File your design worldwide, right the first time.
A design right is only as strong as the drawings and filing behind it. We choose the right mix of national, EU and Hague filings for your markets, prepare drawings to each office’s exact rules, and file on time, so your design is protected wherever it is sold and copied.
- National, EU and Hague filings from one team
- Drawings prepared to each office’s rules, so scope is right
- Every deadline docketed, from priority to renewal
Request a filing quote
Send images of your design and where you need protection. An attorney replies within one business day with the route and fees.
Filing defines your design right, so details decide its strength.
Design patent filing secures legal protection for how a product looks: its shape, configuration, pattern or ornament. The application is defined almost entirely by its drawings, so the views you file, the features you show in solid or broken lines, and the offices you choose decide how broad and enforceable the right will be.
We handle the whole filing: the route, the drawings, the forms and classification, the priority claims and the deadlines, in one country or in many at once.
At a glance
- Protects
- Shape, configuration, pattern and ornament
- Routes
- National, EU registered design, Hague
- Priority window
- 6 months from your first filing
- Key document
- Drawings or photographs of the design
- Term
- Typically 10 to 25 years, by office
- You receive
- Filed applications, docketed deadlines
Choose the route that fits your markets.
Most clients combine routes: a first filing at home, then the EU and a Hague application, with national filings where Hague is not available.
National filing
A design application filed directly with one national office, such as the USPTO, CNIPA, JPO or the Indian Design Office.
- Best when you need only a few key countries
- Local examination rules followed exactly
- Drawings and forms prepared for that office
- Local counsel coordinated where required
- Priority claimed from an earlier filing if any
- Clear view of examination time and cost
EU registered Community design
One registration at the EUIPO that protects your design in every EU member state.
- A single right for the whole European Union
- Fast registration with formal examination only
- Up to 25 years in 5-year renewals
- Multiple designs in one application
- Deferment of publication available
- Cost-effective for EU-wide sales
Hague international application
One application through WIPO that can designate many member countries and regions at once.
- One application, one language, one set of fees
- Designate the countries and regions you need
- Up to 100 designs in one application
- Central renewals and changes
- Some countries still examine locally
- Ideal for brands selling in many markets
Priority filing
A first filing in one country, then filings abroad within 6 months claiming its date.
- Secure an early filing date quickly
- 6-month Paris Convention priority window
- Time to decide on further countries
- Priority documents obtained and filed
- Deadlines docketed from day one
- Works with national, EU and Hague routes
Expedited filing
Faster routes where speed matters, for launches, trade fairs or enforcement.
- Expedited examination where offices offer it
- Fast-track drawings and filing
- Filing before trade fairs and launches
- Early registration for enforcement
- Deferred publication to keep launches secret
- Clear timelines from the outset
GUI and partial designs
Protection for screen designs, icons and parts of products, where offices allow it.
- Graphical user interfaces and icons
- Animated and transitional designs
- Partial designs shown with broken lines
- Office-by-office rules compared
- Drawings adapted for each office
- Strategy for software-driven products
The filing pack, office by office.
Requirements differ between offices, and a missing or inconsistent item can mean objections, delay or a narrower right. We prepare the full pack for every route.
| Document | India | United States | EU (EUIPO) | Hague (WIPO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drawings or photographs of all views | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Title or product indication | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Locarno classification | ✓ | – | ○ | ✓ |
| Statement of novelty | ✓ | – | – | – |
| Description of the views | ○ | ✓ | ○ | ○ |
| Single design claim | – | ✓ | – | ○ |
| Inventor or designer declaration | – | ✓ | – | ○ |
| Priority document | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Power of attorney | ✓ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
A simplified overview for guidance. Requirements depend on the applicant, the product and the countries designated, and we confirm them for each filing.
A distinctive look deserves real protection.
Copies appear fast once a product succeeds. A registered design gives you the clearest, strongest way to stop them.
Exclusive rights
Stop others making, selling or importing products with the same or a similar design.
Protection against copies
A registered design is far easier to enforce against look-alikes than unregistered rights.
Market advantage
Keep a distinctive look exclusive while competitors work around it.
A valuable asset
Designs can be licensed, sold or used to support investment and valuation.
