Guidance

New IPO patents services detailed guide

Updated 1 April 2026

Setting up, accessing and managing accounts 

Creating an IP account 

Anyone can create an IP account and use it to apply for or manage intellectual property (IP), whether you are an inventor, or a legal representative. You can find guidance on how to create or sign in to your account on GOV.UK.

If you work for a large company, an account administrator will invite you to create your own account. You will have your own login details, but your account will be linked to your company. This means that you can access the patents and applications held by the legal entity.

Logging into your account 

You will sign in using multi-factor authentication to keep your account secure. This means that after entering your username and password, you will need to confirm it’s you. You can do this by entering a code sent by text message or through an authenticator app. Most authenticator apps are supported, including Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator.  

If you don’t want to use a personal device, you can authenticate using a work device (such as a desktop PC or laptop). 

If you do not use your account for 10 minutes, you will be logged out automatically and will need to sign in again.

Managing access to your company’s account 

Each company will nominate one or more administrators. Administrators are responsible for managing access within their company. You can have as many administrators as you need.

Administrators can:

• invite colleagues to join the company’s account 

• remove access when someone leaves the company

Each person in the company will have their own account and login details. By default they will be able to see all patent applications and granted patents that are owned or managed or owned by their company.

Types of user account 

There are two types of user account at launch: standard user and administrator.

Both account types work in the same way, but administrators can also:

• add users 

• remove users 

• promote standard users to administrators

We strongly recommend having more than one administrator for your company to make sure someone with administrator access is always available.

You cannot currently create any other types of users to limit access to specific features, such as filing patent applications. For example, you cannot create paralegal or attorney accounts with different types of access.

We previously provided access to a groups feature which allowed customers to restrict access to certain patents. During testing, we found that this feature was not working as intended and was unintentionally blocking access to patents. As a result we removed the groups feature. We are now reviewing whether this feature could be redesigned and reintroduced in the future.

Client access 

Both representatives and their client can set up their own accounts, and each can manage patents and SPCs through their accounts. 

We recommend discussing with your client how you plan to work together and who will be responsible for making changes to the account. Ultimately, the client is the legal owner of the intellectual property. Therefore it is important that they can have their own account and view all of their rights held in the IP account.

Correspondence 

In the new service, you will receive email updates about your application or any actions taken on your account. These emails are sent to:

• the person who submitted the application or transaction 

• the central email address chosen by your administrator 

• both the applicant submitter or the central email address chosen by your administrator, depending on the type of notification

When you complete an action

If you submit something (for example, a patent application), both you and the central email address will receive a confirmation email.

When the IPO completes an action

If we issue something (for example, a filing receipt, search report or examination report), the update will be sent only to the central email address.

We recommend that the central email address is a shared inbox within your team or company so that correspondence is always picked up.

Security of email notifications

Email notifications will never include sensitive information. Documents will not be attached to emails – you will have to sign in to your IP account to view messages or download your documents.

Unique email titles

Each type of transaction (for example applying for a patent, change of representation, change of name / address) will have its own unique email title. This makes it easier for you and your company to identify and manage correspondence.

Patent status 

When you view your patents in your IP account you will see a status label. The different statuses are:

• filed 

• action required 

• search in progress 

• preparing to publish 

• published 

• exam in progress 

• exam response in review 

• terminated before grant 

• preparing to grant 

• granted 

• withdrawn 

• ex-parte hearing

In some cases these statuses will not update until an IPO officer has reviewed the application and taken the next action. For example, when you submit a response to an examination report, the status will not change immediately.

Applying for patents 

We have published a guidance video on applying for patents, which covers many of the points explained in the following section.

Assigning a representative

It is very important that you assign a representative to your patent application. This field is not currently mandatory, failing to assign a representative, or assigning the wrong representative, means the patent will not appear in your account. This will also delay receiving your filing receipt.

