Registered Design FAQs

A registered design can be the particular look, shape, configuration or ornamentation of a product(s).

The application fee is dependent on the number of designs included in one application, as it is possible to file a multi-design application in the United Kingdom. A UK design application containing one design costs £300 ex VAT; a UK multi-design application containing up to 10 designs costs £550 ex VAT; and a UK multi-design application containing up to 20 designs costs £750 ex VAT.

Registered designs prevent others making, selling or otherwise dealing in products which are made to the design. It is not necessary to show the design has been copied; the right may be enforced against someone who has independently developed the same design. Unregistered designs provide much more limited protection than registered designs, partly because it is necessary to show actual copying of the design (which can be very difficult to prove) if you wish to take action against someone using your unregistered design without your permission.

A trade mark registration protects a symbol, word, sound or anything chosen to represent a brand’s identity. In contrast, a design registration focuses on a unique product design which a business will produce. 

A registered design is renewable every 5 years for a maximum registration period of 25 years.

This depends on whether you have something unique that you would like to protect. Protecting a design may become essential to your business in the future and save a lot of headaches down the road. If have any questions or queries regarding registering a design, our expert team have been helping businesses with brand protection for over 40 years and are on hand to help. Call us on 0800 069 9090 or drop us an email to info@nbrg.co.uk to find out more

No. A registered design will not be accepted if it is not distinctive enough. If this is the case, our report will include advice on the ways you can make your design more distinctive and we will also help you with your application.

At the moment, the initial registration process is taking around 2-3 months to complete.

No. Once an application has been submitted it cannot be altered except for the owner’s name and address. It is important your application is as accurate as possible, otherwise a new application will need to be made and the application fees will apply again.

Registered design novelty searches are particularly important as they are the first step to determine whether the design you wish to use and register is available. We strongly recommend that, to avoid any potential conflict between your proposed design and any existing similar designs, you instruct us to carry out a comprehensive registered design search on your behalf.

No. A registered design is only effective in the country where the design is registered. However, there are several international conventions which assists clients who wish to register a design in more than one country with one single application – this is more cost effective than obtaining separate national registrations.

A registered design protects the appearance of the whole or a part of a product. This includes features such as the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture or materials of the whole or part of a product or its ornamentation.