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Singapore

Legal Basis
  • Patents Act 1995 (Chapter 221) effective 23 February 1995
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 1995 effective 01 January 1996
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 2001 effective 25 February 2002
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 2004 effective 1 July 2004
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 2008 (No. 18 of 2008) effective 01 December 2008
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 2012 (No. 15 of 2012) effective 14 February 2014
  • Patents (Amendment) Act, 2017  (No. 18 of 2017) effective 30 October 2017
  • Patent Rules 1995
  • Patent Rules 1993 (Rev. Edition) effective 23 February 1995
  • Patents (Amendment) Rules 1996 effective 24 February 1996
  • Patents (Amendment) Rules 2013 effective 08 April 2013
  • Patents (Amendment) Rules 2014 effective 14 February 2014
  • Patents (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2014 effective 10 March 2014
  • Patents (Amendment no.2) Rules 2017  effective 30 October 2017
Major international treaties signed
  • Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) effective 23 February 1995
  • Paris Convention effective 23 February 1995
  • Budapest Treaty effective 23 February 1995
  • Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)
Costs of obtaining a patent Please contact us at singapore@mirandah.com
Average time to obtain a patent 12 – 24 months from PCT national phase entry, 42 – 54 months from priority date for Paris Convention applications
Official language for patent prosecution English
Non-patentable subject matter
  • Methods of treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy or of diagnosis
  • Invention that may encourage offensive, immoral or anti-social behaviour
Grace period for prior disclosure or sale 12 months
Major prosecution events Following the filing date – or earliest claimed priority date – whichever is the earlier:

Request for Search: 13 months

National Phase Entry: 30 months

Request for Search and/or Examination: 36 months

Renewals: On the fifth anniversary of filing, and each succeeding anniversary thereafter

Filing and prosecution procedures Stage 1: Filing

Stage 2: Formality Examination

Stage 3: Publication

Stage 4: Substantive Examination

Stage 5: Grant

Stage 6: Renewal/ Annuity

Extension of office action deadlines Non-extendible
Necessary document for filing None, if the application has already been published by WIPO and is in English. Otherwise, verified English translations of the specifications and the translator’s declaration of accuracy is required.
Pharmaceutical Data Exclusivity Laws Available
Search and Examination Local examination of patent applications having a filing date on or after 1 January 2020 is compulsory.
Opposition term Not available
Term of patent protection 20 years
Patent term extension Available
Restoration of lapsed patent Within 18 months from the day it ceased to have effect
Parallel Imports Available
Other forms of patents (e.g. Petty/innovation patents) Not available
Useful links Patent Agents and Attorneys in Singapore www.ipos.gov.sg
Infringement offence Civil and Criminal (in special cases)
Specialised courts for IP No
Outline of the enforcement steps Notice of Cease and Desist Infringement lawsuit
Relief against groundless threats Available
Declaration of non-infringement Available
Preliminary injunctions Available
Time frame for various legal actions Revocation – 1 to 2 years Infringement proceeding – 2 to 3 years
Alternative dispute resolution Mediation Arbitration
Availability of damages and other relief for infringement Injunction Delivery Up Damages Account of profits
Civil remedies As per above
Criminal Sanctions Not Available

The supplementary examination route, which allowed applicants to obtain a patent expeditiously by relying on positive substantive examination results of an international application or a corresponding allowed/granted foreign patent application, has been removed for patent applications having a filing date of 1 January 2020. All patent applications in Singapore with a filing date on or after 1 January 2020 will, therefore, need to undergo local examination. The objective of this change is to ensure the consistent quality of patents granted in Singapore.