New Digital Patents Services Have Launched - IPO
08-Apr-2026
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Source : The UK Government
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Visits : 1583
IPO has launched a suite of new digital services to apply for, manage or renew UK patents
LONDON - The services launched allow customers to apply for, manage and renew UK patents in one place. This marks the next step in the ‘One IPO’ digital transformation program which will deliver new digital services for UK intellectual property. The program will eventually bring patents, trademarks and designs services together under one roof onto a single digital platform, according to the official website of the UK Government.
All of the IPO’s core patents services are now available on the new platform. Trademarks and registered designs will come later.
Overview of new services
In January 2025 we launched the Search for a patent and Check the patent journal services (also known as ‘One IPO Search’), which made information about UK patents simpler and easier for the public to access.
Today the IPO has launched two further patents services.
1. Manage intellectual property
The ‘Manage intellectual property’ service allows patent customers to create their own digital IP account for the first time. The account is the gateway to our other new digital services. Benefits include the ability to:
• Search and view the status of your UK patents at any time
• make changes to your patents quickly via digital self-service
• renew patents digitally from your IP account
2. Apply for a patent
The new ‘Apply for a patent’ service is a digital patent application service. Improvements this service offers include:
• complete your application in any order, save drafts and collaborate with colleagues
• view your application details and any updates in your account
• update your application at any time through your account
Accessing new services if I’m not an IP professional
The new services can now be accessed from GOV.UK. The Patents, trademarks, copyright and designs page on GOV.UK contains links to all of IPO’s services. We have updated this section of our website to include information about accessing the new services and creating your account.
Accessing new services as an IP professional
If you are an IP professional (for example, a patent attorney) or work for a company with an in-house IP team, it’s likely we’ve already set up an account for your organization.
When we set up your organization’s account, we give one person in each firm access, (they become the account administrator). They are then responsible for inviting other people in the organization onto the service.
To gain access to the service as an IP professional depends on whether:
• you already have an account, if so, nothing changes – you’re all set
• your organization has an account but you don’t - ask a colleague for access, you should not create a new account on GOV.UK
• you’re not sure if your organization has an account yet – email oneiposupport@ipo.gov.uk for advice on next steps, you should not create a new account on GOV.UK
Access for patent renewals professionals
If renewing a patent is the only service you wish to use, you can create an account on GOV.UK. You can do this without having your account being linked to an organization. This is because anyone can pay to renew a patent – you don’t have to be the patent owner or their representative.
Changes to existing services
In the future, we will be retiring our existing (‘legacy’) services. During the transition period, you can submit requests to the IPO in the following ways:
1. Apply for, manage or renew patents using our new digital services – this is the simplest and quickest way to work with us.
2. Continue to submit patent applications using our Web Filing service until at least summer 2026. We’ll give you at least three months’ notice before removing it.
3. Continue to submit patent applications via forms@ipo.gov.uk and request an extension of a deadline via pateot@ipo.gov.uk until at least summer 2026. We’ll give you at least three months’ notice before removing these email addresses.
4. Withdraw patent applications via withdrawal@ipo.gov.uk and there are no plans to change this.
As a reminder, from 1 April 2026 UK patent applications can no longer be submitted via the European Patent Office’s Electronic Online Filing (eOLF) service. This service stopped receiving technical support from the European Patent Office on 1 January 2026 as part of the decommissioning process.
Guidance and further information
There’s lots of guidance and support available to help you get started with the new services, including:
• updated guidance and forms on GOV.UK to reflect the new services
• a detailed guidance page on how to use the new services
• a series of blogs covering key changes and top tips
• a library of demo videos covering different features of the new services
• weekly training webinars for new users that you can register for now