Guidance

One IPO Patents service details

Published 10 September 2025

Setting up, accessing and managing accounts 

Creating an IPO account 

Anyone can create an IPO account and use it to apply for or manage IP, whether you are an inventor, or a legal representative. 

If you work for a big company, you will have an account administrator who will invite you to create an account. In this instance, you will have your own account and login details, but it will be linked to your company so you can access their portfolio of patents.

Logging into your account 

You will login using multi-factor authentication to ensure your account is easy to access, while keeping your data safe and secure. This means that when you login using your username and password, you will also have a code sent to you via text message or an authenticator app to confirm it’s you. Most authenticator apps are supported, including Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator.  

If you don’t want to use a personal device, you will be able to authenticate from a work device (e.g. desktop PC or laptop). 

If you aren’t using your account for 10 minutes or more, you will be logged out and have to repeat the login process.

Managing access to your organisation’s account 

Each organisation will nominate administrators, who will be responsible for managing access within their organisation. You can have as many administrators as you like. They will invite their colleagues, and also remove access when people leave the organisation. 

Each person in the organisation will have their own account and login information and will be able to see all patent applications and patents managed or owned by their organisation by default.

Types of user account 

There are only two types of user account at launch - Standard user and Administrator. These two account types are mostly identical, but administrators can also do the following: 

• add users 

• remove users 

• promote Standard user to Admin user 

• create groups

You cannot currently create any other types of users to limit access to specific features, like submitting patent applications. For example, you cannot create paralegal accounts and attorney accounts with different types of access. The only way to limit access to patents is using the groups functionality.

Creating groups 

Administrators can prevent other users from seeing certain patents by creating groups if they wish. When creating a group, you can choose a group name, the patents that you want to be in the group, and the people you want to have access to the group. Once set up, only users who are in the group can see the patents in the group. Access is granted on an all or nothing basis, so they either have full access to view and edit an patents, or no access at all.

Client access 

Both representatives and their client will be able to set up their accounts and they will be able to manage patents and SPCs through their accounts. 

We would recommend having a clear discussion with your client around what you expect, and as part of that relationship and who is responsible for making changes on that account. Ultimately, the client is the legal owner of that intellectual property and it is only right that they are able to have an account and be able to view all of their intellectual property via an account at the IPO.

Correspondence 

In the new service you will be sent updates about your application or transaction. We will send these email updates to the person who submitted the application or transaction, and one other email address chosen by your administrator. We recommend that this second email address is a group inbox within your team or organisation. 

Sensitive information will not be displayed in email notifications, and documents will not be attached to emails – you will have to login to your IPO account to see the contents of these messages or download your documents. 

For each type of transaction (e.g. applying for a patent, change of representation, change of name / address) the emails will have unique titles. This will make it easy for your colleagues to forward correspondence on to the appropriate teams.

Applying for patents 

Collaborating on patent applications 

You can collaborate on applications using the new ‘drafts’ feature. As you fill out each section of your application, for example ‘title’ or ‘description’, your application will automatically save your progress. This applies even if you mark the section as ‘in progress’ instead of ‘complete’. 

You can share or access draft applications in two ways: 

• by clicking ‘copy a link to this draft’ at the bottom of the application page

• by clicking on ‘drafts’ at the bottom of the application screen. It will display links to all draft applications that you have access to across your firm, listing the type of application, who started it and the date it was last updated

Drafts cannot currently be saved as templates and reused for multiple applications. There is one draft per application.

Document formats 

As part of the new One IPO patents services we will be moving to machine-readable formats, like DocX or ODT files. These will allow us to do more with the information you send to us that can help us conduct patent searches and examinations more efficiently.  

In the new service, you will submit your patent specification in separate files and formats. The following formats are accepted for each part of the specification: 

• descriptions (Docx / ODT)

• claims (Docx / ODT)

• drawings (PDF)

• abstract (Free text (text box within the online service))

• additional documents (Docx, ODT, PDF)

You will also have the option to provide the full PDF specification as a supporting document if you wish. This is a great option if you are worried about errors that may have arisen when you converted files to different formats. The PDF can be used as evidence should a formatting error occur as a result of file conversion. If you do this, the Docx / ODT documents are the ‘official’ application documents. Any additional PDF documents submitted are simply evidence that would help us identify any unintended formatting errors as a result of file conversion.

Formatting requirements 

Description documents will have a minimum font size requirements. This was previously size 12, but will now been reduced to 10 following user feedback.

Getting a filing date 

The best way to file in the new system is submitting Docx or ODT documents from the start. Doing this will give you the slickest and best experience. 

However, we recognise there are times where time constraints make it impossible for you to convert documents to a different format in time to meet your deadline. 

As a result, we will award filing dates for applications submitted in PDF format – this includes priority filings as well as first filings. To do this you will need to follow these steps: 

1. When you initially apply, upload your patent specification as a supporting document in PDF format. To enable submission you will also need to upload a blank Docx or ODT document on the ‘Description’ screen. 

2. Within two months, submit your separate Docx description and claims and PDF drawings.  These must match the PDF specification filed originally. Failure to file the docx on time would result in the application being treated as having been withdrawn.

Security check and filing receipts 

In the One IPO service filing receipts will work differently to how they do currently.  

Before submitting your application you can: 

• review your application before submitting on the ‘Review your answers screen’ 

• download and save the ‘review your answers’ screen as evidence of what you submitted. 

