Registered Designs UK
A UK Design Registration covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.
A UK registered design grants the owner a monopoly right for the appearance of the whole or part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture and materials of the product or its ornamentation.
To be registrable a design must be new and have individual character. To be new, the design is required to differ from known designs by more than “immaterial details”. To have individual character a design must create a “different overall impression on an informed user, who is normally a technically sophisticated user of the class of products and who is neither a designer or a manufacturer.
Although a design application can be filed up to one year after the design has been made public, it is preferable that a design application is filed as soon as the design is created.
A Design Registration can last up to a maximum of 25 years with the registration having to be renewed every 5 years.
If you have a design which you would like registered or want advice on the registrability of your design contact us and one of our expert solicitors will be able to assist you.
