This page explains how to correspond with or send documents to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) if you are filing a patent application or communicating with us about a patent.
For applications and patents related to section 20 of the Patent Act (items of national security), follow the necessary steps to correspond with CIPO.
If you are already familiar with this process:
Log in to patents general correspondence
On this page
What you can submit using the general correspondence form
You can electronically submit the following:
- fee payments for Canadian patent applications or Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications (using a credit card or deposit account)Footnote 1
- requests for the national entry of a PCT application
- nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings for Canadian patent applications or PCT applications
- requests to reinstate your patent application
- other documents or correspondence related to:
- changes to your name, postal address or email address with the Patent Office; see specific information for patent agents below
- for each of your specific patent applications or patents, changes to the method of correspondence (postal or email)
- Canadian patent applications
- PCT applications, in accordance with the PCT and Regulations under the PCT
- patents in general
There are specific requirements in the Patent Rules regarding who can communicate with the Patent Office with respect to patent applications and patents for certain actions. See chapter 5 of the Manual of Patent Office Practice for additional information on representation.
Patent agents: How to change your name, postal address or email address
Communications should be addressed to the Maintenance Fee section of the Patent Office.
Patent agents must inform the Patent Office if they change their name, postal address or email address.
When a patent agent changes their name or address or moves from one firm to another:
- We will apply a change of name or address to all patent matters where the agent is appointed as a patent agent or associate patent agent, unless the communication provided to the Office contains instructions to the contrary.
When a new firm employing patent agents is created, or when an existing firm changes its name:
- A representative of the firm should immediately submit a written communication to the Office. This will allow us to effectively process any appointment of agents at this firm (as patent agent or associate patent agent).
- Include the name and address of the firm
- Include a list of patent agents who are employed by the firm
- We will update the individual records of the patent agents working at the new or newly named firm.
- We will update the addresses of each of the listed agents to reflect that of the new or newly named firm, unless the communication provided to the Office contains instructions to the contrary.
Please note that the above notice does not address the related topic of successions under section 32 of the Patent Rules. For information regarding successions, see chapter 5.06 of the Manual of Patent Office Practice.
Document format
Documents must be provided in either TIFF or PDF, with the exception of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings.
- Nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings submitted for applications with a filing date on or after must be in WIPO ST.26 XML format.
- Nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings submitted for applications with a filing date before but on or after should be submitted in WIPO ST.25 format as text files.
- Nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings submitted under the Patent Rules in force prior to , where one of the above sequence listing formats is submitted, must also be provided in either TIFF or PDF.
Submit general correspondence
Review our system and browser requirements to make sure you have the right software.
To access the general correspondence form, you need a My Canada Business Account (formerly known as My ISED Account).
Don't have an account? Visit the login page and follow the steps to create an account.
Log in to general correspondence
Problems?
- Frequently asked questions about CIPO’s new login procedures
- For any other issue, contact CIPO.
After you submit
Once you complete the general correspondence form, we will automatically create a letter for you addressed to the Commissioner of Patents.
CIPO will send all further national correspondence according to your preference (email or regular mail). When your correspondence relates to applications for patents that are not yet open to public inspection, you may wish to request that future correspondence be sent by regular mail.
Please advise us if you change your email address so that all future correspondence can reach the proper destination.
Contact CIPO
PCT outgoing correspondence will continue to be sent by mail.
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