Protect your privacy on the Canadian Patents Database

Did you know that most documents relating to a patent or patent application submitted by applicants and/or agents are made available on the Canadian Patents Database (CPD)? All patents, patent applications and documents filed in connection with them become available to the public once a patent application's confidentiality period under the Patent Act has expired.

Documents submitted by applicants and/or agents effecting transfers may contain sensitive personal information. CIPO will not publish these documents on the CPD, but they will be available to the public either in person at our Office in Gatineau or upon request and payment of a prescribed fee.

How do I protect my personal information?

Submit only information needed as prescribed by the Patent Act or Patent Rules.

Required: In the case of a transfer of patent rights, submit only the portion of the document that transfers the patent rights.

Not required: Portions of the transfer documents such as a purchase agreement, will or bankruptcy document that contain sensitive personal or confidential information which detail purchase prices, other assets, due diligence assessments, etc., are not required by CIPO to effect the transfer.

You may redact or suppress any information that you do not wish to be made public before you submit the document to CIPO, so long as this information is not required information according to the Patent Act or the Patent Rules. Please note that CIPO will not redact or suppress any information from documents.

My sensitive personal information is on the CPD, what should I do?

To remove sensitive personal or confidential information from the CPD, the authorized correspondent (for a patent application) or the agent or patentee (for a patent) should provide a written request to CIPO containing the following:

  • the patent application or patent number,
  • enough information to allow CIPO to identify the document in question (date, description, etc.), and
  • a description of why the information requested to be removed is considered sensitive personal or confidential information.

CIPO will review the request and may remove documents that contain sensitive personal or confidential information from the CPD.  Please note that in accordance with the Patent Act, these documents will remain accessible to the public upon request at our Office in Gatineau.

Please note that certain personal information identifying the applicants and inventors and their contact information is required to be provided by the Patent Act or Patent Rules and cannot be removed from the CPD.

I want to correct information on the CPD

There are various mechanisms to correct information. Please review the Patent Notices or the Manual of Patent Office Practice to learn how to correct information already submitted to CIPO.

In the event that the CPD does not reflect CIPO's records, CIPO will correct the CPD upon receipt of a written request by the authorized correspondent (for a patent application) or the agent or patentee (for a patent), or when it becomes aware of the error.

Read more

For more information about privacy, consult Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Terms and Conditions or CIPO Terms and Conditions.

Visit the List of published and non-published patent-specific documents on the CPD page.