Enforcement options
Injunctions, damages, customs seizures and marketplace takedowns.
Global reach
Protect the same design in many countries through national, EU and Hague routes.
From your images to a filed application.
A structured process keeps the drawings right, the forms correct and every deadline met.
- 01
Design review
Images, product and markets reviewed.
- 02
Route and scope
Countries, routes and claimed features agreed.
- 03
Drawings
Views prepared to each office’s rules.
- 04
Forms and classes
Product indication, Locarno class and documents.
- 05
Filing
Applications filed and receipts shared.
- 06
Examination and renewal
Objections answered, renewals docketed.
After your first filing, you usually have 6 months to file in other countries and keep the same priority date. We docket this window from day one so no market is lost.
Request a filing quoteThe drawings are the design right.
Most design objections, and most narrow registrations, come from the drawings. Our specialists prepare them to each office’s conventions.
Consistent views
Every view must show the same design, with no contradictions between figures.
Broken lines
Unclaimed features shown in broken lines, so copies with different details still infringe.
Surface shading
Shading that shows contours and surfaces clearly, to each office’s conventions.
Clean presentation
No text, dimensions or extraneous objects, with neutral backgrounds where required.
Photographs or drawings
The right format for each office, and never a mix that creates inconsistencies.
Scope by design
Views chosen to claim the whole product, a part, or both, depending on strategy.
Key design markets, and 150+ more.
We file directly or through trusted local counsel, under one strategy and one point of contact.
At filing, and long after.
A design right needs care beyond the filing date. We stay with it from the first application to the last renewal.
What we handle at filing
Everything needed for a clean application.
- Filing route and country strategy
- Drawings and views to each office’s rules
- Product indication and Locarno classification
- Statement of novelty, description and claim
- Priority claims and certified copies
- Power of attorney and applicant formalities
- Multiple designs in one application where useful
- Filing receipts and an application schedule
What we handle after filing
Your design, protected for its full term.
- Examination reports and office actions
- Corrected or replacement drawings
- Publication and deferment management
- Registration certificates delivered
- Renewals docketed and paid on time
- Recordal of assignments and licences
- Watching for similar new designs
- Support with copies and enforcement
Design filings handled by design specialists.
Attorneys who know design practice, working with drawing specialists, under one roof.
In-house drawing specialists
Views prepared to each office’s rules, reducing objections.
Design attorneys
Route and scope advice from practitioners who file designs every day.
Global network
National, EU and Hague filings in 150+ countries.
Transparent fees
Clear quotes for every route and country, before we file.
Deadline control
Priority windows, objections and renewals docketed.
Confidentiality
Unreleased designs protected under strict NDA.
Questions about design filing.
Answers to what designers, brands and counsel ask us most.
Ready to file?
Send us images of your design and your markets. We will reply with the route and a quote within one business day.
Request a filing quote01What is design patent filing?
Submitting an application to protect the appearance of a product, such as its shape, configuration, pattern or ornament. In many countries the right is called a registered design rather than a design patent.
02What is the difference between filing and registration?
Filing is submitting the application and securing a filing date. Registration, or grant, happens once the office has examined the application and accepted it.
03Which route should I choose?
It depends on your markets. National filings suit a few countries; an EU registered Community design covers the whole EU; a Hague application can cover many countries in one filing. Most clients combine routes, and we recommend the best mix.
04How long do I have to file in other countries?
Usually 6 months from your first filing, under the Paris Convention, to claim its priority date in other countries.
05What drawings do I need?
A consistent set of views, usually front, back, sides, top, bottom and perspective, prepared to each office’s rules. Broken lines can show unclaimed features. We prepare the drawings for you.
06Can I file several designs in one application?
Yes, in many offices. The EUIPO and the Hague System allow multiple designs in one application, which can reduce cost. Rules on classes and numbers differ by office.
07How long does design protection last?
It depends on the office: for example, 15 years from grant in the US, up to 25 years in the EU and Japan, and up to 15 years in India with renewal.
08Can foreign applicants file in India, the US or the EU?
Yes. Applicants from any country can file. Some offices require a local agent or address for service, which we arrange through our network.
File before you launch, in every market that matters.
Send us images of your design and your markets. An attorney will reply within one business day.