Guidance

Patents: Manual of Patent Practice

The Manual of Patent Practice explains the Intellectual Property Office's practice under the Patents Act 1977.

From:: Intellectual Property Office
Published: 1 July 2014
Last updated: 21 ~~January~~April 2025 — See all updates

Documents

Manual of Patent Practice

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manual-of-patent-practice-mopp

Details

The Manual recites sections of the Patents Act 1977 and sections of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 relating to patents. There is also a section on Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPC) for Medicinal Products and Plant Protection Products.

We update the Manual regularly to reflect recent developments such as changes in the law and judicial decisions. The most recent update occurred on 21 JanuaryApril 2025 when substantive changes were made to Sections 1, 3,17 4A, 14 and Supplementary Protection Certificates for Medicinal and Plant Protection Products.

Please note that statements made in the Manual are not in themselves an authority for any action by the Intellectual Property Office and should not be used as a set of legal requirements. If you notice any errors please contact information@ipo.gov.uk.

Details of recent changes

Details of recent changes to the manual are available.

Request a copy

The Manual of Patent Practice is available as a PDF on request. Please email information@ipo.gov.uk for a copy.

Published 1 July 2014

Last updated 21 ~~January~~April 2025 ~~+ show~~ href="#full-history">+ show all updates

1 April 2025
Online manual to reflect April 2025 changes.

2 January 2025
Online manual to reflect January 2025 changes.
1 October 2024
Online manual to reflect October 2024 changes.
1 July 2024
Online manual to reflect July 2024 changes.
2 April 2024
Online manual to reflect April 2024 changes.
2 January 2024
Online manual to reflect January 2024 changes.
2 October 2023
Online manual to reflect October 2023 changes.
3 July 2023
Online Manual of Patent Practice updated.
3 April 2023
Online manual to reflect April 2023 changes.
3 January 2023
Online manual to reflect January 2023 changes.
3 October 2022
Online manual to reflect October 2022 changes.
1 July 2022
Online manual to reflect July 2022 changes.
1 April 2022
Online manual to reflect April 2022 changes.
4 January 2022
Online manual to reflect January 2022 changes.
1 October 2021
MOPP online version for October 2021 updated.
1 July 2021
MOPP online version for July 2021 updated.
1 April 2021
MOPP online version for April 2021 updated.
4 January 2021
MOPP online version for January 2021 updated.
1 October 2020
MOPP online version for October 2020 updated.
1 July 2020
MOPP online version for July 2020 updated.
1 April 2020
MOPP online version for April 2020.
2 January 2020
New PDF version updated 2 January 2020 and a new online version.
1 October 2019
New PDF version updated 1 October 2019 and a new online version.
1 July 2019
New PDF version updated 1 July 2019 and a new online version.
29 March 2019
New PDF version updated 29 March 2019 and a new online version.
2 January 2019
New PDF version updated 2 January 2019 and a new online version.
1 October 2018
New PDF version updated 1 October 2018 and a new online version.
29 June 2018
New PDF version updated 29 June 2018 and a new online version.
29 March 2018
New PDF version updated 29 March 2018 and a new online version.
2 January 2018
New PDF version updated 2 January 2018 and a new online version.
29 September 2017
New PDF version updated 29 September 2017 and a new online version.
30 June 2017
New PDF version updated 30 June 2017 and a new online version.
31 March 2017
New PDF version updated 31 March 2017 and a new online version.
30 December 2016
New PDF version updated 30 December 2016 and a new online version.
30 September 2016
New Pdf and online version added.
1 July 2016
New PDF version updated 1 July 2016 and a new online version.
31 March 2016
New PDF version updated 31 March 2016 and a new online version.
31 December 2015
New PDF version updated 31 December 2015 and a new online version.
8 December 2015
Updated citation format document added. New online chapter for citation formats added.
7 December 2015
Link to online manual added.
1 October 2015
New version updated - 1 October 2015.
1 July 2015
New version updated - 1 July 2015.
12 June 2015
Citations Formats has been added.
1 April 2015
New version updated - 1 April 2015.
1 January 2015
New version updated - 1 January 2015.
1 October 2014
Updated version of the MoPP published on 1 October 2014.
1 July 2014
First published.

Patents: Manual of Patent Practice

Documents

Manual of Patent Practice

Details

Details of recent changes

Request a copy

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