Circulars and Practice Directions

Provides circulars and practice directions on trade marks, offering guidance and updates on policies, procedures, and regulations from IPOS.

Last updated 3 September 2026

Circulars

Subscribe to our mailing list by emailing us at news@ipos.gov.sg (opens in new tab) to receive our latest circulars.

View the pre-2021 circulars [PDF, 2.01 MB] (opens in new tab).

For classification practices on specific terms, please refer to our compiled Circulars on Classification of Goods and Services [PDF, 690KB] (opens in new tab). You are encouraged to visit IPOS' Trade Mark Goods & Services Search (opens in new tab) page on IPOS' Digital Hub to conduct a search on IPOS' Classification Database of pre-approved descriptions of goods and services. Interested parties are also invited to submit suggestions of new goods and services descriptions here (opens in new tab), for addition to IPOS' Classification Database.

2026

2026 Circulars

12 August 2026	Circular No. 3 of 2026 [PDF, 259 KB] (opens in new tab)	SG Patents Fast and SG Trade Marks Fast to Resume Acceptance of New Requests
4 January 2026	Circular No. 2 of 2026 [PDF, 138 KB] (opens in new tab)	Acceleration Programmes Under Review – Suspension of Acceptance of New Requests Under SG Patents Fast and SG Trade Marks Fast
2 January 2026	Circular No. 1 of 2026 [PDF, 136 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date

2025

2025 Circulars

3 November 2025	Circular No. 6 of 2025 [PDF, 153KB] (opens in new tab)	Virtual Workshop on the Classification of Goods and Services
15 October 2025	Circular No. 5 of 2025 [PDF, 129KB] (opens in new tab)	Public Consultation on Proposed Changes to Intellectual Property Regime Note: Please click here (opens in new tab) for the latest public consultation dates/timelines.
25 August 2025	Circular No. 4 of 2025 [PDF, 270KB] (opens in new tab)	International Classification of Goods and Services – Nice Classification – 13th Edition, Version 2026
21 July 2025	Circular No. 3 of 2025 [PDF, 350KB] (opens in new tab)	Fee Updates
7 May 2025	Circular No. 2 of 2025 [PDF, 379KB] (opens in new tab)	New Patents and Trade Marks Acceleration Programmes
7 Jan 2025	Circular No. 1 of 2025 [PDF, 212KB] (opens in new tab)	Partial replacement of national registrations by protected international trade marks (Singapore)

2024

2024 Circulars

14 Oct 2024	Circular No. 6 of 2024 [PDF, 171 KB] (opens in new tab)	Submission of suggested descriptions of goods and services for addition into IPOS' Classification Database
14 Oct 2024	Circular No. 5 of 2024 [PDF, 158 KB] (opens in new tab)	International Classification of Goods and Services – Nice Classification – 12th Edition, Version 2025
27 May 2024	Circular No. 4 of 2024 [PDF, 149 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Dates
8 May 2024	Circular No. 3 of 2024 [PDF, 263 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days from 1 to 16 May 2024
1 Apr 2024	Circular No. 2 of 2024 [PDF, 165 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days from 1 May 2024 to 13 May 2024 for business under IP Acts and Rules
15 Jan 2024	Circular No. 1 of 2024 [PDF, 184 KB] (opens in new tab)	Extension of deadline for submission of suggested descriptions of goods and services for addition into IPOS’ Classification Database

2023

2023 Circulars

11 Oct 2023	Circular No. 11 of 2023 [PDF, 149 KB] (opens in new tab)	Trade Mark Search Training Workshops
9 Oct 2023	Circular No. 10 of 2023 [PDF, 98 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Dates
22 Sep 2023	Circular No. 9 of 2023 [PDF, 98 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
15 Sep 2023	Circular No. 8 of 2023 [PDF, 147 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
25 Aug 2023	Circular No. 7 of 2023 [PDF, 182 KB] (opens in new tab)	Invitation to submit suggested descriptions of goods and services for addition into IPOS’ Classification Database Report [PDF, 170 KB] (opens in new tab)
25 Aug 2023	Circular No. 6 of 2023 [PDF, 177 KB] (opens in new tab)	International Classification of Goods and Services – Nice Classification – 12th Edition, Version 2024
26 May 2023	Circular No. 5 of 2023 [PDF, 96 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
14 Mar 2023	Circular No. 4 of 2023 [PDF, 96 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
10 Feb 2023	Circular No. 3 of 2023 [PDF, 96 KB] (opens in new tab)	Additional Publications of the Trade Marks Journal
10 Feb 2023	Circular No. 2 of 2023 [PDF, 164 KB] (opens in new tab)	Classification practices on Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Metaverse-related goods/services
1 Feb 2023	Circular No. 1 of 2023 [PDF, 96 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date

