To provide for the registration and granting of patents for inventions and for matters connected therewith.
Last update: December 2006
Copyright: This Act reproduced under Government Printers Copyright Authority 10154 dated 20 March 1996
Disclaimer: This Act is presented "as is". Please read our Disclaimer before continuing.
Latest Developments:
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 29413, Notice R1181, dated 1 December 2006
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 28104, Notice R989, dated 10 October 2005
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 27713, Notice 904, dated 1 July 2005
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 24934, Notice 721, dated 29 May 2003
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 24800, Notice 567, dated 23 April 2003
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by The Patents Examination Regulations, 2003, General Notice No. 25, Government Gazette 24290, dated 17 January 2003.
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 23156, Notice R216, dated 1 March 2002
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 22750, Notice R1032, dated 19 October 2001
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 22560, Notice R746, dated 17 August 2001
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 22187, Notice R309, dated 30 March 2001
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 21960, Notice R1432, dated 29 December 2000
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 20790, Notice R1552, dated 30 December 1999
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 20565, Notice R1270, dated 21 October 1999
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 20248, Notice R824, dated 28 June 1999
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 19845, Notice R327, dated 12 March 1999
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 19775, Notice R250, dated 26 February 1999
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 18143, Notice R963, dated 11 July 1997
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 17812, Notice R309, dated 28 February 1997
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 16930, Notice R49, dated 19 January 1996
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 16332, Notice R478, dated 31 March 1995
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 15389, Notice R2514, dated 31 December 1993
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 14498, Notice R3433, dated 31 December 1992
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 13695, Notice R3163, dated 27 December 1991
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 13382, Notice R1566, dated 5 July 1991
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 13096, Notice R687, dated 28 March 1991
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 12919, Notice R3038, dated 28 December 1990
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 12216, Notice R2703, dated 15 December 1989
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 11436, Notice R1482, dated 29 July 1988
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 10321, Notice R1364, dated 4 July 1986
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 9346, Notice R1613 of 3 August 1984
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 9242, Notice R1110, dated 30 May 1984
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Government Gazette 6379, Notice R697, dated 30 March 1979
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by the addition of Patent Regulations, 1978, Government Gazette 6247, Notice R2470, dated 15 December 1978
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 1979 (Act No. 14 of 1979)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 1983 (Act No. 67 of 1983)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 1986 (Act No. 44 of 1986)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 1988 (Act No. 76 of 1988)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by General Law Amendment Act, 1996 (Act No. 49 of 1996)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Act, 1997 (Act No. 38 of 1997)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 2001 (Act No. 10 of 2001)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been amended by Patents Amendment Act, 2002 (Act No. 58 of 2002)
The Patents Act, 1978 (Act No. 57 of 1978) has been added to the website.