How to prepare a UK patent application

The basis of a UK patent application is a legal document called a specification. Its contents determine whether a patent can be granted. You would be well advised to employ the services of a registered patent agent (or chartered patent agent), who will have the necessary technical and legal skills to prepare the specification. It is easier to achieve commercial success with such help, but these pages may be of help if you decide to go ahead on your own.

A patent specification includes a full description of your invention, and any drawings referred to, together with one or more claims.

We are keen to help all our customers as much as possible, but regret we cannot assist with the commercial exploitation of your invention. These pages are not intended to form a comprehensive guide and necessarily omit details that may be relevant in particular circumstances.

• The description
• The drawings
• The claims
• The abstract
• Patents Form 1/77
• Processing your application
• Accelerated processing

If you have any queries, please contact the Patent Office.

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Last updated 23 May 1997