Patent searches can be expensive and time-consuming. This preliminary examination will provide you, within a few days, with a statement on whether the technical solution may be patentable or not.

It pays to have the possibility of obtaining a patent examined at as early a stage as possible. You can then avoid wasting time and money on continued development and a patenting process that will not lead anywhere. Our patent examiners work on patent applications every day. They are therefore well qualified to assess your invention.

Content and quality

• We carry out a novelty search to check whether the invention is new in comparison with other known technology. This includes published patents and patent applications on a worldwide basis, and other relevant literature.
• We assess the inventive step, that is to say whether your solution differs appreciably from technology that is already known.
• You receive a written report containing our findings and an assessment of patentability. In this report we present the results of the examination that may be of significance to your invention. You can also use this report for further documentation, for example to be presented to investors or partners.
• You will be given an examiner who specialises in the technical areas concerned. You can have a dialogue with this person before, during and after the preliminary examination.

Which databases do we search in?

Our patent examiners use databases and tools to which only national patent offices have access.

We search in publicly available information. This means, among other things, that national and international patent applications that are within the secrecy period of 18 months cannot be included in the assessments. The result of a preliminary examination is not binding on the Norwegian Industrial Property Office if you should send in an application at a later date.

Checklist for ordering

Ordering and delivery

You will usually receive the preliminary search report within 10 working days. 

The price of the preliminary examination depends on the size of the assignment.
See price list

A good description of the invention is important for us to be able to do an examination of patentability as well as possible.

• Ideally include drawings, sketches, links or similar.
• Present the solution and describe the technical details of the idea in more detail.
• If possible, you can formulate the description(s) as patent claims.
• If you know of possible prior art/obstacles, indicate these also.

After you have placed an order, the examiner will contact you to clarify the assignment more closely.

You can place an order in several ways.
Order preliminary examination

Confidentiality