Requests Extended by One Year | |
12 August 2026 | SG Patents Fast and SG Trade Marks Fast to Resume Acceptance of New Requests |
2025
Year 2025
15 Oct 2025 | Public Consultation on Proposed Changes to Intellectual Property Regime Note: Please click here (opens in new tab) for the latest public consultation dates/timelines. | |
12 Sep 2025 | Pilot Initiative – Fee Savings for Using the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme | |
21 Jul 2025 | Fee Updates | |
23 Jun 2025 | Clarification of requirements relating to amendments and corrections of patent documents | |
7 May 2025 | New Patents and Trade Marks Acceleration Programmes |
2024
Year 2024
19 Aug 2024 | No Extension of Time Fee to File a Request for a Search and/or Examination Report | |
15 Aug 2024 | Simplified Requests for Examination Reports and Other Legislative Amendments | |
8 May 2024 | Excluded Days from 1 to 16 May 2024 | |
1 Apr 2024 | Excluded Days from 1 May 2024 to 13 May 2024 for business under IP Acts and Rules |
2022
Year 2022
8 Jun 2022 | Excluded Days and Alternative Filing Mode Via FormSG | |
3 Jun 2022 | Excluded Days | |
25 May 2022 | IPOS Digital Hub Launch on 2 June 2022 | |
28 Apr 2022 | Information on Revised Launch Date for IPOS Digital Hub, Decommission Date for IP2SG, Effective Date of Legislative Amendments and Fee Updates, Excluded Days | |
22 Apr 2022 | Extension of SG IP FAST Track Programme and Sunset of 12 Months File-to-Grant Programme | |
11 Apr 2022 | Information on Filing Requirements and Transition to IPOS Digital Hub | |
11 Mar 2022 | Introducing IPOS Digital Hub, Legislative Amendments and Fee Updates |
2021
Year 2021
5 Nov 2021 | International Applications filed in Chinese with IPOS as the receiving Office or the International Searching and International Preliminary Examining Authorities | |
10 Sep 2021 | Potentially Misleading Business Names of Non-official Entities | |
10 Sep 2021 | Introduction of Amendments to the Patents Rules and Electronic Filing and Service of Documents | |
15 Jul 2021 | Public Consultation on Intellectual Property (Amendment) Bill 2021 | |
1 Feb 2021 | New IP2SG website address |
2020
Year 2020
25 Aug 2020 | Expansion of SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 1 September 2020 | |
17 Aug 2020 | Public Consultation on Proposed Changes to Simplify and Streamline Intellectual Property Processes and Improve User Experience with Digital Initiatives | |
2 Jun 2020 | DOCX (Microsoft Word) File Format as an Alternative Format to File Patent Specifications | |
2 Jun 2020 | Introduction of Amendments to Subsidiary Legislation in Response to COVID-19 | |
27 Apr 2020 | Launch of the SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 4 May 2020 | |
17 Apr 2020 | COVID-19: Further Information on Excluded Days |
2019
Year 2019
31 Oct 2019 | New Online Payment Platform on IP2SG and Revised Patents Formalities Manual | |
26 Apr 2019 | Launch of AI2 : Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence - An Accelerated Application-to-Grant Service for Patent Applications in Artificial Intelligence | |
4 Mar 2019 | One Year Extension of FinTech Fast Track till 25 April 2020 |
2018
Year 2018
21 Sep 2018 | Electronic filing of Form CM12 for PCT applications and Clarification of PCT Operational Procedures | |
14 Sep 2018 | 100% e-Payment with effect from 1 November 2018 | |
8 Aug 2018 | Decommissioning of Email-Based IP2SG Accounts on 1 September 2018 | |
1 Aug 2018 | Revised Patents Formalities Manual and Formalities Procedures for Voluntary Amendments and Response to Written Opinion | |
18 Jul 2018 | Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error (Form CM4) | |
1 Jun 2018 | Contact Information for Patent-related Enquiries | |
18 May 2018 | Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error | |
26 Apr 2018 | Launch of FinTech Fast Track Initiative: An Accelerated File-to-Grant Service for Financial Technology Patent Applications | |
19 Apr 2018 | New Electronic Services on IP2SG for Managing International Applications filed under the PCT | |
3 Apr 2018 | Changes Pertaining to Form CM8 wef 21 April 2018 |
2017
Year 2017
21 Nov 2017 | Enhancements to Patent Application Process | |
6 Oct 2017 | Amendment to Patents Act and Rules To Enter Into Force On 30 October 2017 | |
22 Aug 2017 | Examiner-initiated Informal Communications wef 15 September 2017 | |
24 Jul 2017 | Launch of Patents Open Dossier on IP2SG and Patents Formalities Manual | |
5 Jul 2017 | Unsolicited IP Services - Requests for Payment of Fees | |
17 Mar 2017 | Slides used in the Information Sharing Session relating to the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) conducted on 10 Mar 2017 | |
