8. Download your patent
Your patent is an electronic document provided in PDF format. It is issued by the Patent Office and sealed with a digital signature using Notarius software. With this digital signature, the patent is considered official. Editing the document breaks the digital seal and the patent will no longer be an official document issued by the Patent Office.
The patent includes the following:
- the patent number
- the title or name of the invention,
- a reference to the specification,
- the seal of the Patent Office,
- the filing date of the patent application,
- the date on which the patent application became open to public inspection,
- the date on which the patent is granted and issued,
- a list of inventor(s) and patentee(s), and
- any prescribed information.
The following is an image of a Canadian patent and the attached digital seal information.
In Adobe, to view the digital signature, click on the 'pen' icon in the left hand menu. Other PDF viewers may have other methods of viewing the signature.
Example of validation information provided for a signed patent
Rev. 1: Signed by Commissaire aux brevets – Commissioner of Patents
Signature is valid:
Source of Trust obtained from Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL).
Document has not been modified since this signature was applied
Signer's identity is valid
The signature includes an embedded timestamp.
Signature is LTV enabled
Signature Details
Reason: Commissaire aux brevets / Commissioner of Patents / 1-866-997-1936
Certificate Details…
Last Checked: 2021.03.17 10:02:19 -04'00'
Field: Signature1 (invisible signature)
How to download your patent documents
You will receive a letter by email or regular mail advising that your patent has been issued.
The letter will include a link to our patent download page and a special code that will allow you to download your patent. The link on the letter is valid for 6 months. After 6 months, you will need to contact us to request your patent documents.
No special software will be required. A client will need a browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge, and software to read a pdf such as Adobe. Adobe Reader is a free download.
After you have your patent
Forwarding your patent
You can forward the patent without breaking the digital seal.
Correcting an error on your patent
You cannot correct an error on your patent by modifying the patent as this would break the seal and the patent would no longer be an official document.
If there is an error on the patent, you should submit a correction request under sections 107 or 109 of the Patent Rules. If all requirements are met within the time limits, then a certificate of correction will be provided.
The certificate of correction is provided as a paper document bearing the seal of the Patent Office.
Correcting an error on the cover page
The cover page is a snapshot of the information contained on our database.
If there is an error in the patent reflected on the cover page, you should submit a correction request under sections 107 or 109 of the Patent Rules. If a certificate of correction is provided, a new cover page can be created to reflect that the correction has been made.
The cover page can be corrected as a courtesy if the cover page shows information that is not consistent with our database. For example, we can correct priority data if it is missing on the cover page but is present in our database.
Cover pages which contain minor typographical errors may not be corrected due to resource constraints.
Process after re-examination of an issued patent
Following the re-examination of a granted patent, a re-examination certificate may be issued.
When issued, the re-examination certificate is attached to the patent in the Office record. A copy of the certificate is sent by registered mail to the patentee.
Process upon patent reissue
Reissued patents will be digitally signed and provided to you as a downloadable file.
You should never return the original patent to the Office for the purpose of reissue.
Get a certified copy of the patent
Use our document order form to obtain a copy or a certified copy of any specific document or the complete file for Canadian patents open to public inspection. There is a fee for this service.
Download publicly available patent documents
If you want a copy of published documents associated with your patent, you can download them from the Canadian Patents Database.
You can also download a PDF containing all of the documents for your patent including a copy of the patent, the cover page, the description, the claims and the drawings.
Here's how to download the PDF:
- Visit the Canadian Patents Database
- Under "Search Options", click "Number Search"
- In the "Patent Number" field, enter the patent number and click "View Data"
- A row of tabs will appear. Click the "Documents" tab
- There will be a drop down menu called "Filter." Use the drop down to select "At Issuance"
- Click "Patent documents at time of Issuance" to download your patent documents at issuance in PDF format
Note: A copy of the patent will only be included in the PDF if the patent was issued after .
Maintain your patent
There are different things you may have to do to maintain your patent, including paying yearly maintenance fees.
Learn more about maintaining your patent