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Circulars and Practice Directions

Circulars and Practice Directions

View practice guidelines and circulars for applicants and practitioners.

Last updated 26 March 2025

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Circulars

Practice Directions

Circulars

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2024

Year 2024

19 Aug 2024	Circular No. 4/2024 [PDF, 178 KB]	No Extension of Time Fee to File a Request for a Search and/or Examination Report
15 Aug 2024	Circular No. 3/2024 [PDF, 138 KB]	Simplified Requests for Examination Reports and Other Legislative Amendments
8 May 2024	Circular No. 2/2024 [PDF, 163 KB]	Excluded Days from 1 to 16 May 2024
1 Apr 2024	Circular No. 1/2024 [PDF, 165 KB]	Excluded Days from 1 May 2024 to 13 May 2024 for business under IP Acts and Rules

2022

Year 2022

8 Jun 2022	Circular No. 7/2022 [PDF, 94 KB]	Excluded Days and Alternative Filing Mode Via FormSG
3 Jun 2022	Circular No. 6/2022 [PDF, 90 KB]	Excluded Days
25 May 2022	Circular No. 5/2022 [PDF, 217 KB]	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 [PDF, 158 KB]	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 [PDF, 270 KB]	Extension of SG IP FAST Track Programme and Sunset of 12 Months File-to-Grant Programme
11 Apr 2022	Circular No. 2/2022 [PDF, 522 KB]	Information on Filing Requirements and Transition to IPOS Digital Hub
11 Mar 2022	Circular No. 1/2022 [PDF, 509 KB]	Introducing IPOS Digital Hub, Legislative Amendments and Fee Updates

2021

Year 2021

5 Nov 2021	Circular No. 5/2021 [PDF, 106 KB]	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 [PDF, 89 KB]	Potentially Misleading Business Names of Non-official Entities
10 Sep 2021	Circular No. 3/2021 [PDF, 115 KB]	Introduction of Amendments to the Patents Rules and Electronic Filing and Service of Documents
15 Jul 2021	Circular No. 2/2021 [PDF, 113 KB]	Public Consultation on Intellectual Property (Amendment) Bill 2021
1 Feb 2021	Circular No. 1/2021 [PDF, 80 KB]	New IP²SG website address

2020

Year 2020

25 Aug 2020	Circular No. 6/2020 [PDF, 199 KB]	Expansion of SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 1 September 2020
17 Aug 2020	Circular No. 5/2020 [PDF, 89 KB]	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 [PDF, 116 KB]	DOCX (Microsoft Word) File Format as an Alternative Format to File Patent Specifications
2 Jun 2020	Circular No. 3/2020 [PDF, 95 KB]	Introduction of Amendments to Subsidiary Legislation in Response to COVID-19
27 Apr 2020	Circular No. 2/2020 [PDF, 158 KB]	Launch of the SG Patent Fast Track Programme on 4 May 2020
17 Apr 2020	Circular No. 1/2020 [PDF, 178 KB]	COVID-19: Further Information on Excluded Days

2019

Year 2019

31 Oct 2019	Circular No. 3/2019 [PDF, 136 KB]	New Online Payment Platform on IP²SG and Revised Patents Formalities Manual
26 Apr 2019	Circular No. 2/2019 [PDF, 514 KB]	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 [PDF, 134 KB]	One Year Extension of FinTech Fast Track till 25 April 2020

2018

Year 2018

21 Sep 2018	Circular No. 10/2018 [PDF, 288 KB]	Electronic filing of Form CM12 for PCT applications and Clarification of PCT Operational Procedures
14 Sep 2018	Circular No. 9/2018 [PDF, 132 KB]	100% e-Payment with effect from 1 November 2018
8 Aug 2018	Circular No. 8/2018 [PDF, 416 KB]	Decommissioning of Email-Based IP²SG Accounts on 1 September 2018
1 Aug 2018	Circular No. 7/2018 [PDF, 416 KB]	Revised Patents Formalities Manual and Formalities Procedures for Voluntary Amendments and Response to Written Opinion
18 Jul 2018	Circular No. 6/2018 [PDF, 537 KB]	Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error (Form CM4)
1 Jun 2018	Circular No. 5/2018 [PDF, 141 KB]	Contact Information for Patent-related Enquiries
18 May 2018	Circular No. 4/2018 [PDF, 312 KB]	Updated Guidelines on Request for Correction of Error
26 Apr 2018	Circular No. 3/2018 [PDF, 459 KB]	Launch of FinTech Fast Track Initiative: An Accelerated File-to-Grant Service for Financial Technology Patent Applications
19 Apr 2018	Circular No. 2/2018 [PDF, 1.37 MB]	New Electronic Services on IP²SG for Managing International Applications filed under the PCT
3 Apr 2018	Circular No. 1/2018 [PDF, 76 KB]	Changes Pertaining to Form CM8 wef 21 April 2018

2017

Year 2017

21 Nov 2017	Circular No. 8/2017 [PDF, 224 KB]	Enhancements to Patent Application Process
6 Oct 2017	Circular No. 7/2017 [PDF, 41 KB]	Amendment to Patents Act and Rules To Enter Into Force On 30 October 2017
22 Aug 2017	Circular No. 6/2017 [PDF, 59 KB]	Examiner-initiated Informal Communications wef 15 September 2017
24 Jul 2017	Circular No. 5/2017 [PDF, 333 KB]	Launch of Patents Open Dossier on IP2SG and Patents Formalities Manual
5 Jul 2017	Circular No. 4/2017 [PDF, 111 KB]	Unsolicited IP Services - Requests for Payment of Fees
17 Mar 2017	Circular No. 3/2017 [PDF, 198 KB]	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 [PDF, 187 KB]	Information Sharing Session relating to the Implementation of Goods and Services Tax
3 Feb 2017	Circular No. 1/2017 [PDF, 261 KB]	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	Circular No. 6/2016 [PDF, 160 KB]	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 [PDF, 164 KB]	Closure of Supplementary Examination Route as of 1 January 2020
1 Nov 2016	Circular No. 4/2016 [PDF, 34 KB]	Launch of eAlert facility in IP2SG
27 Oct 2016	Circular No. 3/2016 [PDF, 21 KB]	Public Consultation on Proposed Amendments to Singapore's Patents Legislation
3 Oct 2016	Circular No. 2/2016 [PDF, 29 KB]	Two Pieces of PatentsLegislation to be brought into Force on 1 November 2016
30 Jun 2016	Circular No. 1/2016 [PDF, 268 KB]	Updated Guidelines on the Assessment of Patent Post-Grant Amendments

2015

Year 2015

1 Jul 2015

Circular No. 1/2015 [PDF, 38 KB]

90 percent reduction of International Filing Fee will not be applicable with effect from 1 July 2015

2014

Year 2014

1 Jan 2015	Circular No. 3/2014 [PDF, 173 KB]	Introduction of ePCT as an accepted filing means for PCT applications
6 Jun 2014	Circular No. 2/2014 [PDF, 196 KB]	Entering of particulars of express trusts and beneficiaries in the Register of Patents (Specific name format no longer required)
30 Apr 2014	Circular No. 1/2014 [PDF, 33 KB]	Entering of particulars of express trusts and beneficiaries in the Register of Patents