The main purpose of the authority file of published patent documents is to allow all interested parties to assess the completeness of the available patent documentation from the intellectual property office (IPO) that generated the authority file.

On this page, you can find the most recent authority files compliant with WIPO Standard ST.37 PDF, WIPO Standard ST.37 which have been provided by the IPOs to the International Bureau of WIPO or links to the webpages where such authority files are hosted. The recommendations on data elements, structure and format of authority files are provided in WIPO ST.37.

The icons included within the table indicate the file type of the authority file and will initiate a download. The exception is 'HTML' which indicates that the Office is hosting the file locally and you will leave the WIPO website to go to the linked HTML page.

The authority file guidelines aim to ensure that authority files provided to the International Bureau are both compliant with WIPO Standard ST.37 and consistent across Offices.

This page was last updated on March 13, 2025.

IP Office Authority file Definition file Coverage Remark
AT XML, Austria, Authority File 1990-01-01 to 2025-02-28 Updated monthly; published here biannually.
AU HTML, Australia, authority file HTML, Australia, Definition file 1905-12-04 onwards Updated monthly
BG TXT, Canada, authority file PDF, Japan, definition file 1973-11-10 to 2025-01-31
BR Australia, authority file China, Definition file 1996-01-01 to 2025-03-01
CA TXT, Canada, authority file PDF, Japan, definition file Until 2024-12-31 Comprehensive; CIPO intends to produce an authority file for published patent documents once each year.
CN Australia, authority file
China, Definition file 1985-09-10 onwards Every six months
CZ Australia, authority file PDF, Japan, definition file

1901-08-31 to 2025-03-01

Updated annually
DE TXT, Germany, authority file TXT, Germany, definition file

Date range up until 2025-02-05; for DE patents and utility models the start of the date range is 1978-01-01. For other types, all data available.

Comprehensive; Updated at a yearly interval
EA EA Definition File EA Definition File 1996-07-01 onwards 

Authority file is updated on a daily basis

EE EA Definition File

1994-05-23 to 2025-02-28

Updated annually

EP EPO Definition File EPO Definition File

1978-12-20 onwards

The EPO authority file contains document from 1978-12-20 and EP 0000001 without gaps onwards. The file is updated every six months and available in three formats: XML, CSV and JSON.

Weekly XML files containing the list of European patent documents published at the corresponding date are also available on publication day on the European Publication Server.

ES HTML, Spain, Authority File 1826 onwards

Inventory of all publication numbers of patents and utility models issued by OEPM from 1826 to the current date. It is a unique download file that includes annual data files. The data is updated monthly.

FI XML, Finland Authority File PDF, Finland, definition file 1833-03-06 to 2024-12-31 Updated annually
FR TXT, France, Authority File TXT, France, Authority File 1990-01-01 to 2025-02-28 Updated annually
GB XML, United Kingdom, Authority File (ZIP) 1782-01-01 to 2024-12-31

There is a file pair provided for every decade for both A and B publications. The most recent decade pair is updated annually.

HR HTML, Croatia, Definition File None provided 1994-04-30 onwards Updated annually (XML)
IL TXT, Israel, authority file PDF, Israel, definition file 2021-01-01 to 2024-12-31
IT TXT, Italy, authority file TXT, Italy, definition file 1991-01-18 to 2024-12-31 Every six months
JP HTML, Japan, Authority File HTML, Japan, Definition File 1993-01 to 2024-12 Every six months in February and August
KR HTML, Republic of Korea, Definition File
  • Examined Publications: 1997-10-04 onwards
  • Published Applications: 1979-02-26 to 1997-08-08
  • Unexamined Publications: 1983-03-25 onwards

Comprehensive; Updated early June and early December

LT XML, Lithuania, Authority File 1992-10-15 to 2025-02-28 Updated annually
MC TXT, Monaco, authority file PDF, Monaco, definition file 1973-07-01 to 2025-01-31 Updated twice a year on the 1 February and the 1 September
MD HTML, Republic of Moldova, Authority File HTML, Republic of Moldova, Definition File 1994-01-31 onwards Updated annually
PL XML, Poland, authority file(ZIP) 1982-01-01 to 2024-12-31 Provided once a year for a given year in January of the following year
RS TXT, Serbia, authority file None provided 2006-09-26 to 2024-12-31

Annual update in January; comprehensive

RU HTML, Russian Federation, Definition File

P: 1924-09-24 onwards

UM: 1994-06-25 onwards

D: 1967 onwards

1. New publications – each quarter: February 1, April 1, July 1, October 1;

2. Filling gaps - annually

SA TXT, Saudi Arabia, authority file None provided 1995-12-23 to 2021-12-31 Every 4 Months
SE HTML, Sweden, Authority File 1885-06-05 to 2024-12-31 Comprehensive coverage and incremental update twice yearly, comprising the documents published during the last six months. Version 2.2 DTD. 
SK TXT, Slovakia, authority file (ZIP) PDF, Slovakia, definition file 1993-07-07 to 2024-12-31
UA TXT, Ukraine, authority file PDF, Sweden, definition file 1993-01-01 to 2020-12-31 Annual update on February 1; Comprehensive (from 1993-01-01 till end of previous year)
US HTML, USA, authority file HTML, USA, authority file

Pre-Grant authority file: 2001-03-15 onwards

Patent-Grant authority file: comprehensive 1790-07-31 onwards, except pre-grant publications.

Comprehensive Authority Files are normally updated on a monthly basis and available from the USPTO website.

The Pre-Grant and Patent Grant Authority Files contain listings of all US published non-provisional utility and plant applications ("Pre-Grant") and other published or granted patent documents ("Patent Grant") found in USPTO Patent Image databases and list the following fields, where applicable:-Country Code-Document Number-Kind Code-An indication of missing and withdrawn. Note the US patent grant numbering was reset in 1836. Patents between 1790 and 1836 include an “X”. Additional details are available at the USPTO website.

WO TXT, WIPO, authority file (ZIP) PDF, WIPO, definition file 1978 onwards

This authority file is updated on the fourth working day of each week. 

YU TXT, YU, authority file None provided

1920-01-01 to 2006-08-17

Comprehensive. This authority file data incudes patent publication from both of the former Offices Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. This authority file was provided by the Republic of Serbia.