When assigning a representative you will be asked to search for your company. If you can’t find your company or you see duplicates:

• do not add yourself manually as the representative

• contact oneiposupport@ipo.gov.uk, who will resolve the issue for you

Manually adding your own details as the representative will prevent the patent from linking to your account. Your patent application may not be linked correctly if:

• the patent does not appear in your account, under ‘Pending’ or in the main list of your patents

• you do not receive a filing receipt within two working days

Shortly after launch we will introduce an update that will make your company the representative by default. This is included in our roadmap of planned service improvements.

Collaborating on patent applications 

You can collaborate on applications using the ‘drafts’ feature. As you complete each section of your application, for example ‘title’ or ‘description’, your progress is saved automatically. Progress is saved even if the section is marked ‘in progress’ instead of ‘complete’.

You can share or access draft applications in two ways:

1. Copy a direct link.

At the bottom of the application page, select ‘copy a link to this draft’.

2. Use the ‘drafts’ section.

Select ‘Drafts’ at the bottom of your IP account homepage.

This page shows: 

• all draft applications you have access to 

• who created each draft 

• the type of application 

• the date it was last updated

It also shows all drafts available across your firm, depending on your access permissions.  This is the recommended way to open a shared draft.

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

Document formats 

IP account you will have to upload your patent specification in machine-readable formats, like DocX or ODT files. These formats allow us to process your application more efficiently during search and examination.

In the new service, you must submit your patent specification in separate files. The accepted formats are:

• descriptions (DocX / ODT)

• claims (DocX / ODT)

• drawings (PDF)

• abstract - entered as free text in the online service

• additional documents (DocX, ODT, PDF)

You can also upload a full PDF of your specification as a supporting document. This is useful if you are worried about formatting issues when you are converting documents to different formats.

If you do this:

• the Docx / ODT documents are the ‘official’ application documents

• the PDF acts as evidence to help identify any unintended formatting errors caused by file conversion

When you submit documents they will not show in your account  immediately after filing. This is because the IPO have to conduct disclosure checks before sharing them in your account. This is to prevent sensitive or unintended information from being published.

Formatting requirements 

Description documents must use a minimum font size of 10.

Getting a filing date 

The best way to file in the new system is submitting Docx or ODT documents from the start. This gives you the smoothest filing experience.

However, we understand that tight deadlines sometimes mean you cannot convert documents in time.

To support this, you can still receive valid filing dates when filing in PDF format, including priority filings and first filings.

To do this, you must follow these steps.

1. When you apply:

• upload your PDF specification as a supporting document

• on the ‘Description’ screen, upload a blank DOCX or ODT file so the system can accept the submission

2. Within two months, you must then submit separate documents for your:

• DOCX/ODT description 

• DOCX/ODT claims 

• PDF drawings (as required)

These documents must match the PDF specification you originally filed exactly.

If you do not submit the DOCX/ODT documents within two months, the application will be treated as withdrawn.

Security check and filing receipts 

In the IP account filing receipts works differently to the current process.

Before submitting your application, you can: 

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

• download and save the ‘review your answers’ screen as evidence of what you are about to submit 

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

1. A green confirmation screen showing:

• your application number
• your filing date
• your reference (if provided)

2. An email notification with the same details.

3. An application summary in the ‘pending’ section of your account, also showing the same information.

After submission, your application enters a national security check. This is a legal requirement for all patent applications. In most cases, the security check will take no more than two working days.

Once the security check is complete, you will receive and email notification that:

• confirms the security check has finished

• provides written consent to file abroad

• contains a link to download your full filing receipt from your IP account

From this point onward, you will also be able to:

• view the full details of your application

• see all submitted documents

• made updates or changes online

If your application is withheld during its security check:

• we will write to you to explain what happens next

• your application will not be visible online

We are reviewing ways to show more of your application details to you immediately after submission. This is detailed in our roadmap of service improvements.

Providing evidence of what you submitted

Before you submit your application you will see a ‘review your answers’ screen. You can download this screen as evidence of what you are about to submit. You will also be shown your application number, filing date and reference (if supplied) once you submit.

