Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): e-Filing

From: Canadian Intellectual Property Office

File with PCT e-filing

PCT e-filing is the Canadian Intellectual Property Office's international filing e-service. With this online service, you can submit international patent applications to CIPO's Patent Office.

PCT e-filing allows you to pay your filing fees online and get the filing date and international application number immediately.

Applications prepared using the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO's) ePCT online service and filed through CIPO's international filing e-service receive a reduction (PDF: 49 KB; 2 pages) on the international filing fee.

You need a My Canada Business Account to use the PCT e-filing service.

Don't have an account? Visit the login page and follow the steps to create an account.

Filing of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings forming part of the international application

For international applications filed on or after July 1, 2022, the following applies:

Nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings must be provided in WIPO ST.26 XML electronic format.
Page fees (fees for additional pages in excess of 30) do not apply to nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings filed in ST.26 XML format.

For international applications filed on or after July 1, 2009 but before July 1, 2022, the following applies:

Nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings should be provided in WIPO ST.25 text format.
You do not have to pay page fees for nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings filed in ST.25 text format as part of an international application in electronic form.
However, you must pay full page fees for all pages of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings filed in image format as part of an international application in electronic form.
You must pay full page fees for nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings filed on paper.

You must prepare international patent applications using the latest version of WIPO's ePCT online service.

Assistance

The ePCT online service main page features a user guide and other resources.

If you need help to upload or make payments for international patent applications through this website, please contact CIPO's Client Service Centre. To report a technical problem, please complete the problem report form.

Alternative arrangements for filing international patent applications

This section describes alternative ways to file international patent applications in case:

a failure occurs in any component of CIPO's server that prevents you from completing your filing; or
a failure occurs in any component of your system that prevents you from completing your filing.

Should either of these things happen during your filing, we advise you to send your application to CIPO by facsimile.

For applications filed by facsimile as permitted by this alternate arrangement which contain nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings in WIPO ST.26 XML format, the ST.26 XML file can be filed using Patents general correspondence or may be filed in person or mailed to CIPO on a CD or DVD. The ST.26 file must be filed the same day as the rest of the application to be considered part of the international application.

You must address your facsimile to the Commissioner of Patents and use the following fax numbers:

819-953-CIPO (2476) or
819-953-OPIC (6742)

Facsimile correspondence that is sent to any number other than those indicated above, including those of a designated establishment, will be considered not to have been received.

Your electronic transmittal report constitutes acknowledgement that CIPO received the correspondence.

Payment

When you send a document by facsimile that also has a fee requirement, you should show your preferred mode of payment clearly on the covering letter. This will help expedite your payment.

For correspondence delivered electronically, including facsimile, we consider it received on the day that it is transmitted if it is transmitted and received before midnight, local time at CIPO, on a day when CIPO is open for business. For correspondence delivered on a day when CIPO is closed for business, we consider it received on the next day CIPO is open for business.

Method of payment

You can pay using a credit card or by deposit account.

System and browser requirements

Please review our system and browser requirements to ensure you have the required software.

Period of inactivity

For security reasons, if there is no user activity for 30 minutes after you log in, the application will disconnect you from our electronic service.

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