Become a registered patent agent

From: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

To become a registered patent agent, you must pass the qualifying examination. The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) holds the examination at least once a year.

If you are interested in taking it, you must apply by the deadline published on our website.

Application

If you want to take the examination, you must show CIPO how you meet the qualifications set out in subsection 19(a) of the Patent Rules.

You can apply by fax, mail or electronically by creating a Patent General Correspondence. We will not accept your application if you send it by email.

Fax/Mail

Send your request to sit for the examination, proof of how you meet the qualifications, any requests for special accommodation, the prescribed examination fee and the CIPO Fee Payment Form by fax to 819-953-CIPO (2476) or

by mail addressed to:

Commissioner of Patents
Place du Portage l
50 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC K1A 0C9

Electronically

Submit your application and pay electronically by creating a Patent General Correspondence by following these steps:

1. Create an account or connect to an existing account
2. Create a General Correspondence – Patent
3. Information – Step 1
   • In the field Title of Invention, write: Patent agent qualifying examination
   • Fill the mandatory fields
4. Attachments – Step 2
   • In the Comments box, write: Patent agent qualifying examination
   • Attach: the registration form, the proof of how you meet the qualification and any requests for special accommodations.
5. Comments – Step 3
   • Write: Patent agent qualifying examination
6. Fees – Step 4
   • Add the prescribed examination fee: Part 2 – Patent Agents – Patent agent qualifying examination
7. Pay electronically
8. You will receive a payment confirmation and an electronic transaction confirmation.

Deadlines and important dates

Please note the following dates may be subject to change. The examining board is carefully monitoring COVID-19 for any new developments relating to its impacts.

Refund

Pursuant to paragraph 139(1)(a) of the Patent Rules, the Commissioner must refund a fee paid by a person in respect of a paper of a qualifying examination, if the Commissioner notifies the person that they passed an equivalent paper of a previous qualifying examination and the person notifies the Commissioner in writing not later than the thirtieth day after receipt of the notification from the Commissioner that they no longer intend to sit for the paper.

References

• Candidate guide to writing the patent agent qualifying examination
• Patent Rules and Patent Act
• Manual of Patent Office Practice
• Archived versions of previous patent agent examinations

Reports on previous patent agent qualifying examinations

• 2019 Report
• 2018 Report
• 2017 Report
• 2016 Report
• 2015 Report
• 2014 Report
• 2012 Report

Questions

For enquiries relating to the administration of the patent agent and trademark agent examinations, please email IC.CIPOAgentExams-OPICExamenAgent.IC@canada.ca.