7.10.3 Amendment of the Register

Also in this Chapter:

• 7.10.1 What is the Register
• 7.10.2 Recording Particulars in the Register
• 7.10.3 Amendment of the Register

Sub-chapters:

• 7.10.3.1 Procedure on Receipt of an Application for Recitification
• 7.10.3.2 Amendment of Errors (excluding Entitlement Disputes) - Subsection 191A(1)
• 7.10.3.3 Entitlement Disputes - Subsection 191A(2)
• 7.10.3.4 Section 192​​​​​​​

Key Legislation:

Patents Act:

• s104 Amendments by applicants and patentees
• s187 Registration of particulars of patents etc.  
• s191A Commissioner's power to rectify register  
• s192 Orders for rectification of Register  

Patents Regulations:

• reg 10.7 Rectification of Register

The Register is not a filed document, so cannot be amended under section 104.  Updating the Register to record new particulars (e.g. transfers of ownership, licences, mortgages, Court orders) is effected under section 187.  Where the Register contains an error or omission, this can be rectified under section 191A.  

Section 191A allows the rectification of a wide range of errors in the Register.  A request under section 191A must be in the approved form (reg 10.7). Where the error relates to entitlement, there are specific procedures that the Commissioner must follow (see 7.10.3.3 Entitlement Disputes - Subsection 191A(2)).

In addition, Courts have the power to correct errors under section 192.

The Commissioner cannot make a declaration or rectify the Register while relevant proceedings are pending (see section 191A(5)).  The Commissioner will not take any action to process such requests until the proceedings are finalised, as the parties can utilise section 192 to achieve the same outcome.