When you press ‘submit’ on your application you will receive the following immediately: 

• a green confirmation screen with your application number, filing date and reference (if supplied)

• an email notification with your filing date, application number and reference (if supplied)

• an application summary in the ‘pending’ section of your account, containing the same information as above

Your application will then enter a national security check - this is a legal requirement for all patent applications we receive. In the vast majority of cases, the security check will take no more than two working days.

Once your application has completed its security check you will receive and email notification that will: 

• confirm that your application has completed its security check

• provide written consent for you to file abroad

• contain a link to download your full filing receipt from your IPO account

From this point onward, you will also be able to view the full details of your application, including any documents, and make changes online.  

If your application is withheld during its security check we will write to you to explain what happens next. In this instance, your application will not be available to view online.

Drafting, reviewing and signing 

There isn’t a formal role-based workflow, where paralegals can only draft and attorneys draft, sign and submit. If a user has access to a patent, they can do everything – draft, sign and submit. 

Administrators can limit access to specific patents or groups of patents if they wish, but it’s on an all or nothing basis. So, either users can’t access a patent at all, or they can view and edit all parts of it. 

However, applications can easily be shared with colleagues. There is also a ‘review your answers’ towards the end of the application process that can be used to review and sign off answers. The review your answers page can also be downloaded for your records.

Limiting access to patent applications. 

If your administrator has created groups, there is an option at the bottom of the patent application page to add your patent to a group. 

Examination reports 

Once your examination report is ready, you will receive an email notification telling you that there is an update to your application. It will contain a link to your application details in your account. You will then be able to view and respond to your exam report in your account. 

Alternative ways to file patents 

You will still be able to file on paper using forms provided on Gov.uk. If you want to make an international (PCT) patent application, this must now be submitted using the World Intellectual Property Office’s ePCT service.

Changing your application type 

In the new service you can choose from three main types of application: 

• filing date only 

• filing date and search  

• filing date, search and examination 

Once you have picked one of these options, you can’t change it mid-draft. However, you can submit the draft application and complete the next part of the application once it’s completed its security check. For example, submit a filing date and search application, and then request an examination.

WIPO DAS applications 

You can submit WIPO DAS applications through the new service.

Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) applications 

You will be able to apply for SPCs in the new service. SPCs will appear in your account and can be viewed in the same way as other patent applications. You will be able to search the list by applicant. 

PCT applications 

PCT applications will need to be submitted via the ePCT system in future. You cannot use our new service to apply with the UK IPO as a receiving office. 

We will, however, continue to take PCT and international applications through the National Filing route. So, you can still make a national phase entry through this new system in the same way you do now.

Payments 

Payment methods 

As before, you can make payments via credit card, debit card or deposit account.  

Deposit accounts 

You can continue to use the same deposit account you currently use.  

There is no link between your IPO account and your deposit account – you have to select the ‘deposit account’ payment option and type in the associated deposit account number and email address each time you transact. In future, linking deposit accounts to your IPO account could be an option, but it’s not in our short-term roadmap of improvements.

Updating patents 

Renewals 

You can renew patents using the new service. There is currently a limit of 10 renewals per transaction, but this will be increased to match the existing renewals service before the new service launches. 

Making changes to patents 

You can use the new service to make changes to patents including changing name and address, changing representation, transferring ownership and so on. 

Some of these services, like changing name and address, will be completely automated. Others, like transferring ownerships of IP will still require some manual checks from IPO staff. However, requesting all of these changes is now fully digital and accessible via your account. 

Drafts are currently not available for very short transactions, such as changing address, or changing representative.

General information 

Form numbers 

We want to move away from form numbers to language that can be more easily understood by all users of the service. We will continue to have paper forms, but within the digital service, the different transactions will be given more meaningful names like ‘change of representative’, ‘change address’ and so on.

Audit trails 

In the new service you can see who created a draft application, and you can see all documents related to a specific patent. However, you can’t see a detailed audit trail of exactly who did what and when yet. The IPO does have this information internally, so if there was an urgent need for this information, they may be able to provide it. 

What happens if the service goes down? 

In the short-term you can email applications to the forms@ipo email address as a back-up. As the digital service becomes the default channel we will review and define the best approach for back-up channels. Paper forms will continue to be available to download from our website, for those who are unable to use the digital service. 

Reference numbers 

You will be able to provide your own reference number as part of all transactions in the new service. You will be able to search patents by reference number in your account.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) 

We are developing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that could allow yout to interact with the IPO through IP software you use in your organisation. The APIs we’re working on at the moment include:

1. Renewals API (for renewing patents) 

2. IP register API (for pulling data from the IP register) 

We expect these APIs to be available when the new service launches to the public, with additional APIs being added in the future based on customer needs.

Providing feedback on the new service 

You can submit your feedback in the following ways: 

• e-mail our Customer Support Centre at information@ipo.gov.uk 

• there is a feedback form in the banner at the top of the service that you can use at any time

Guidance 

We will be publishing a suite of guidance videos and blogs on the changes you can expect over the coming weeks.

What’s next? 

Your feedback has been and continues to be vital, so thank you. Hopefully you can see from this that we are constantly listening and making changes. 

Over the coming months, we’ll be piloting the service with a small number of customers where we’ll be reviewing and acting on their feedback. Even once the service launches, we’ll keep supporting and improving it for many years to come.  

Early this year we will also start our research for the new trade marks and designs services.