You can check the status of your Indian patent application at any time through the official portal maintained by the Indian Patent Office at iprsearch.ipindia.gov.in. This guide covers the complete process: finding your application number, running the status check, reading the result screen, troubleshooting when no result appears, and using the Patent E-register to verify a granted patent. It is written for inventors, startups, in-house teams, and foreign applicants managing Indian filings.
This guide covers checking the status of an application you have already filed in India. If you are searching Indian patents by keyword, applicant name, or technology field to assess prior art or find existing patents, see: How to conduct an Indian patent search on InPASS.
Before You Search: Find Your Patent Application Number
The Application Status tab requires your Indian application number. The format depends on when and how your application was filed. Entering the wrong format returns no result even if your application is on record.
Format 1: Pre-2016 alphanumeric
Applications filed before 2016 carry an alphanumeric number in the format: serial number / office code / year. Example: 3285/CHENP/2009. The office codes are CHENP (Chennai), DEL (Delhi), KOL (Kolkata), and MUM (Mumbai). Enter the number exactly as it appears on your filing receipt, including the forward slashes.
Format 2: Post-2016 numeric
Applications filed from 2016 onward carry a 12-digit numeric number. Example: 202041012345. The first four digits are the year of filing. No slashes, no letters. Enter all 12 digits without spaces.
Format 3: TEMP number (does not work on the portal)
When filing online through the IPO e-filing portal, the system generates a temporary acknowledgement number in the format TEMP/E-1/12422/2020-DEL. This is a system receipt number, not your application number and will not retrieve any result on the Application Status tab. Your permanent application number is printed on the official filing receipt issued after processing. If you filed through an Indian patent agent or associate, request the permanent application number from them directly.
Format 4: PCT national phase applications
If your Indian application entered through PCT national phase, the Indian Patent Office assigns a new Indian application number at the time of national phase entry. This is the number to use on the Application Status tab, not your PCT/WO number. If you do not have the Indian application number, locate it through WIPO PATENTSCOPE: search your PCT application number, open the national phase entry record for India, and the assigned Indian number will appear there. Once you have the Indian number, return here and proceed with the steps below.
| In practice: The TEMP number is the most common reason applicants find no result on the portal. If your search returns nothing and your number begins with TEMP, this is the cause. |
How to Check PATENT Application Status: 5 Steps
Watch the step-by-step walkthrough of checking your Indian patent application status on InPASS.
Step 1: Go to the official InPASS portal at https://iprsearch.ipindia.gov.in/publicsearch. The portal has four tabs across the top: Patent Search, Patent E-register, Application Status, and Help. Click on Application Status.
Step 2: The Application Status page shows a single input field labelled Application Number and a CAPTCHA field below it.
Step 3: Enter your application number in the correct format for your filing year (see the section above). Enter the CAPTCHA code shown. Click Show Status.
Step 4: The result screen displays two sections. The first is the Application Details table, showing: application number, application type, date of filing, applicant name, title of invention, field of invention, email address on record, priority date (if any), request for examination date, publication date, first examination report date, date of certificate issue (if granted), post grant journal date (if granted), and reply to FER date (if filed). The second section is Application Status, showing the current status label in large bold text.
Step 5: Below the current status label, three buttons appear: E-Register, Order(s)/Decision(s), and View Documents. Below the buttons, a visual pipeline shows the prosecution stages with Green colour: Filed, Published, RQ Filed, Under Examination, Disposed. Using view documents tab, you can view the complete historical record of all documents of application.
| Key date: The First Examination Report Date in the Application Details table is the date from which the FER reply deadline is calculated. For deadline implications, required actions, and consequences at each status stage, see: What your Indian patent status means: implications at every stage. |
Note on the three result screen buttons:
- E-Register: opens the Patent E-register for the granted patent directly from the result screen. Available once the application is granted.
- Order(s)/Decision(s): opens the Controller’s formal orders, including grant orders, refusal decisions, and hearing outcomes.
- View Documents: opens the full prosecution file showing every document filed against the application with its upload date, the complete historical record from filing through to current status.
When No Result Appears: Four Scenarios
If the portal returns no result or shows “Application Does Not Exist,” one of four conditions applies.
Scenario 1: TEMP number entered
You entered your temporary e-filing acknowledgement number instead of your permanent application number. Resolution: locate the permanent 12-digit numeric number on your official filing receipt or request it from your filing agent.
Scenario 2: Application not yet published
The 18-month statutory publication window under Section 11A of the Patents Act has not yet expired. If you filed recently and your number is correct, the status may show as “Application Does Not Exist” until the first status update is recorded. Resolution: wait and recheck, or file Form 9 to request early publication if your commercial timeline requires it.
Scenario 3: Application number format error
The number is correct but entered in the wrong format. Common errors: entering a pre-2016 alphanumeric number without slashes, entering a post-2016 number with spaces, using the wrong office code, or entering the PCT/WO number instead of the assigned Indian application number. Resolution: verify the exact format from your filing receipt and re-enter.
