<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-03-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001279715</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NATIONAL PATENT DEVELOPMENT CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NPDV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001104706</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>EISEN HARVEY P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 SOUTH BEDFORD ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MT. KISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10549</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-03-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.0699</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>421031</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares of Common Stock were purchased in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.05 to $2.30, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide to the Company, any security holder of the Company, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Harvey P. Eisen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-03-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
