WIPO - PCT Applicant's Guide IE - Ireland
Intellectual Property Office of Ireland

    Applicable as from 13 March 2025
    (published on 13 March 2025)

    Summary of latest changes in this version
    RO: Electronic filing, Incorporation by reference, Color drawings
    List of changes

    All available versions

    Useful information

    The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated almost every week with information received by the International Bureau.
    In case of question, please contact the Office or the International Bureau: pct.guide@wipo.int.
    List of abbreviations used in this document:
    Office: Intellectual Property Office of Ireland
    List of currencies used in this document:
    EUR (Euro)
    Countries and Offices information:
    The list of acronyms used for Offices is no longer shown as it has been integrated in the mouseover functionality for each ST.3 code shown in this document.
    Refer to List of WIPO Standards, Recommendations and Guidelines formerly Annex K, List of country names and two-letter codes. It includes a list of short names and two-letter codes accepted for use in indicating States, other entities and intergovernmental organizations and their Offices in documents relating to international applications under the PCT. The list is as set out in WIPO Standard ST.3.
    Also refer to PCT Contracting States formerly Annex A.
    Office profile
    For more technical information about the Office, refer to ePCT Office profile.
    PCT Reservations, Declarations, Notifications and Incompatibilities
    The Office does not have any reservations, declarations, notifications or incompatibilities.
    Refer to the full list.
    Office Closed dates
    The Office is closed weekly on Saturday and Sunday
    Additional closed dates can be consulted on the Office Closed dates page

    International Phase

    Annex B - Information on Contracting States or Intergovernmental Organization

    Contracting State:
    Ireland
    Two-letter code:
    IE
    Name of Office:
    Intellectual Property Office of Ireland
    Location:
    Government Offices
    Hebron Road
    Kilkenny
    R95 H4XC
    Ireland
    Mailing address:
    Same as above
    Telephone:
    (353-56) 772 01 11
    E-mail:
    ipinfo@ipoi.gov.ie
    Website:
    Facsimile:
    (353-56) 772 01 00
    Does the Office accept the filing of documents by facsimile or the like means (PCT Rule 92.4)?
    No
    Does the Office send notifications via e-mail in respect of international applications?
    Yes
    Would the Office accept evidence of mailing a document, in case of loss or delay, where a delivery service other than the postal authorities is used (PCT Rule 82.1)?
    No
    Is the Office prepared to allow applicants to make applications available to the WIPO Digital Access Service for Priority Documents (DAS) (PCT Rule 17.1(b-bis)?
    More information about WIPO DAS is available at: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/das.
    No
    Competent receiving Office(s) for international applications filed by nationals or residents of this State:
    EP,
    IB,
    IE
    Does national legislation restrict the filing of international applications with foreign Offices?
    Refer to the Office
    Competent designated (or elected) Office(s) for this State:
    Refer to corresponding National Phase.
    EP
    Types of protection available via the PCT:
    European patents
    Payment methods accepted by the Office:
    Refer to the Office
    Availability under the national law for an international-type search (PCT Article 15):
    None
    Provisional protection after international publication:
    Designation for the purposes of a European patent:
    (1) International application published in one of the EPO official languages: compensation reasonable in the circumstances, on con-dition that any national requirements relating to the translation of the claims in the application have been met.
    (2) International application published in a language which is not an EPO official language: the protection referred to in (1) does not become effective until the EPO publishes the international applica-tion supplied to it in one of its official languages.
    Information of interest if this Contracting State is designated (or elected)
    Time when the name and address of the inventor must be given:
    Are there special provisions concerning the deposit of microorganisms and other biological material?
    No
    For a European patent
    Applicants of an international application designating Ireland for a European patent may request the Controller, within 31 months from the priority date, that the international application be treated as an application for a patent in Ireland under Part II of the Patents Act 1992 (refer to Section 127A of the Patents Act, 1992 enacted by the Copyright and Other Intellectual Property Law Provisions Act 2019, effective from 2 December 2019 and Rule 87A of the Patents (Amendment) Rules 2019, S.I. 589/2019).
    Refer to Annex B(EP)

    Annex C - Receiving Office

    Competent receiving Office for nationals and residents of:
    Ireland
    Language in which international applications may be filed:
    English
    Language accepted for language-dependent free text in the sequence listing:
    Same as above
    Language in which the request may be filed:
    English
    Number of copies required by the receiving Office if the international application is filed on paper:
    3
    Does the receiving Office accept the filing of international applications in electronic form?
    Where the international application is filed in electronic form in accordance with and to the extent provided for in Part 7 and Annex F of the Administrative Instructions, the total amount of the international filing fee is reduced (refer to “Fees payable to the RO”).
    Where the international application contains a sequence listing as a separate part of the description, this must be furnished in accordance with Annex C of the Administrative Instructions, that is, in compliance with WIPO Standard ST.26 XML format; no fees are due for sequence listings filed in this format.
    For the relevant notifications by the Office, refer to the Official Notices (PCT Gazette) dated 11 July 2019, pages 105 et seq. and 21 July 2022, page 187.
    Yes, the Office accepts electronic filing via ePCT-Filing
    Does the receiving Office accept the submission of pre-conversion documents and, if yes, in which format (Section 706 of the PCT Administrative Instructions)?
    Yes, any format
    Does the receiving Office accept incorporation by reference (PCT Rule 20.6)?
    Yes
    Does the receiving Office accept the submission of color drawings on an informal basis and transmit them to the International Bureau?
    Yes
    Does the receiving Office accept requests for restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 26bis.3)?
    Yes, the Office applies both the “unintentional” and the “due care” criteria to such requests
    Competent International Searching Authority:
    EP
    Competent International Preliminary Examining Authority:
    EP
    Fees payable to the RO:
    Transmittal fee:
    76 EUR
    International filing fee:
    This fee is reduced by 90% if certain conditions apply (refer to Annex C(IB)).
    1,417 EUR
    Fee per sheet in excess of 30:
    This fee is reduced by 90% if certain conditions apply (refer to Annex C(IB)).
    16 EUR
    Reductions (under Schedule of Fees, item 4):
    For the relevant notification by the Office, refer to the Official Notices (PCT Gazette) dated 11 July 2019, pages 105 et seq.
    Electronic filing (the request in character coded format):
    213 EUR
    Electronic filing (the request, description, claims and abstract in character coded format):
    320 EUR
    Search fee:
    Refer to
    Annex D(EP)
    Fee for priority document (PCT Rule 17.1(b)):
    for the certified copy 3.00 EUR
    per page, plus 0.60 EUR
    Fee for requesting restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rule 26bis.3(d)):
    Please refer to the Office
    Is an agent required by the receiving Office?
    No, if the applicant resides in Ireland
    Yes, if the applicant is non-resident
    Who can act as agent?
    Any person registered in the Register of Patent Agents kept at the Office
    Waiver of power of attorney:
    Waivers of powers of attorney do not apply (PCT Rule 90.4(e) and 90.5(d)) where the agent or common representative submits any notice of withdrawal during the international phase (PCT Rule 90bis.1 to 90bis.4, also refer to International Phase, paragraph IP 11.048).
    Has the Office waived the requirement that a separate power of attorney be submitted?
    No
    Particular instances in which a separate power of attorney is required:
    Not applicable
    Has the Office waived the requirement that a copy of a general power of attorney be submitted?
    No
    Particular instances in which a copy of a general power of attorney is required:
    Not applicable

    National Phase

    The Office closed the national route
    Current version applicable from 13 Mar 2025 , printed on 18 Oct 2025
    2.2 #31 - 2025-10-15T11:58:01.602+02:00