Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand

Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
Agency overview
Formed	1870 (New Zealand Patent Office)
Jurisdiction	New Zealand
Headquarters	15 Stout Street, Wellington, New Zealand; 41°17′37″S 174°46′25″E / 41.293676°S 174.773549°E
Minister responsible	Andrew Bayly, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs;
Agency executive	Ross van der Schyff, Commissioner of Patents, Trade Marks, Designs and Plant Variety Rights;
Parent agency	Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Website	http://www.iponz.govt.nz

The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) is a New Zealand government agency responsible for the granting and registration of intellectual property rights, specifically patent, trade mark, design and plant variety rights. It is a business unit of the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. According to its website, IPONZ "aims to ensure people realise the full economic potential of their intellectual property."^[1]

Activities

IPONZ has a long history, beginning with the establishment of the New Zealand Patent Office in 1870. It now administers the Patents Act 1953, Patents Act 2013, the Trade Marks Act 2002, the Designs Act 1953 and the Plant Variety Rights Act 1987.

Over the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012, IPONZ received 17,675 trade mark applications, 6,253 patent applications including Patent Cooperation Treaty National Entry filings, and 1,283 design applications.^[2]

Online services

IPONZ services are provided via its online case management facility. Its services include:

IPONZ Database - search for patents, trade marks, designs, plant variety rights and Hearing decisions for free.
IPONZ Renewals - applicant can renew their patent, trade mark or design online.
Lodge Application - apply online for a search and preliminary advice for trade marks and apply to register a trade mark, patent or design online.
Online Correspondence - submit and view your patent, trade mark and design correspondence online. Select from a range of document types including:
- a response to your examination report or objections raised in your compliance report,
- assignments, change of name or address requests,
- requests for a certificate of Commissioner,
- extension of time requests
Online Journal - search the intellectual property journals.

IPONZ email updates

IPONZ produces a short and concise eNewsletter containing important intellectual property information and updates.^[3] Subscribers can elect to receive eNewsletters containing specific information of interest to them including:

Journal Publications (Patents, Trade Marks and Designs)
Plant Variety Rights Journal Publication
Decisions of the Commissioner
Practice Notes and Legislation
Online System Changes

References

^ About IPONZ, Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Accessed 31 December 2023.
^ "Facts and Figures". Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
^ "Keep up to date with the world of Intellectual Property". Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.

External links

[1] About IPONZ, Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Accessed 31 December 2023.

[2] "Facts and Figures". Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.

[3] "Keep up to date with the world of Intellectual Property". Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.

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