REGISTERED DESIGN
Up to 25 years
A registered design protects a product's shape, configuration, decoration, colour or pattern. It lasts 5 years and can be renewed every 5 years up to 25.
Compare the rightsWHAT THE IPO SAYS
The look is
worth protecting.
An invention has a shape as well as a function.
Compare the rights
UP TO 25 YEARSfor a registered design
In the UK, the appearance of a product, its shape, pattern, decoration or colour, can be protected by design rights. Some protection is automatic; registering with the Intellectual Property Office lasts longer and is easier to prove.
At a glance
- Function: patent
- Look: design
- Name: trade mark
- Matching protection to the idea
£60
Online fee to register one design
Rising to £185 for up to 50 designs in one application. Posting a paper form costs more: £75 for one design.
FILING · IPO
25 years
Maximum life of a registered design
Renewals every 5 years cost £85, £110, £135 and then £170. Late renewal is possible within 6 months at £30 for each complete month.
LIFESPAN · IPO
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Cheap to start,
long to keep.
Online fees from GOV.UK.
Renewals cost more as the years go on.
The IPO's overview suggests allowing about 3 weeks for a design application, compared with around 4 months for a trade mark and around 5 years for a patent.
A QUICK RIGHTS CHECK
How long does
each right last?
Pick a type of design protection to see what it covers and how long it lasts. The bar shows the length of protection.
From GOV.UK guidance by the Intellectual Property Office. Get professional advice for disputes or complex cases.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Register the look,
or rely on the basics.
Automatic rights help, but registering
makes it easier to prove the design is yours, and when you created it.
THE APPLICATION
Clear pictures, plain background
You send the IPO illustrations: photos, drawings or CAD images on a plain background, with no hands, text or measurements. Decisions usually come within 2 weeks.
How to apply
AUTOMATIC RIGHTS
Some protection for free
The shape of a 3D object gets design right automatically, and a product's appearance gets 3 years of supplementary unregistered design right once made public.
See the numbers
FOUR STEPS TO REGISTER A DESIGN
Search, picture,
apply, renew.
These steps follow the IPO's guide to registering a design.
Search the registers
Check UK, EU and WIPO design registers first. The IPO can search UK registered designs for you for £30.
Prepare the illustrations
Show one design, each view separately, on a plain background, all in the same image type. Online, you can upload up to 12 illustrations.
Apply, or defer
Apply online from £60. You can defer publication for up to 12 months, but the design is not protected while deferred.
Diary the renewal
Renew on the fifth anniversary and every 5 years after, up to 25 years in total.
WHAT A DESIGN CANNOT PROTECT
Looks, yes.
How it works, no.
You cannot register the functionality of a design, such as a chair that folds down faster than others. Offensive material, national flags you have no permission to use and official emblems such as the Olympic rings are also excluded.
The IPO points out that one product can carry several protections: a trade mark for the name and logo, a registered design for a unique shape, a patent for a new working part and copyright for the drawings.
Questions
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a patent and a registered design?
A registered design protects the appearance of a product, such as its shape or pattern. The functionality of a design cannot be registered as a design; inventions and working parts are protected by patents.
Do I get any protection without registering?
Yes. The shape of 3D objects gets design right automatically, and a product's appearance gets supplementary unregistered design right for 3 years from when it is made public.
How much does it cost to register a design?
Online, £60 for one design, rising to £185 for up to 50. Applying by post costs £75 for one design and £50 for each additional design.
How long does a registered design last?
5 years at first. You must renew every 5 years to keep it, up to a maximum of 25 years.
Can I keep my design secret while I test it?
You can defer registration by up to 12 months, but your design is not protected while the application is deferred. The IPO also advises using a non-disclosure agreement if you need to discuss an idea.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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