How to Check the Status of a Process at INPI: Step-by-Step Guide [2026]

Tracking the progress of a process at INPI is essential — whether to know if your trademark has been granted, if your patent has entered examination, or if there is any pending requirement. But the system can be confusing for those who have never used it.

This guide shows step-by-step how to consult any process at INPI, interpret the progress codes, and not miss important deadlines.

1. Accessing the INPI Web Search System

INPI migrated to the e-INPI system (formerly INPI-Sistema). All consultations are online and free.

Step 1: Access Busca Web - INPI

Step 2: On the login screen, it is not necessary to create one; click on “To perform the search anonymously, just press the Continue…. button”

From the options, it will be possible to directly enter the subsystems for each of the databases for trademarks, patents, industrial designs, geographical indications, computer programs, integrated circuit topographies, and technology transfer contracts.

2. Trademark Search

By process number

Go to Trademark Search
Enter the process number (format: 9 digits + 1 check digit, e.g.: 938529072)
Click “Search”

By brand name

On the same page, select “Trademark” in the search field
Enter the brand name (e.g.: “LFA CONSULTORIA”)
Choose the desired class (if known)
Click “Search”

What you will see

The result shows:

Field	What it means
Process Number	Unique application identifier
Trademark	Name or image of the trademark
Class	Nice Classification (products/services)
Holder	Owner’s name
Status	Current status (e.g.: “Application published”, “Granted”, “Denied”)
Dispatch	Last act published in the RPI

3. Patent Search

Access Patent Search
You can search by:
- Application number (e.g.: PI9915985-6, or BR112016000561-9)
- PCT number (if it is an international application)
- Holder (applicant’s name)
- Inventor
- Title (keywords)

Tip: Advanced search

Use the “Advanced Search” field to combine criteria - using Boolean operators (AND/OR, * - wildcard for prefixes and suffixes). Example: title = “pyrid* AND carbam*” returns results containing both pyridine and carbamate. If you use the “OR” operator, results containing pyridine, carbamate, and pyridine + carbamate will appear.

4. Understanding Progress Codes (Dispatches)

Each movement in the process generates a dispatch published in the RPI (Industrial Property Gazette). The most common codes:

Trademarks

Code	Meaning (corresponding official dispatch)	What to do
2.1	Application published — protocol confirmed	✅ Application filed and process number generated. Await formal examination. Keep the 9-digit number.
3.1	Formal examination concluded — application published for opposition (code 009)	⚠️ From this publication in the RPI, third parties have 60 calendar days to file an opposition. Monitor the RPI weekly during this period.
3.2	Formal requirement (code 005)	🚨 INPI detected a pending document or payment. Deadline of 5 calendar days to respond, counted from the publication in the RPI. If no response, the application is considered non-existent.
5.1	Merit requirement (code 136)	⚠️ INPI requested clarifications on the merits of the trademark (specification, distinctiveness, lawfulness, etc.). Deadline of 60 days for response. If not responded to, the application is definitively archived.
5.2	Suspension of merit examination (code 142)	⏳ Examination suspended while a decision is pending in conflicting process(es). No action necessary — await the decision of previous processes.
6.1	Notification of opposition to the registration application (code 423 for Madrid; direct publication for national applications)	⚠️ Third party filed an opposition to your registration application. You have 60 days to submit a manifestation (defense). The manifestation is optional, but strongly recommended.
6.4	Manifestation filed	✅ Your response to the opposition has been recorded. Await the merit examination — INPI will analyze the opposition and manifestation together.
7.1	Granted (code 029)	🎉 Trademark approved on merit. For applications with granted status published from 06/22/2025: the certificate is issued automatically, without additional fee. For applications prior to this date: there was a deadline of 60 days (+ 30 extraordinary days) to pay the GRU for granting, under penalty of archiving.
7.2	Partially granted	⚠️ Approved in part of the requested classes, or with an ex officio restriction in the specification. You can appeal the denied part within 60 days of publication.
7.5	Denied (code 024)	❌ Application denied. You can file an appeal within 60 days counted from the publication in the RPI (Art. 212 of the LPI). The appeal must be reasoned.
8.1	Appeal filed — notification to third parties (code 360)	✅ INPI published the appeal in the RPI. Interested third parties have 60 days to file counter-arguments (Art. 213 of the LPI). No action from you is necessary at this time.
8.4	Appeal not granted — decision maintained (code 235)	❌ Appeal denied. Denial maintained. The administrative route is closed. Only legal action can contest.
8.5	Appeal granted — decision reversed to grant (code 237)	🎉 Appeal accepted — trademark granted. The same regime as code 7.1 applies regarding automatic granting or payment requirement.
9.1	Registration granted (code 158)	✅ Certificate issued. Registration valid for 10 years from the date of publication of this act in the RPI (Art. 133 of the LPI). Note the expiration date — renewal must be requested in the last year of validity.
9.3	Registration renewed / extended	✅ Validity extended for another 10 years. New expiration date confirmed on the extension certificate.
10.1	Definitive archiving (code 106, 139, 157, among others)	❌ Process closed due to missed deadline, unfulfilled requirement, or lack of power of attorney. No resumption via administrative route. Evaluate new application or, in specific cases, appeal.
10.2	Administrative Nullity Procedure — PAN (code 400 or 437)	⚠️ Nullity procedure initiated (by a third party or ex officio) against your registration. You have 60 days to submit a manifestation (Art. 170 of the LPI). Hire specialized advice.

