Patent Search & Prior-Art Search in India, Fully Managed by Experts
Find out whether your invention is genuinely novel and non-obvious before you spend on filing. Our experts run a thorough prior-art search across Indian patents, published applications and non-patent literature — using the IPO database, Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents — and give you a clear patentability opinion. 100% online, with a fixed quote upfront.
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What Is Patent Search / Prior-Art Search?
A quick, plain-language explanation before the details.
A patent search looks through existing patents, patent applications and technical literature to see whether your invention already exists — helping you decide if it is worth filing.
Under the Patents Act, 1970, an invention is patentable only if it is novel (not anticipated by any prior publication or use anywhere in the world) and involves an inventive step (is not obvious to a person skilled in the field). A prior-art search assesses your invention against these tests before you commit to filing.
Searches use the Indian Patent Office database (InPASS) maintained by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM), alongside international databases such as Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents.
A prior-art search is a point-in-time assessment based on databases available at the time of search. It reduces risk but cannot guarantee grant, since newly published or unindexed prior art may exist.
Quick Facts
Is This Service Right for You?
Ideal for
- Inventors validating a new product or process before filing
- Startups deciding whether an idea is worth patenting
- R&D teams checking novelty against existing patents
- Companies running freedom-to-operate checks before launch
- Founders preparing to draft strong, defensible claims
- Businesses challenging or defending a competitor's patent
You may need this if
- You want to know if your invention is truly novel and non-obvious
- You are about to invest in drafting and filing a patent
- You need to avoid infringing an existing live patent (FTO)
- You are planning to launch, demo or publish the invention
- You want to gather prior art to invalidate another patent
- You want stronger claims drafted around what is genuinely new
Not sure if you need this?
Talk to an Expert →Why Run a Prior-Art Search?
A search before filing saves money, sharpens your claims and reveals risks early. Here is why inventors and companies do it first.
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01
Avoid Wasted Filing
If your invention is already disclosed, a search reveals it early — so you do not spend on drafting and filing an application that is likely to be refused.
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02
Assess Patentability
The search tests your invention for novelty and inventive step, giving you a clear opinion on whether it is likely patentable under the Patents Act.
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03
Stronger Claims
Knowing exactly what already exists lets you draft claims around the genuinely new features — for the widest defensible scope.
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04
Freedom to Operate
An FTO search checks whether making or selling your product would infringe a live patent — so you can launch with confidence or design around it.
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05
Invalidity Evidence
If a competitor's patent blocks you, an invalidity search gathers prior art to challenge or revoke it.
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06
Global Coverage
We search Indian and international databases — Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents — plus relevant non-patent literature.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Custom quote for your case
Fees depend on your business type and scope. Get a clear, itemised quote upfront — no hidden professional charges, government fee billed at actuals.
Who Can Apply?
Eligibility checklist
- A clear description of the invention — how it works and what it does
- The key technical features you believe are new
- The problem it solves and its advantages over existing solutions
- Any known similar products, patents or publications
- The purpose of the search — patentability, FTO or invalidity
- Drawings, sketches or diagrams, where available
Everything You Need. One Professional Team.
Invention Study
Understand your invention and identify its core inventive features and technical field.
Search Strategy
Build keywords, synonyms and patent classification codes (IPC/CPC) to search effectively.
Patent Database Search
Search Indian patents & applications (InPASS), Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents.
Non-Patent Literature
Search journals, publications, websites and products that may count as prior art.
Relevance Analysis
Review hits, map them to your features and assess novelty and inventive step.
Patentability Opinion
Give a clear view on whether your invention is likely patentable and why.
FTO / Invalidity Scope
Run freedom-to-operate or invalidity searches where that is your objective.
Report & Next Steps
Deliver a written report with the closest prior art and a recommendation on filing.
What You’ll Receive
What Do You Need to Provide for a Patent Search?
A prior-art search does not need any government forms — it needs a clear picture of your invention. The better you describe the technical features, the sharper the search. Everything is collected securely online.
Invention Disclosure
The technical description- A clear write-up of the invention — how it works
- The specific technical features you believe are new
- The problem it solves and its key advantages
- Drawings, sketches, diagrams or flowcharts (if any)
Background & Context
What you already know- Any similar products or solutions you are aware of
- Known patents, publications or competitors
- The technical field / industry of the invention
- Any earlier public disclosure, demo or publication
Search Objective
What you need from the search- Purpose — patentability, freedom-to-operate or invalidity
- Target jurisdictions (India and/or abroad)
- The specific patent to invalidate (for invalidity searches)
- Product/process details (for FTO searches)
Search before you disclose
Run the search and file before any public disclosure — publishing, demoing or selling the invention first can itself become prior art and destroy novelty.
Detail sharpens results
The more precisely you describe the new technical features, the more relevant the search. Vague descriptions produce broad, less useful results.
No search is exhaustive
A search reduces risk but cannot guarantee grant — some prior art may be unpublished, newly filed or not yet indexed in databases.
Confidential handling
Your invention details are handled under strict confidentiality throughout the search.
Don’t have all the documents?
We’ll identify what your case needs →How a Patent Prior-Art Search Works (Step by Step)
Every search combines the official Indian Patent Office database (InPASS) with leading international databases — the entire process is handled online.
Understand the invention
Study your disclosure and pin down the core inventive features and technical field.
Build the search strategy
Prepare keywords, synonyms and patent classification codes (IPC/CPC) for a targeted search.
Search patent databases
Search Indian patents & applications (InPASS), Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents.
Search non-patent literature
Look beyond patents — journals, publications, websites and products that may count as prior art.
Analyse & map results
Review the closest references and map them feature-by-feature against your invention.