2022

2022 Circulars

18 Nov 2022	Circular No. 13 of 2022 [PDF, 95 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
21 Oct 2022	Circular No. 12 of 2022 [PDF, 96 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
19 Aug 2022	Circular No. 11 of 2022 [PDF, 94 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Date
11 Aug 2022	Circular No. 10 of 2022 [PDF, 173 KB] (opens in new tab)	International Classification of Goods and Services Nice Classification – 12th Edition, Version 2023
15 Jul 2022	Circular No. 9 of 2022 [PDF, 95 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Dates
8 Jun 2022	Circular No. 8 of 2022 [PDF, 94 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days and Alternative Filing Mode Via FormSG
3 Jun 2022	Circular No. 7 of 2022 [PDF, 90 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
25 May 2022	Circular No. 6 of 2022 [PDF, 217 KB] (opens in new tab)	IPOS Digital Hub Launch on 2 June 2022 (Note: The Annex of this Circular supersedes the Annex in Circular No. 5 of 2022.)
28 Apr 2022	Circular No. 5 of 2022 [PDF, 158 KB] (opens in new tab)	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. 4 of 2022 [PDF, 270 KB] (opens in new tab)	Extension of SG IP FAST Track Programme and Sunset of 12 Months File-to-Grant Programme
11 Apr 2022	Circular No. 3 of 2022 [PDF, 522 KB] (opens in new tab)	Information on Filing Requirements and Transition to IPOS Digital Hub
11 Mar 2022	Circular No. 2 of 2022 [PDF, 509 KB] (opens in new tab)	Introducing IPOS Digital Hub, Legislative Amendments and Fee Updates
6 Jan 2022	Circular No. 1 of 2022 [PDF, 94 KB] (opens in new tab)	Examination of Companion Trade Mark Applications

2021

2021 Circulars

10 Sep 2021	Circular No. 6 of 2021 [PDF, 89 KB] (opens in new tab)	Potentially Misleading Business Names of Non-official Entities
10 Sep 2021	Circular No. 5 of 2021 [PDF, 101 KB] (opens in new tab)	Introduction of Amendments to the Trade Marks Subsidiary Legislation and Electronic Filing and Service of Documents
6 Aug 2021	Circular No. 4 of 2021 [PDF, 115 KB] (opens in new tab)	International Classification of Goods and Services Nice Classification – 11th Edition, Version 2022
6 Aug 2021	Circular No. 3 of 2021 [PDF, 32 KB] (opens in new tab)	Change in Trade Marks Journal Publication Dates
15 Jul 2021	Circular No. 2 of 2021 [PDF, 113 KB] (opens in new tab)	Public Consultation on Intellectual Property (Amendment) Bill 2021
1 Feb 2021	Circular No. 1 of 2021 [PDF, 104 KB] (opens in new tab)	New IP²SG Website Address; Launch of IP²SG Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for Trademark Application, Renewal and Management

Practice directions

2025

2025 Practice directions

Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025 [PDF, 106 KB] (opens in new tab)	Day of Interruption to Electronic Online System, IPOS Digital Hub
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

2024 Practice directions

Registries Practice Direction No. 2 of 2024 [PDF, 269 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded days
Registries Practice Direction No. 1 of 2024 [PDF, 264 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded days

2023

2023 Practice directions

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

2022 Practice directions

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

2021 Practice directions

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

2020 Practice directions

Registries Practice Direction No. 3 of 2020 [PDF, 151 KB] (opens in new tab)	Alternative Filing Modes and Service of Documents
IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2020 [PDF, 354 KB] (opens in new tab)	Electronic Online System (EOS)
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

2019 Practice directions

IP²SG 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)	Excluded days

2018

2018 Practice directions

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

2017 Practice directions

Practice Direction No. 1 of 2017 [PDF, 8.11 MB] (opens in new tab)	Approved List of Goods or Services
IP²SG Practice Direction No. 1 of 2017 [PDF, 415 KB] (opens in new tab)	Electronic Online System (EOS)

2015

2015 Practice directions

Practice Direction No. 2 of 2015 [PDF, 39 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded days
Practice Direction No. 1 of 2015 [PDF, 10 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded days

Pre-2015

Pre-2015 Practice directions

2012	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2012 [PDF, 53KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
2009	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2009 [PDF, 12 KB] (opens in new tab)	Hours Of Business And Excluded Days
2008	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2008 [PDF, 12 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
2007	Practice Direction No 1. of 2007 [PDF, 12 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
2006	Practice Direction No. 3 of 2006 [PDF, 16 KB] (opens in new tab)	Hours Of Business And Excluded Days
	Practice Direction No. 2 of 2006 [PDF, 124 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2006 [PDF, 8 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
2005	Practice Direction No. 2 of 2005 [PDF, 29 KB] (opens in new tab)	Registration as Account Holder to E-file and Pay by GIRO
2005	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2005 [PDF, 11 KB] (opens in new tab)	Excluded Days
2004	Practice Direction No. 2 of 2004 [PDF, 316 KB] (opens in new tab)	Hours of Business and Excluded Days
2004	Practice Direction No. 1 of 2004 [PDF, 532 KB] (opens in new tab)	Registration of Agent as Account Holder to E-File and pay by GIRO (For trade mark agents only)