Singapore

Our global practice is anchored in Singapore — a jurisdiction known for innovation, legal rigour, and  strategic access to Asian markets.
Table of Content
Patent Protection in Singapore
Why File in Singapore
Singaporean Patent System Overview
Types of Patents
Significant Prosecution Deadlines
Filing Formalities
Subject Matter Eligibility

Patent Protection in Singapore

Singapore is a leading intellectual property hub in Asia, offering a transparent, efficient, and internationally harmonised patent system.

Administered by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), the regime supports both national filings and international routes through the Paris Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Applicants benefit from modern digital infrastructure, expedited examination pathways, and robust enforcement mechanisms.

Why File in Singapore?

Singapore is populated by ≈6.0 M people as of June 2023.
Extremely affluent, one of the world’s highest GDP per capita.
Singapore is home to the world’s top transshipment port.
Preferred regional headquarters base in Asia to over 4,200 multinational companies.
English-language base, letting you springboard into the far larger ASEAN neighborhood via established trade routes.
A pro-commercialization tax regime (e.g., the IP Development Incentive) boosts the after-tax returns of licensing and IP-rich sales booked in Singapore.

Singaporean Patent System Overview

If you want to learn more about Voyage IP’s Singapore service offering, please contact us here.
Government Agency Responsible for
Patent Registration
Patent registration is administered by the
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
Visit IPOS
Patent Examination
Official Language
English

Singaporean Patent Filing Statistics

Source: WIPO Statistics Database
Major international treaties
ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation (ASPEC)
Budapest Treaty
Paris Convention
Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (TRIPS)

Types of Patents

A Standard Patent in Singapore lasts 20 years from filing, offering inventors strong protection for their innovations.
Patent Type
term
remarks
Standard Patent
20 years from Filing
-

Significant Prosecution Deadlines

Singapore is a leading intellectual property hub in Asia, offering a transparent, efficient, and internationally harmonised patent system.
EVENT
DEADLINE
Paris Convention
12 months from earliest priority date
PCT National Phase Entry
30 months from earliest priority date
Substantive Examination
36 months from priority date; extensions of up to 18 months may be available under a recent pilot initiative.
Divisional Application
Voluntary divisional application allowed anytime during pendency of the application

Accelerated Examination Programs

ASEAN Patent Examination Cooperation

Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Patent Prosecution Highway

China, Mexico, Europe, Saudi Arabia,  France, Malaysia, and GPPH.

Availability of Prefiling Grace Period

Singapore law provides a 12-month grace period prior to filing a Singapore or PCT application for disclosures made by the inventor or derived from the inventor’s information (e.g., at recognised exhibitions or in breach of confidence).

Filing Formalities

National Phase Patent Application
Paris Convention Patent Application

National Phase Patent Application

Document/action
Required?
deadline to submit
certification/legalization required?
extension of time available?
Power of Attorney
No
-
-
-
Assignment
Yes, where applicant differs from inventor(s)
-
No
-
Translation of Application to English
Yes, if not in English
At filing
Verification required
18-month extension of time for national phase entry available
Translation of Non-English Priority Application
No, unless requested by IPOS
-
-
-
Certified Priority Document Required
No, unless requested by IPOS
-
No, unless IPOS requests it
-

Paris Convention Patent Application

Document/action
Required?
deadline to submit
certification/legalization required?
extension of time available?
Power of Attorney
No
-
-
-
Assignment
Yes, where applicant differs from inventor(s)
-
No
-
Translation of Application to English
Yes, if not in English
At filing
No
-
Translation of Non-English Priority Application
No, unless requested by IPOS
-
-
-
Certified Priority Document Required
No, unless requested by IPOS
-
No, unless IPOS requests it
-

Subject Matter Eligibility

Excluded subject matter includes:
Discoveries, scientific theories, 
and mathematical methods.
Business methods and schemes.
Presentations of information.
Therapeutic, surgical, and diagnostic methods practiced on humans or animals.
Inventions contrary to public order or morality.
Additional Things to Consider:
Applicants should carefully consider claim drafting to avoid exclusions, especially in fields such as fintech, software, and healthcare.
Business methods and scLocal counsel confirmation may be required for recent procedural updates.hemes.

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