How do I cite a patent in Harvard?

To cite a patent in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What is the Harvard format for a patent citation?

The Harvard format for a patent is: Inventor, A.A. (Year) Title of patent. Patent No. XXXXXXX. Place: Patent Office, Day Month.

What does the in-text citation look like for a patent in Harvard?

In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (Inventor, Year)

How to Cite a Patent in Harvard (Cite Them Right)

Learn how to cite a patent or intellectual property filing in Harvard format (Cite Them Right). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Harvard Reference List Format

Here is the standard Harvard format for citing a patent in your reference list:

Inventor, A.A. (Year) Title of patent. Patent No. XXXXXXX. Place: Patent Office, Day Month.

Harvard Example for a Patent

A complete Harvard reference for a patent, formatted by the official Harvard CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:

Lindqvist, E. (2019) “Automated bibliographic reference parser.” Available at: https://patents.example.org/US10482119.

Matching in-text citation: (Lindqvist, 2019)

Harvard In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Inventor, Year)

Narrative

Inventor (Year) disclosed...

Step-by-Step Guide

Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your patent.
Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Harvard (Cite Them Right) template shown above.
Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
Add to your reference list: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Harvard requirements.

Evidence and review notes

Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.

CSL style record: harvard.csl

Editorial sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a patent in Harvard?: To cite a patent in Harvard (Cite Them Right), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Harvard format for a patent citation?: The Harvard format for a patent is: Inventor, A.A. (Year) Title of patent. Patent No. XXXXXXX. Place: Patent Office, Day Month.
What does the in-text citation look like for a patent in Harvard?: In Harvard, the in-text citation for the example above is (Inventor, Year)