Scenario 4: Secrecy direction in force
The Controller has issued a secrecy direction under Section 35 of the Patents Act. Applications subject to a secrecy direction do not appear on the public portal. Resolution: contact the appropriate Patent Office directly to confirm status.
How Long Does Each Stage Take
The table below reflects current IPO processing timelines based on 2024-25 data. These are wait times, not deadlines.
| Stage | Typical Wait Time |
| Publication after filing | 18 months (automatic) or earlier if Form 9 filed |
| Examination Report [FER] issuance, normal examination route | 12 to 24 months from RFE filing date |
| FER issuance, expedited route (Form 18A) | 1 to 3 months from RFE filing date |
| Grant after FER reply filed | 3 to 12 months depending on objections |
| Total: filing to grant, normal route | 3 to 5 years |
| Total: filing to grant, expedited route | 1 to 1.5 years in uncomplicated cases |
If your application shows “Application Awaiting Examination” for more than 24 months after RFE filing, it is not necessarily stalled; this is within the current range for many technology fields. If commercial timelines are critical, assess whether the expedited examination route is still available for your application.
Checking a Granted Patent: Patent E-register
Once an application is granted, you can access the Patent E-register in two ways: by clicking the Patent E-register tab on the InPASS homepage, or by clicking the E-Register button on the Application Status result screen.
The Patent E-register requires your patent number, which is assigned at grant and is different from your application number.
3 steps to use the Patent E-register:
Step 1: Access the Patent E-register from the portal homepage (click the Patent E-register tab) or from the Application Status result screen (click the E-Register button).
Step 2: Enter your patent number and the CAPTCHA. Click Show E-register.
Step 3: The result displays: current in-force status, next renewal due year, Form 27 working statement filing record, and full bibliographic data.
The Patent E-register is also available to third parties: investors, licensors, and potential partners routinely use it to verify that an Indian patent is currently in force before entering a transaction.
For the consequences of a lapsed renewal and the process to restore a lapsed patent, see: Patent renewal in India — deadlines, fees, and restoration. For Form 27 working statement obligations, see: Statement of working of patents in India.
Not Sure What Your Status Means?
Finding your status is the first step. Knowing what it means for your prosecution strategy and what to do next is the second.
If your application shows FER Issued, Application in Hearing, Abandoned, or Deemed to be Withdrawn, time-sensitive action may be required. Our team reviews current status and advises on next steps within 24 hours.
| This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, consult a registered patent agent. Information reflects the Patents Act, 1970 and Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2024 as in force on the date of last review. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my application number start with TEMP and return no result on the portal?
The TEMP number (format: TEMP/E-1/XXXXX/YYYY-DEL) is a system-generated acknowledgement issued at the time of online submission. It is not your application number and will not retrieve any result on the Application Status tab. Your permanent 12-digit numeric application number is printed on the official filing receipt after the IPO processes your submission. If you filed through an agent, request the permanent number from them directly.
How do I find my permanent application number after filing online?
Your permanent application number appears on the official filing receipt from the IPO, not the online submission acknowledgement. If you filed directly, log in to your e-filing account and check your application history. For PCT national phase applications, the Indian number can be located through WIPO PATENTSCOPE: search your PCT application number and check the national phase entry record for India. [How to use WIPO PATENTSCOPE]
Can I check patent status without an application number?
Yes. If you do not have the application number, use the Patent Search tab on InPASS to search by applicant name, inventor name, or publication number. Run the search, locate your application in the results, and click the application number link to view the status. [How to conduct an Indian patent search on InPASS]
How do I check the status of a PCT application on the Indian portal?
Use the Indian application number assigned by the IPO at national phase entry, not the PCT/WO number. If you do not have the Indian number, locate it through WIPO PATENTSCOPE by searching your PCT application number and opening the India national phase entry record. For PCT applications still in the international phase, check status through WIPO PATENTSCOPE directly.
My application has shown “Application Awaiting Examination” for over a year since RFE filing. Should I be concerned?
Not necessarily. FER issuance on the normal examination route currently takes 12 to 24 months from the RFE filing date across most technology fields. The application is not at risk during this period provided the RFE was filed within the applicable deadline. If commercial timelines require faster examination, assess whether a Form 18A filing for the expedited route is still possible within your applicable RFE deadline.
What is the difference between the Application Status tab and the Patent E-register tab?
The Application Status tab is for filed applications: it uses the application number and shows prosecution progress from filing through to grant, refusal, or withdrawal. The Patent E-register tab is for granted patents: it uses the patent number assigned at grant and shows current in-force status, renewal payment record, next renewal due date, and Form 27 working statement compliance. Once your application is granted, the E-register can also be accessed via the E-Register button on the Application Status result screen.
