People renewing UK patents from 9 November 2026 will need to sign in to an Intellectual Property Office (IPO) account, as the government moves renewals onto its new digital platform. The IPO has also delayed the planned closure of its older Web Filing service.
The changes were confirmed in an IPO update issued on 27 October. The new patents platform itself is not new: it launched on 1 April 2026. What changes in November is how patent holders and representatives access renewals.
Patent renewals move to IP accounts on 9 November
From Monday 9 November, customers will be directed to renew UK patents through an online IP account rather than the existing GOV.UK renewal service. Anyone without an account will need to create one and sign in before renewing.
According to the IPO, the renewal process will otherwise be largely unchanged. Customers can still pay by card or IPO deposit account and renew up to 1,500 patents in a single transaction.
However, patents will no longer be renewable in the same transaction as trade marks and registered designs. Those other rights will continue using the existing service for now, and can still be renewed together without an IP account.
What businesses and patent holders need to do
- If you renew UK patents, create or check access to an IP account before your next renewal.
- From 9 November, sign in and use the Renew an IP right section of the account to renew a patent.
- You do not need to link the account to your organisation merely to pay for a renewal. Linking is optional and allows access to patents an organisation owns or manages.
- If you also renew trade marks or registered designs, keep using the existing renewal service for those rights.
The IPO says an individual can pay to renew a patent without being the owner or the owner’s representative. Patent professionals whose organisations already have IP accounts should check with their account administrator before creating a separate account for managing patents.
Planned closure of Web Filing delayed
A separate change concerns the older Web Filing system used for patent applications and other submissions. The IPO had planned to retire it on 8 November, but says it will now remain available beyond that date following customer feedback and discussions with the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA).
The IPO expects Web Filing to close in early December, although it has not yet announced an exact retirement date. It also says that forms@ipo.gov.uk will remain available after Web Filing closes.
A back-up document-upload service is being developed for occasions when the new patents platform cannot be used. The IPO says this contingency will be made available before Web Filing is retired.
New submission receipts expected from 29 October
The IPO also expects to introduce a submission receipt feature on Thursday 29 October. It is intended to let applicants access a record of what they submitted immediately after filing, without having to wait for the usual national security check to see the full application details.
That date is an expectation stated in the 27 October notice, not confirmation that the feature is already live.
Why the timetable matters
For businesses, inventors and patent attorneys, the immediate practical change is the extra sign-in requirement for renewals. For people filing patent applications, the delayed shutdown leaves more time to move away from Web Filing while the IPO completes its new receipt and contingency arrangements.
The IPO has published release notes and service improvements since its April launch, including corrections to application and account workflows. The announcement does not say that patent renewal deadlines themselves have changed.
Sources and further information
- Intellectual Property Office: October 2026 patents service update
- GOV.UK: Set up and access an IP account
- IPO detailed guide to the new patents services
- IPO service updates and improvements
For questions about the changes, the IPO directs customers to information@ipo.gov.uk.
