Industrial or international exhibitions recorded with IPONZ can provide an inventor or designer with the opportunity to showcase their invention or design without compromising the ability to protect their intellectual property. The process of notification is sometimes called “gazetting”.
Why notify in the IPONZ Journal?
Notification in the journal opens up a six month window of opportunity for inventors and designers to file a New Zealand patent or design application after an invention or design has been displayed at the IPONZ notified event.
If an invention or design has been made public in New Zealand, then it might not be eligible for protection. For example, information could have been released in a publication, trade show demonstration, marketed on a website or shown on YouTube®. Such information release before you file a patent or design application could compromise whether your invention or design is found to be new/novel.
Displaying or using your product design or invention at an IPONZ notified event provides an exception to this rule. However, publicity or use of the invention or design outside of the event (e.g. discussions with potential developers, customers or articles in the media) is not covered by notification of the event in the journal.
Each country has its own IP laws. Showcasing inventions and designs at an event that has been declared an industrial exhibition by the New Zealand Commissioner of Patents and Designs will most likely not meet overseas novelty exception criteria.
Best practice is to file a design or patent application before disclosing the product design or invention to the public.
How do I get an event notified in the journal?
The procedure is simple and free. The event manager must make a request and send it to mail@iponz.govt.nz
We have provided an example request form [PDF, 160 KB]. The form simply illustrates one format and is not the only format that will be acceptable. However, the request must include the date or dates, the location and name of the exhibition.
How long will it take?
Generally, a decision will be made within five working days of receiving your Request. Requests are processed as soon as they are received at IPONZ. The Commissioner cannot accept a request to notify an event after it has opened.
Where will the event be recorded?
A notice will appear in the IPONZ journal. The event will also be added to the list of IPONZ notified industrial exhibitions.
You may wish to display the Journal Notice near a public entrance or note that the event has been notified by IPONZ in your promotional information.
Further information:
For information about how to apply for a New Zealand patent or design and who you can contact for professional assistance especially if you are considering IP protection for export markets, please see: