New Zealand Patent Office Closed on 10 February 2012

The New Zealand Patent Office (also known as the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand) will be closed for the transaction of business on Friday 10 February 2012 (New Zealand time).

The closed day applies to the transaction of business relating to patents, trade marks, and registered designs. However, the closed day will not affect the Plant Variety Rights Office, which will remain open for the transaction of business relating to plant variety rights.

If a deadline for filing an application or document relating to a New Zealand patent, trade mark or registered design falls on Friday 10 February 2012, then the application or document can be filed on the next day when the Patent Office is open (Monday 13 February 2012), and will be deemed to have been filed in time.

The reason for the closure of the Patent Office to is enable an upgrade to be made to its electronic database in preparation for a new case management system for trade marks and registered designs. Further information is available from the IPONZ website. 

Please contact us if you have any questions.