Report & recommend
Deliver a written report with a patentability opinion and a clear recommendation on whether to file.
How Long Does a Prior-Art Search Take?
| Stage | Expected Time |
|---|---|
| Invention study & search strategy | On disclosure |
| Database & literature searching | Depends on complexity |
| Analysis & feature mapping | Depends on number of hits |
| Search report & patentability opinion | On completion |
Turnaround depends on the technical field, how broad the invention is and how much prior art exists. A narrow, well-defined invention searches faster than a broad one spanning several fields. We agree a realistic timeline upfront based on the scope you need.
Key Dates — At a Glance
| Frequency | What Is Due |
|---|---|
| If Likely Patentable | Proceed to draft the specification and claims · File a provisional or complete application · Use the prior art to draft around what is new |
| If Prior Art Exists | Refine or narrow the invention to what is genuinely new · Consider design-around options · Re-assess whether filing is worthwhile |
| For Freedom-to-Operate | Review live patents that could block your product · Consider licensing or design-around · Plan launch with reduced infringement risk |
| For Invalidity | Compile the strongest prior-art set · Use it in opposition or revocation · Support your defence against an infringement claim |
Dates are indicative and may change with government notifications. Our team tracks every deadline so you never miss a filing.
Doing It Yourself vs TaxClue
Doing It Yourself
- Identify the right patent classification codes (IPC/CPC)
- Build effective keyword and synonym search strings
- Search InPASS, Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope & Google Patents
- Find relevant non-patent literature (journals, products, web)
- Read patent claims and judge true relevance
- Assess novelty and inventive step objectively
- Risk missing key prior art and filing a non-novel invention
With TaxClue
- Correct IPC/CPC classification and search strategy
- Structured search across Indian & global databases
- Non-patent literature covered, not just patents
- Feature-by-feature relevance analysis
- A clear, reasoned patentability opinion
- FTO or invalidity scope where you need it
- A stronger basis for drafting and filing
Skip the guesswork.
Let an expert handle it →Common Mistakes That Delay Your Application
TaxClue reviews your documents before filing to reduce avoidable errors.
What Comes After the Search?
If Likely Patentable
- Proceed to draft the specification and claims
- File a provisional or complete application
- Use the prior art to draft around what is new
If Prior Art Exists
- Refine or narrow the invention to what is genuinely new
- Consider design-around options
- Re-assess whether filing is worthwhile
For Freedom-to-Operate
- Review live patents that could block your product
- Consider licensing or design-around
- Plan launch with reduced infringement risk
For Invalidity
- Compile the strongest prior-art set
- Use it in opposition or revocation
- Support your defence against an infringement claim
Penalties & Consequences
What is at stake if you do not comply
- Skipping a prior-art search risks filing a non-novel invention and wasting the official and professional fees
- Undisclosed prior art surfaced later during examination can defeat novelty and inventive step
- Publishing or demoing the invention before searching and filing destroys novelty
- A narrow or incomplete search misses close references and produces weak, easily-invalidated claims
Regulatory Updates 2025–26
- 2025: Patent applications, examination responses and renewals are filed online on the IP India portal (ipindia.gov.in).
Why Businesses Choose TaxClue
IP-Focused Team
Searches run by professionals who work on patents and prior art every day.
Global Databases
InPASS, Espacenet, WIPO PatentScope and Google Patents — plus non-patent literature.
Clear Opinion
A reasoned patentability view, not just a list of results.
End-to-End
From search to filing strategy — fully managed, minimal effort from you.
Transparent Fees
A clear quote upfront for the scope you need — no hidden charges.
Confidential
Your invention is handled under strict confidentiality throughout.
Your Documents Deserve Professional Care
- Invention details handled by professionals under strict confidentiality
- Access limited to the team working on your search
- Communication over secure digital channels
- Search material retained only as long as needed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a prior-art search?
Why should I do a patent search before filing?
Which databases are searched?
What is the difference between a patentability search and a freedom-to-operate search?
What is an invalidity search?
How is novelty different from inventive step?
Does a clear search guarantee my patent will be granted?
How long does a prior-art search take?
What information do I need to give you for a search?
Is my invention kept confidential during the search?
Can you search international patents, not just Indian ones?
What happens after the search?
How much does a patentability / prior-art search cost?
Is a prior-art search the same as the examiner's search during examination?
Can I run a free patent search on the InPASS database myself?
When in the patent process should I do a prior-art search?
Does a prior-art search count as disclosing my invention?
What is non-patent literature and why does it matter in a search?
Official Sources & Legal References
Every legal test and search source referenced on this page is drawn from primary law and official databases. Verify them directly:
- InPASS — Indian patent searchOfficial database to run a prior-art search of Indian patents and applications
- Patents Act, 1970 — full textDefines novelty & inventive step (Sections 2, 3, 4) · India Code
- Espacenet — EPO patent searchFree access to over a hundred million patent documents worldwide
- WIPO PatentScopeInternational (PCT) applications and national collections search
Related Guides
Patent Search Guide: Indian & Global Databases
Read guide ArticlePatent Filing Timeline: Idea to Grant
Read guide ArticleInside a Patent Specification
Read guide ArticleExamination: RFE, FER & Hearing
Read guide ArticlePre-Grant Opposition (Section 25(1))
Read guide ArticlePCT Benefits for Indian Applicants
Read guide ArticleIP Strategy for Startups
Read guidePatent Search / Prior-Art Search Resources — All Free
Search First — File Smart. Talk to a Patent Expert
Expert prior-art and patentability search across Indian and global databases — with a clear opinion on whether your invention is worth filing. Consultation, custom quote, zero hidden charges.
Talk to a Patent Expert →