Before submitting you can:

• view and download the ‘review your answers’ screen, which shows all the information you have entered and lets your download attached documents

• share draft applications with colleagues for review or sign off

• use built-in verification and validation checks to help identify errors, including reusing information you have already provided

After submitting your application you will:

• receive an instant confirmation that your application has been received, which can be used as evidence of filing

• get your full filing receipt once your application has completed its security check successfully

• be able to view and update your application in your IP account

• be able to file abroad once you receive confirmation that your security check has been completed successfully

We will be reviewing ways of showing more of your application details to you immediately after submission. This is detailed in our roadmap of service improvements.

Drafting, reviewing and signing 

There is no formal role-based workflow in the IP account. This means there is no separation where, for example, paralegals can only draft and attorneys can draft, sign and submit.

If a user has access to a patent, they can:

• draft the application
• review the application
• sign the application
• submit the application

However, applications can still be reviewed collaboratively.

You can share draft applications with colleagues using the drafts feature.

Towards the end of the application process, you can use the ‘review your answer’s page to check the full application before submitting.

You can also download the review page for your records or for sign off.

Automatic saving

Your application or response will automatically save your application as draft as you go. As you complete each section — such as title, description, or drawings — your progress is automatically saved. This happens even if the section is marked as ‘in progress’ rather than ‘complete’. You do not need to manually save anything. 

You can share draft applications in two ways:

At the bottom of the application page, there is an option to ‘Copy a link to this draft’. At the bottom of the application page, there is an option to ‘Copy a link to this draft’.

Use the ‘Drafts’ section of your account. This will show all your draft applications, who started them, the type of application and when the draft was last updated. You can filter this list by type of application and sort by date or alphabetically.

If you want to pick up a draft you or a colleague has started previously, you should access it through the ‘Drafts’ section of your account. If you try to access your draft by going to the ‘apply for a patent’ or ‘respond to exam report’ pages again, it will start a new application rather than picking up your old draft. This won’t overwrite your draft, it will still be available in the ‘Drafts’ section of your account.  

Drafts are only a tool to help you prepare your application. Nothing in a draft is legally filed until the draft is formally submitted.

Examination reports 

When your examination report is ready, you will receive an email notification telling you there is an update to your application. The email will contain a link to your application in your account, where you can view the report and submit your response.

If you want to provide marked-up copies of your documents, upload these as one consolidated document along with the response to examiner feedback.

After you submit your response:

• it will not appear in your account straight away

• the status of your application will not update straight away

• you will still see ‘Respond to examination’ as an ‘Upcoming action’

The status will update only after the IPO team has reviewed and processed your response.

You can find more detail in our ‘Responding to an exam report’ guidance video.

Updating your application

You can update a patent application through your account at any time.

Select ‘update application’ to update your application details, including:

• documents you have submitted
• the title of the application
• your reference number

You can find more detail in our ‘Updating your application’ guidance video.

Alternative ways to file patents 

For now, you can still apply for patents in other ways, including:

• using our Web Filing service

• emailing applications or change requests to forms@ipo.gov.uk

If you want to make an international (PCT) patent application, you must now use the World Intellectual Property Office’s ePCT service.

Changing your application type 

In the IP account, you can choose from three main types of application:

• filing date only 

• filing date and search  

• filing date, search and examination 

Once you choose an option, you cannot change it while the application is still a 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, you can submit a filing date and search application, and then request examination afterwards.

WIPO DAS applications 

You can submit WIPO DAS applications through the IP account.

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 for them by applicant. 

PCT applications 

PCT applications must be submitted through the World Intellectual Property Office’s ePCT service. You cannot use the IP account to file a PCT application with the UK IPO as a receiving office.

However, we will continue to accept PCT and international applications through the National Filing route. This means you can still make a national phase entry through the IP account in the same way you do now.

Payments 

Payment methods 

You can continue to pay by credit card, debit card or deposit account. 

Changes to payments: Deposit account users

You’ll soon only be able to top up your deposit account via bank transfer, not credit card. This change is being made to reducing processing fees.

