The Patents (Trans-Tasman Patent Attorneys and Other Matters) Amendment Bill is due to come into force no later than 24 February 2017. This amendment to the Patents Act 2013 will allow for the implementation of a new Trans-Tasman Patent Attorney regime (“the joint registration regime”), and will repeal existing Patent Attorney provisions under the Patents Act 1953.

In preparation for this change, we have updated the process and requirements for the registration, renewal and examination for New Zealand Patent Attorneys. These changes include:

• Recognition of existing registered New Zealand Patent Attorneys as Patent Attorneys under the new joint registration regime;
• No requirement for the renewal fee for Patent Attorney registration for the year of 2017 (unpaid renewal fees for previous years are still applicable);
• Transitional provisions for individuals who have passed a New Zealand Patent Attorney exam paper.

We recommend that Patent Attorneys ensure that their registration is up to date. Patent Attorneys who are not registered when the new joint registration regime takes effect will be required to complete all the registration requirements and processes under the new joint registration regime in order to become a Trans-Tasman Patent Attorney.

For more information, please visit our Guide to registering, renewing and examinations.