2 Mar 2017 | Information Sharing Session relating to the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax | |
3 Feb 2017 | Revised Fees, Implementation of Goods and Services Tax and Change in Procedure for Amendment and Correction of Patents documents with effect from 1 April 2017 |
2016
Year 2016
23 Dec 2016 | IPOS as the receiving Office under the PCT will be accepting International Applications in Chinese from 1 January 2017 | |
7 Dec 2016 | Closure of Supplementary Examination Route as of 1 January 2020 | |
1 Nov 2016 | Launch of eAlert facility in IP2SG | |
27 Oct 2016 | Public Consultation on Proposed Amendments to Singapore's Patents Legislation | |
3 Oct 2016 | Two Pieces of PatentsLegislation to be brought into Force on 1 November 2016 | |
30 Jun 2016 | Updated Guidelines on the Assessment of Patent Post-Grant Amendments |
2015
Year 2015
1 Jul 2015 | 90 percent reduction of International Filing Fee will not be applicable with effect from 1 July 2015 |
2014
Year 2014
1 Jan 2015 | Introduction of ePCT as an accepted filing means for PCT applications | |
6 Jun 2014 | Entering of particulars of express trusts and beneficiaries in the Register of Patents (Specific name format no longer required) | |
30 Apr 2014 | Entering of particulars of express trusts and beneficiaries in the Register of Patents |
Practice Directions
2025
Year 2025
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025 [PDF, 102 KB] (opens in new tab) | Day Of Interruption To The Electronic Online System |
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025 [PDF, 720 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes |
2024
2023
Year 2023
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 2 of 2023 [PDF, 598 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes |
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2023 [PDF, 86 KB] (opens in new tab) | Day of Interruption to Electronic Online System, IPOS Digital Hub |
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 1 of 2023 [PDF, 643 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes |
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2023 [PDF, 251 KB] (opens in new tab) | Hours of Business and Excluded days |
2022
Year 2022
Registries Practice Direction No. 4 of 2022 [PDF, 102 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
Registries Practice Direction No. 3 of 2022 [PDF, 101 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 1 of 2022 [PDF, 712 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes |
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2022 [PDF, 103 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2022 [PDF, 101 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
2021
Year 2021
IP2SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2021 [PDF, 326 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2021 [PDF, 148 KB] (opens in new tab) | Alternative Filing Modes and Service of Documents |
2020
Year 2020
IP2SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020 [PDF, 354 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
Registries Practice Direction No. 3 of 2020 [PDF, 151 KB] (opens in new tab) | Alternative Filing Modes and Service of Documents |
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2020 [PDF, 63 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020 [PDF, 89 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
2019
Year 2019
SG Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019 [PDF, 389 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2019 [PDF, 67 KB] (opens in new tab) | Excluded days |
IP2SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2019 [PDF, 183 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
2018
Year 2018
IP2SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2018 [PDF, 392 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
Practice Direction No. 3 of 2018 [PDF, 69 KB] (opens in new tab) | Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP2SG |
Practice Direction No. 2 of 2018 [PDF, 20 KB] (opens in new tab) | Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP2SG |
Practice Direction No. 1 of 2018 [PDF, 153 KB] (opens in new tab) | Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP2SG |
2017
Year 2017
IP2SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2017 [PDF, 415 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online System (EOS) |
2015
Year 2015
2014
Year 2014
2013
Year 2013
2012
Year 2012
2010
Year 2010
Practice Direction No.1 of 2010 [PDF, 157 KB] (opens in new tab) | Electronic Online Service |
2009
Year 2009
Practice Direction No.1 of 2009 [PDF, 12 KB] (opens in new tab) | Hours of Business and Excluded Days |