Patent Office is declared closed on Friday 7th December 2012

26 October 2012

Pursuant to section 5(2) of the Patents Act 1953, section 188 of the Trade Marks Act 2002 and section 45(1) of the Designs Act 1953, the Commissioner hereby declares the Patent Office (known as the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand) closed for transaction of business on Friday 7 December 2012.

The closed day applies to the transaction of business under the Patents Act 1953, Trade Marks Act 2002 and Designs Act 1953.

Please note that the closed day will not affect the Plant Variety Rights Office, which will remain open.

Reason for closure of the Patent Office

The Patent Office will be closed on Friday 7 December 2012 to enable technical work to be completed in preparation for the following:

• Its new case management system for Patents and Plant Variety Rights; and
• Updates to the Trade Marks system for International Trade Marks under the Madrid Protocol.

These new systems will go live the following Monday 10th December 2012.

The Commissioner is satisfied that under these circumstances it is both necessary and desirable to declare the Patent Office closed.

Deadlines that fall on the closed day 

If the deadline for filing an application or document falls on this closed day, then the application or document can be filed on the next day when IPONZ is open, and will be deemed to have been filed in time.