To make this easier, we are launching services to open a deposit account, or instruct the IPO to add funds to your deposit account. These services will be available soon. You can preview them using the links provided and send feedback to pilot@ipo.gov.uk.

You must have sufficient funds in your deposit account at the point of submission. If there are not enough funds, the transaction will fail and you will receive an error message. To continue you will have to choose another payment method or add funds to your deposit account. Funds usually appear within three working days.

In our IP account account, payment information is taken at the end of each transaction, after the ‘check your answers’ page. This may mean adjusting internal processes if you currently enter payment details before the transaction is reviewed and signed off.

You will also need to provide the exact email address we have on record for your deposit account. This change improves our security procedures.

For full details of this changes and other changes, see deposit account terms and conditions.

Deposit accounts 

You can continue using your existing deposit account.

There is no link between your IP account and your deposit account. Each time you make a payment using a deposit account you must:

• select the ‘deposit account’ as your payment option

• deposit account number

• enter the exact email address registered to that deposit account

We are looking at ways to make deposit accounts more digital as part of our roadmap of improvements.

Invoices

Invoices are not created immediately after payment. They are generated after security screening and formalities checks are completed. Because of this, invoices will arrive later than you might be used to.

We plan to speed up invoicing. Further information is available, in our roadmap of planned service improvements.

Updating patents 

Renewals 

You can renew patents using the IP account.

Renewals work in much the same way as the previous digital renewals service. The main difference is that you now access renewals through your IP account.

If you try to renew a patent using the old renewals service, you may see an error message. This means the patent has been moved to our new internal system and you must complete the renewal using the IP account.

Making changes to patents 

You can use the IP account to make changes to patents, including:

• changing representation
• transferring ownership
• and other administrative updates

Some changes, such as name and address updates, are fully automated. Others, such as transferring ownerships, require manual checks by IPO staff.

You can find more information in our guidance videos on:

• changing representative

• transferring ownership of patents

General information 

Forms

The IP account is fully digital, so it does not use paper forms or form numbers.

Instead of  form numbers, we use clear, descriptive names for each task, such as:

• change representative
• update the address on patents and applications
• record a transfer ownership

This makes the service easier to understand and use.

Paper forms will still be available on GOV.UK for users who need them. However, when you submit an application online, you will not receive copies of forms because no forms are used. Instead, you will receive a full filing receipt.

Publication

The way patents are published is changing.

In the IP account, we are no longer limited to a fixed five week publication cycle. As a result:

• you will not be told a specific date in advance

• your patent will be published shortly after 18 months from the filing date

Patents are still published on Wednesdays, so publication will happen on the first Wednesday after you receive notification that your application is ready to published.

Audit trails 

In the IP account, you can:

• see who created a draft application,

• view all documents linked to a patent

You cannot currently see a full audit trail showing exactly who did what and when. The IPO does hold this information internally, and in urgent cases it may be possible to provide it on request.

If the IP account is unavailable

If the IP account is temporarily unavailable, you can email applications to forms@ipo.gov.uk as a short-term alternative.

As the digital service becomes the main way to file, we will review and confirm the best back-up options.

Paper forms will continue to be available on GOV.UK for users who are unable to use the digital service.

Reference numbers

You can add your own reference number to any transactions in the IP account. You can also search for patent in your account using your reference number.

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

We are developing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that will allow you to interact with the IPO using IP software within your organisation.

The APIs we are currently working on include:

1. View rights portfolio API (to view your IP rights of UK patents).

2. Renewals API (to renew patents).

3. IP register API (to access data from the IP register).

The exact timeline for releasing APIs is still to be confirmed, but work forms part of our longer-term service plans.

Providing feedback on the IP account

You can give feedback in the following ways:

• email our Customer Support Centre at information@ipo.gov.uk

• user the feedback form in the banner at the top of the service at any time

Guidance

We have published a suite of guidance videos and blogs posts on the changes you can expect in the IP account.