Collection

Intellectual property: Designs

Guidance relating to the protection, managing and enforcing of a registered design. Registered designs protect the appearance, shape or decoration of a product.

• From: Intellectual Property Office
• Published: 21 September 2023
• Last updated: 20 December 2023 — See all updates

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Apply for a design

• Register a design
• Preparing your illustrations: to disclaim or limit a part of your design
  • 19 April 2016
  • Guidance
• Process for applying to register for a design
  • 12 April 2022
  • Guidance

Search services

• Find a registered design
• Check the designs journal
• Designs decisions
  • 2 December 2024
  • Collection

Forms and fees

• Design forms and fees
  • 31 July 2023
  • Guidance
• How to file documents with the Intellectual Property Office
  • 13 September 2024
  • Guidance
• Intellectual Property Office: how to pay us
  • 9 July 2024
  • Guidance

Managing designs

• Update or cancel your registered designs
• Renew your registered design
• Get copies of patent, trade mark or design documents
• License, mortgage, sell, change ownership and market your design
  • 4 January 2022
  • Guidance

Objecting, challenging and resolving design disputes

• Defend your intellectual property
• Objecting to other people's designs
  • 3 May 2014
  • Guidance
• Design: invalidation or cancellation
  • 8 October 2018
  • Guidance
• Designs disputes resolution: hearings
  • 13 May 2015
  • Guidance

Design protection abroad

• Protecting your design abroad
  • 19 December 2023
  • Guidance
• Extension of UK intellectual property rights abroad
  • 9 July 2024
  • Guidance

Designs Act, rules and practice

• Registered Designs Act and Rules
  • 18 September 2024
  • Statutory guidance
• Design right sections: Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
  • 2 February 2021
  • Statutory guidance
• Registered Designs Examination Practice
  • 16 March 2017
  • Guidance
• Designs practice notices
  • 1 August 2024
  • Collection

Research

• Intellectual property research: Designs
  • 29 April 2020
  • Collection

Published 21 September 2023
Last updated 20 December 2023 + show all updates

1. 20 December 2023

   Added link to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-your-design-abroad

2. 21 September 2023

   First published.