How we work

Our Customer Service Centre and examiners are here to give you guidance. By guidance, we mean the information we can give you about patents, trademarks and designs, and what characterises them. Our staff can give you an overview of what opportunities exist, how to apply for rights and what it may mean for you and your business.

If you need individual and strategic advice, we recommend using a patent attorney, IP advisor or other private actors who are experts in the field.

NIPOs primary task is to handle applications for patent protection, and for trademark and design registration.

Here you can read more about how we carry out our tasks.

The NIPO is a neutral, government authority that assigns rights. Therefore, we cannot help you with the following:

• Formulate and write your application - trademark application, patent application or design application
• Give an opinion as to whether something can be patented or registered as a trademark or design based on a general request. You will receive an answer to this after you have filed your application or if you request a preliminary search examination. 
• Advice on what to do in a conflict with a competitor.
• Assess the commercial potential of your invention or your product.
• Provide financial assistance. See list of potential funding organizations further down.
• Recommend a specific advisor, attorney or attorney.
• Help you find partners.
• Provide specific advice on licensing or transfer of rights. 
• Register company or company name.