Design Registration
Protect the shape, pattern or ornamentation that gives your product its distinctive appearance.
A design registration protects how a product looks — its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation — as judged by the eye. It does not protect how the product works, which is the province of patents, nor the brand it carries, which is trademark territory.
Registration lasts ten years and can be extended by five more. Like a patent, it depends on novelty, so the design must not have been published or disclosed anywhere before the application is filed.
Choose a package
MSME
₹6,554 plus GST
- One Article
- Prepared by an attorney
- Representation sheets
- Power of Attorney format
- Filings on IPINDIA
- Individuals & MSMEs
REGULAR
₹8,454 plus GST
- One Article
- Prepared by an attorney
- Representation sheets
- Power of Attorney format
- Filings on IPINDIA
- Non-MSMEs
What qualifies
- The design must be new or original, not previously published anywhere
- It must be applied to an article by an industrial process
- It must appeal to and be judged solely by the eye
- It must be significantly distinguishable from known designs
- It must not contain anything scandalous or obscene
What falls outside it
- Anything that is a mode or principle of construction, which is functional
- Features dictated solely by the function the article performs
- Mere mechanical devices
- Trademarks, property marks and artistic works, which are protected elsewhere
- Buildings and structures
- Designs already published in India or abroad before filing
Design, patent or copyright
The overlap confuses applicants regularly. A patent protects the functional invention; a design protects the visual appearance; copyright protects an artistic work as such.
One important interaction: where an artistic work is applied industrially to more than fifty articles, copyright in it generally ceases, and design registration becomes the appropriate protection. Manufacturers who rely on copyright alone in that situation are often unprotected.
Classification
Designs are registered against classes of articles under the Locarno classification. Protection extends only to the class in which the design is registered.
If the same design is applied to articles in different classes, separate applications are needed for each.
How we handle it
- 1 Novelty check Existing registrations and published designs are searched to assess whether yours is genuinely new.
- 2 Preparing representations Views are prepared to the standard the office requires, since inadequate representations are a common objection.
- 3 Statement of novelty The statement is drafted to claim the right scope — too broad invites objection, too narrow leaves you unprotected.
- 4 Filing The application is filed in the correct class and the application number issued.
- 5 Examination Where objections are raised, we draft and file the reply within the time allowed.
- 6 Registration The design is registered and the certificate issued, and we note the renewal date.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a design registration last?
Ten years from registration, extendable by a further five on application before expiry. After fifteen years it cannot be renewed again.
Can I register a design already on the market?
Generally no. Prior publication or disclosure destroys novelty. There is a narrow exception for disclosure at an officially notified exhibition, subject to conditions and timing.
What is the difference between a design and a patent?
A patent protects how something works. A design protects how it looks. A product can carry both — a patent for the mechanism and a design for the appearance.
Does copyright cover my product design?
Only up to a point. Where an artistic work is applied industrially to more than fifty articles, copyright in it generally ceases and design registration becomes the right protection.
Does registration protect me abroad?
No. Design rights are territorial. Foreign protection requires filing in each country, and a priority claim is available within six months of your first application.
What is not included. Government fees, statutory charges, stamp duty, court and registry fees, digital signature costs and any third-party professional charges are separate and payable at actuals. GST applies on professional fees where indicated. Prices shown are indicative and may change without notice; we confirm the total in writing before any work begins — see our terms on pricing.
Talk to us about Design Registration
Share your requirement and our team will confirm the documents needed, the exact charges and a realistic timeline — usually the same working day.
- Expert document checking before submission
- Regular status updates on WhatsApp
- Transparent professional charges
- Assistance in Marathi & English
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