Patents

Code	Meaning	What to do
2.1	Application filed — protocol confirmed	✅ Application filed and process number generated. The application remains confidential for 18 months. Attention: annuities must be paid annually from the 3rd year (24th month) of the filing, regardless of the examination progress.
2.5	Formal requirement (Art. 21 of the LPI)	🚨 Mandatory document missing or defective (report, claims, proof of payment, etc.). Deadline of 30 days for response. If not responded to: application archived. It is the shortest deadline in the entire patent process.
3.1	Publication of the application in the RPI (~18 months after filing)	⚠️ Confidentiality ended — application published. Third parties can now access the document and submit observations to the examination. Verify: the request for technical examination must be submitted within 36 months of filing (GRU 204). If not requested, the application is archived (11.1).
5.1	Technical examination request received	✅ INPI registered the examination request. The process enters the technical queue. Average waiting time for examination to begin: 5 to 9 years (unless Priority Fast-Track). Continue paying annuities normally during the wait.
6.1	Technical requirement	⚠️ The examiner identified issues with novelty, inventive step, industrial application, claims, or sufficiency of disclosure (Arts. 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 22–25 of the LPI). Deadline of 90 days for reasoned response. If not responded to: application definitively archived (11.2).
6.21 / 6.23	Preliminary requirement — search conducted by foreign office (USPTO, EPO etc.)	⚠️ Prior art identified by searches conducted abroad was utilized by INPI. Argue about novelty and inventive step in relation to each cited document (relevance N = novelty; I/Y = inventive step). Deadline: 90 days.
6.22	Preliminary requirement — search conducted by INPI itself	⚠️ INPI conducted prior art search internally (application without foreign counterparts). Same response logic as 6.21. Deadline: 90 days.
6.7	Other requirements	⚠️ Complementary requirement after unsatisfactory response to 6.1/6.21/6.22. Focus on specific unresolved points. Deadline: 90 days.
7.1	Technical opinion — knowledge of the opinion	🔴 The examiner was not convinced by previous responses. This is the second and last technical opinion before denial. Deadline of 90 days for final argumentation. Anything not argued here cannot be used in a subsequent appeal. Use novel and highly specific arguments.
8.6	Archiving — annual annuity not paid (Art. 86 of the LPI)	⚠️ Annuity not paid on time. You have 3 months to request the restoration of the process via GRU 208 + form 1.02 + payment of the overdue annuity. If not restored: dispatch 8.11 (definitive).
8.11	Maintenance of archiving due to annuity — definitive	❌ Restoration not requested within the deadline. Definitive archiving. The content becomes public domain. No administrative action applicable.
9.1	Grant	🎉 Application approved in technical examination. For grants published from RPI nº 2855 (09/23/2025): the patent letter is issued automatically, without additional payment (services 212/213 are R$0.00 since 12/20/2025). For prior grants: there was a deadline of 60 days (GRU 212, ordinary) + 30 days (GRU 213, extraordinary) for payment. Continue paying annuities.
