What is a registered design?

What is a registered design?

A registered design is a monopoly right for the appearance of the whole or part of a product, resulting particularly from the features of lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and materials of a product or its ornamentation.

These designs could be anything from patterns on textiles or plates to the shape of a car or part of a product, such as a kettle handle.

Registering a design with the Patent Office gives extra protection in law. You’re entitled to sue infringers for damages whether the infringement is intentional or not. This protection is in addition to your design right, which is automatic. For further information, see the page in this guide on what is design right?.

To register your design it must be:

• new
• have individual character – that is, give an appearance of originality

Unlike design right, a registered design covers two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional articles, and ornamentation too.

It gives you the exclusive right to make, use or stock any item incorporating your design – and take action against those who infringe this right. For further information see the page in this guide on how to defend your design against infringement. It can be a very valuable piece of intellectual property that you can license or sell.

Limits of design registration

You can’t register designs concerned with how a product works, and there are limitations in applying a design to the interior of a product. If you’ve invented an innovative product you may be able to apply for a patent.
Design registration is territorial. A UK registration lasts for five years initially but can be renewed for another four five-year periods.

Registered community designs

A registered Community design is for single design registration and is valid throughout the European Union.
Regulations ensure consistency between design registration systems in the UK and the European Community. They also:

• provide protection against groundless threats of infringement of a Community design in the UK
• make it an offence to claim falsely in the UK that a design is protected as a Community design

For more information on registering designs in other countries, see our guide on intellectual property protection overseas.