Online Filing System Introduced for Industrial Property Rights

The Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) has launched an Online Filing System for industrial property applications, allowing electronic filing and payment on a 24/7 basis. The platform currently accommodates patents, industrial designs, and utility models.

The initiative forms part of Kenya’s wider digitalization program for IP administration, with objectives that include: improving data quality, streamlining examination and formalities, and expanding access to electronic services for rights holders, agents, and corporate users.

Prior to implementation, filings for various industrial property rights required physical documentation, with potential for administrative delays. The new system introduces real-time access to application management and integrated electronic payments, aligning Kenya with international practice in digital IP procedures.

KIPI continues to engage in capacity-building and technical cooperation projects to reinforce system reliability and stakeholder uptake, as well as to strengthen the institutional framework for industrial property protection in Kenya.