9.2	Denial	❌ Application denied. An appeal can be filed within 60 days of publication in the RPI (Art. 212 of the LPI). The appeal goes to a board of 3–4 examiners. The decision on the appeal is final and unappealable administratively.
9.2.4	Maintenance of denial — appeal not granted	❌ Appeal denied and denial maintained. Administrative route exhausted. Only a judicial nullity action (Art. 56 of the LPI) to contest, within the statute of limitations.
11.1	Archiving — lack of examination request (Art. 33 of the LPI)	⚠️ Examination not requested within 36 months of filing. The application can be unarchived within 60 days of this dispatch’s publication, by paying a specific fee. If not unarchived: dispatch 11.1.1 (definitive).
11.2	Definitive archiving — dispatch not responded to (Art. 36 §1°)	❌ Technical or formal requirement not responded to within the 90-day deadline. Definitive. No administrative reversal possible.
11.4	Definitive archiving — patent letter not paid (Art. 38 §2°)	❌ GRU for patent letter issuance not paid within the total 90-day deadline after granting (9.1). Definitive. Does not apply to applications granted from 09/23/2025, where issuance is automatic.
12.2	Appeal against denial — filed	✅ INPI registered the appeal. There is no additional deadline to supplement arguments — what has been presented is what will be analyzed by the review board.
15.10	Change in the nature of the invention	⚠️ The examiner understands that the object does not reach the inventive step threshold for an Invention Patent (PI), proposing conversion to a Utility Model (MU). MU has a lower criterion (inventive act) but a shorter term: 15 years from filing vs. 20 years for PI. Evaluate strategically — conversion can be advantageous to save protection.
16.1	Issuance of the patent letter	✅ Patent granted and patent letter issued. Term: 20 years from filing (PI) or 15 years from filing (MU). Continue paying annual annuities until the end of the term — non-payment extinguishes the patent (Art. 78, IV of the LPI). Note the expiration date.

5. How to Track Without Knowing the Process Number

If you don’t have the process number, there are other ways:

By the holder’s CPF/CNPJ

In the trademark search, select “Holder” and enter your CPF or CNPJ. This lists all processes linked to that holder.

By the RPI (Industrial Property Gazette)

The RPI is published every Tuesday and Thursday on the INPI website. You can:

Access the RPI page
Choose the section (Trademarks, Patents, Designs)
Search by CPF/CNPJ or process number

8. Important Deadlines

Event	Deadline	Consequence if Missed
Contest opposition (trademarks)	60 days from publication	Registration may be archived
Appeal against denial (trademarks)	60 days	Decision becomes definitive
Appeal against denial (patents)	60 days	Loss of right to appeal
Annuity payment (patents)	Up to 6 months after due date	Patent may be extinguished
Trademark renewal	Up to 6 months after due date	Trademark may be extinguished
Response to technical requirement	90 days (extendable)	Application may be archived

9. Common Problems and Solutions

Problem	Probable Cause	Solution
“Process not found”	Incorrect number entered	Check the format (9 digits + check digit for trademarks)
“System unavailable”	Scheduled maintenance	Try after 2 hours or the next day
Dispatch does not appear	RPI just published	Database update and document availability occur on Wednesdays, 1 day after RPI publication