Glossary
A list of words or terms used on this website that have specific meanings in the area of intellectual property.
News and updates
Warning: Unsolicited emails on IP rights
Some businesses are receiving unsolicited emails that may be scams. The emails call for immediate action on IP rights.
Manage IP
Search, apply, maintain and renew all registered forms of Intellectual Property using the case management facility.
News and updates
Decisions of the Commissioner – October 2025
Decisions of the Commissioner issued in October 2025 are now available online.
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Designs
Practice guidelines
Changes to assignment of designs
From 13 February 2012 there will be a change in practice relating to the assignment of designs: the filing of a request to record an assignment of a design will only be possible after the design has been registered. Any request to…
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Designs
Practice guidelines
Representations for designs
Introduction This note reiterates and clarifies practices regarding the filing of representations for designs to be registered by IPONZ under the Designs Act 1953. The representations of a design serve to identify the design, so that a design applied to an article can be…
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Designs
Practice guidelines
Filing design convention documents
The Design Regulations 34(2) and 34(3) require an applicant to lodge certified convention documents and verified translations of the foreign language parts of convention documents at IPONZ at the time an application is made or within three months of the application date. IPONZ is not in…
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Designs
Practice guidelines
Representations for designs - guidelines superseded 19 March 2012
Introduction This note reiterates and clarifies practices regarding the filing of representations for designs to be registered by IPONZ under the Designs Act 1953. The representations of a design serve to identify the design, so that a design applied to an article can be…
The Journal
The Journal of the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand contains information the Commissioner is required by the Patents Act 1953 and the Patents Act 2013 to advertise. It's a monthly publication consisting of a General Information section in PDF format, and, an online section for…
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Patents
Fees
Here you will find the current schedule of fees for patent services.