You can check any Indian patent application's status free on the IP India patent search using its application number. The status tells you where the application is in a long process — publication, examination, objections, grant — and which of your deadlines is…
Don't have the number? Search by applicant name, inventor or title keywords. The same database is the starting point for a patent search before you file, to see whether your invention is already disclosed.
| Stage | What it means | Your deadline / action |
|---|---|---|
Application filed | Filing date and number given (provisional or complete) | If provisional: file the complete specification within 12 months |
Awaiting publication | Kept confidential until publication | Optional: request early publication |
Published | Published in the Patent Journal after 18 months, or earlier on request | Third parties can now file pre-grant opposition |
Request for examination filed | Joins the examination queue | Must be filed within 31 months from the priority date (48 months for applications filed before 15 March 2024) |
First examination report (FER) issued | The examiner's objections on novelty, inventive step and form | Reply within 6 months, extendable by 3 months on request |
Reply filed / hearing | Examiner reviews your response. A hearing may be fixed. | Attend and file written submissions after the hearing |
Granted | Patent granted and entered in the register | Pay renewal fees on time to keep it alive |
Abandoned / deemed withdrawn / refused | Usually a missed deadline or unresolved objections | Check whether restoration or an appeal is possible. Act fast. |
Startups, small entities and some other categories can ask for expedited examination, which shortens the wait considerably.
Two statuses look alike but arise differently:
Both usually come from a missed deadline rather than a weak invention. Diarise every date the moment a document arrives, and check the status every few weeks rather than waiting for email.
It varies widely by field and by how quickly objections are resolved. Normal examination often takes a few years from filing to grant. Expedited examination can bring it down to a much shorter period. Once granted, a patent lasts 20 years from the filing date, provided renewal fees are paid each year.
A patent stands or falls on its specification and its replies to examination reports. Both are technical legal drafting. TaxQue's patent registration service covers prior-art search, drafting, filing and FER responses.
Not sure a patent is what you need? A brand name is protected by a trademark and creative work by copyright. See our guides to checking trademark status and copyright registration, or register a copyright.
This article is published by TaxQue (ARB FinTech LLP) for general informational, educational, and business guidance purposes only. Tax laws, GST rules, MCA circulars, and judicial precedents are subject to frequent statutory revisions. This content does not constitute formal individualized tax, accounting, or legal counsel.
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