Patent practice change - Submitting amended patent specifications

17 October 2012

From 29 October 2012, applicants wishing to amend their patent specification will be required to submit an entire new specification with any response to an examination report or if proposing voluntary amendments to a patent specification at any time before acceptance. It will no longer be sufficient to provide only amended parts of the specification, which is currently accepted under the out-going practice. 

This change in practice applies to new applications and all existing applications that were filed before the 29 October 2012, including New Zealand National Phase applications.

Any proposed amendments that are not accompanied by the entire proposed new specification and drawings will be required to be re-submitted. Please note that the specification includes the description, claims, drawings and sequence listings where relevant.

The new practice is made pursuant to regulation 103, and is in anticipation of the launch of IPONZ new case management system for Patents that will be released on 10 December 2012.

This practice note supersedes the practice note ‘Amendments to electronic copies of patent specifications’.

Applicants will still be required to comply with regulation 101 for voluntary amendments and provide a patents form 43 and pay the prescribed fee.