The final round of New Zealand patent attorney examinations under the transitional provisions of the trans-Tasman registration regime will take place in July 2020.

Transitional provisions

The transitional provisions for qualification as a trans-Tasman patent Attorney allowed candidates who had passed at least one New Zealand Patent Attorney examination paper as at 24 February 2017 to continue sitting the New Zealand exams for a further period of four years. The deadline to complete the New Zealand examinations has therefore been established as 24 February 2021.

Current round of exams

The current round of New Zealand exams is scheduled for July 2019. Registration for these exams has now closed.

Final round of exams

In accordance with regulation 157 of the Patents Regulations 1954, the Commissioner and Council of the New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys will hold a final round of examinations in July 2020.

Any candidate wishing to sit these examinations must notify the Commissioner and pay the fee(s) no later than 1 February 2020.

No further examinations will be held

The July 2020 examinations will be the final opportunity for candidates to sit examinations prior to the 24 February 2021 deadline for completing the New Zealand examinations under the transitional provisions. No further examinations will be offered.