Practice Guidelines & Circulars

Circulars

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2024

1 Apr 2024

Excluded Days from 1 May 2024 to 13 May 2024 for business under IP Acts and Rules

2022

8 Jun 2022	Circular No. 7/2022	Excluded Days and Alternative Filing Mode Via FormSG
3 Jun 2022	Circular No. 6/2022	Excluded Days
25 May 2022	Circular No. 5/2022	IPOS Digital Hub Launch on 2 June 2022 (Note: The Annex of this circular supersedes the Annex in Patents Circular No. 4/2022.)
28 Apr 2022	Circular No. 4/2022	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	Circular No. 3/2022	Extension of SG IP FAST Track Programme and Sunset of 12 Months File-to-Grant Programme
11 Apr 2022	Circular No. 2/2022	Information on Filing Requirements and Transition to IPOS Digital Hub
11 Mar 2022	Circular No. 1/2022	Introducing IPOS Digital Hub, Legislative Amendments and Fee Updates

2021

5 Nov 2021	Circular No. 5/2021	International Applications filed in Chinese with IPOS as the receiving Office or the International Searching and International Preliminary Examining Authorities
10 Sep 2021	Circular No. 4/2021	Potentially Misleading Business Names of Non-official Entities
10 Sep 2021	Circular No. 3/2021	Introduction of Amendments to the Patents Rules and Electronic Filing and Service of Documents
15 Jul 2021	Circular No. 2/2021	Public Consultation on Intellectual Property (Amendment) Bill 2021
1 Feb 2021	Circular No. 1/2021	New IP²SG website address

2020

25 Aug 2020	Circular No. 6/2020	Expansion of SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 1 September 2020
17 Aug 2020	Circular No. 5/2020	Public Consultation on Proposed Changes to Simplify and Streamline Intellectual Property Processes and Improve User Experience with Digital Initiatives
2 Jun 2020	Circular No. 4/2020	DOCX (Microsoft Word) File Format as an Alternative Format to File Patent Specifications
2 Jun 2020	Circular No. 3/2020	Introduction of Amendments to Subsidiary Legislation in Response to COVID-19
27 Apr 2020	Circular No. 2/2020	Launch of the SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 4 May 2020
17 Apr 2020	Circular No. 1/2020	COVID-19: Further Information on Excluded Days

2019

31 Oct 2019	Circular No. 3/2019	New Online Payment Platform on IP²SG and Revised Patents Formalities Manual
26 Apr 2019	Circular No. 2/2019	Launch of AI² : Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence - An Accelerated Application-to-Grant Service for Patent Applications in Artificial Intelligence
4 Mar 2019	Circular No. 1/2019	One Year Extension of FinTech Fast Track till 25 April 2020

2018

21 Sep 2018	Circular No. 10/2018	Electronic filing of Form CM12 for PCT applications and Clarification of PCT Operational Procedures
14 Sep 2018	Circular No. 9/2018	100% e-Payment with effect from 1 November 2018
8 Aug 2018	Circular No. 8/2018	Decommissioning of Email-Based IP²SG Accounts on 1 September 2018
1 Aug 2018	Circular No. 7/2018	Revised Patents Formalities Manual and Formalities Procedures for Voluntary Amendments and Response to Written Opinion
18 Jul 2018	Circular No. 6/2018	Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error (Form CM4)
1 Jun 2018	Circular No. 5/2018	Contact Information for Patent-related Enquiries
18 May 2018	Circular No. 4/2018	Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error
26 Apr 2018	Circular No. 3/2018	Launch of FinTech Fast Track Initiative: An Accelerated File-to-Grant Service for Financial Technology Patent Applications
19 Apr 2018	Circular No. 2/2018	New Electronic Services on IP²SG for Managing International Applications filed under the PCT
3 Apr 2018	Circular No. 1/2018	Changes Pertaining to Form CM8 wef 21 April 2018

2017

21 Nov 2017	Circular No. 8/2017	Enhancements to Patent Application Process
6 Oct 2017	Circular No. 7/2017	Amendment to Patents Act and Rules To Enter Into Force On 30 October 2017
22 Aug 2017	Circular No. 6/2017	Examiner-initiated Informal Communications wef 15 September 2017
24 Jul 2017	Circular No. 5/2017	Launch of Patents Open Dossier on IP2SG and Patents Formalities Manual
5 Jul 2017	Circular No. 4/2017	Unsolicited IP Services - Requests for Payment of Fees
17 Mar 2017	Circular No. 3/2017	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	Circular No. 2/2017	Information Sharing Session relating to the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax
3 Feb 2017	Circular No. 1/2017	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

23 Dec 2016	Circular No. 6/2016	IPOS as the receiving Office under the PCT will be accepting International Applications in Chinese from 1 January 2017
7 Dec 2016	Circular No. 5/2016	Closure of Supplementary Examination Route as of 1 January 2020
1 Nov 2016	Circular No. 4/2016	Launch of eAlert facility in IP2SG
27 Oct 2016	Circular No. 3/2016	Public Consultation on Proposed Amendments to Singapore's Patents Legislation
3 Oct 2016	Circular No. 2/2016	Two Pieces of PatentsLegislation to be brought into Force on 1 November 2016
30 Jun 2016	Circular No. 1/2016	Updated Guidelines on the Assessment of Patent Post-Grant Amendments

For pre-2015 circulars, please click here.

Practice Directions

2024

Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2024

Excluded days

2023

IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 2 of 2023	Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2023	Day of Interruption to Electronic Online System, IPOS Digital Hub
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 1 of 2023	Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2023	Hours of Business and Excluded days

2022

Registries Practice Direction No. 4 of 2022	Excluded days
Registries Practice Direction No. 3 of 2022	Excluded days
IPOS Digital Hub Practice Direction No. 1 of 2022	Electronic Online System (EOS) and Alternative Filing Modes
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2022	Excluded days
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2022	Excluded days

2021

IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2021	Electronic Online System (EOS)
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2021	Alternative Filing Modes and Service of Documents

2020

IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020	Electronic Online System (EOS)
Registries Practice Direction No. 3 of 2020	Alternative Filing Modes and Service of Documents
Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2020	Excluded days
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020	Excluded days

2019

IP²SG Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019	Electronic Online System (EOS)
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2019	Excluded days
IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2019	Electronic Online System (EOS)

2018

IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2018	Electronic Online System (EOS)
Practice Direction No. 3 of 2018	Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP²SG
Practice Direction No. 2 of 2018	Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP²SG
Practice Direction No. 1 of 2018	Day of Interruption to the Electronic Online System, IP²SG