This Practice Note examines the two principal research exemptions to patent infringement available under UK law, namely, the general experimental use exemption (sometime referred to as the experimental use defence) and the specific ‘Bolar-type’ exemption. It discusses what is required in order to benefit from these exceptions to infringement under section 60(5) and (6) of the Patents Act 1977 (PA 1977) and practical considerations, eg how to deal with suppliers in contracts and research tools. This Practice Note also discusses the supplementary protection certificate (SPC) manufacturing waiver which provides an exception to infringement of SPCs.