Protect the shape, pattern or ornamentation that makes your product look unique. A dedicated IP expert checks novelty, prepares the representations, files your design application online and follows it through examination to registration under the Designs Act, 2000.
Free call & custom quote · Professional fee + government fee
Design registration in India protects the visual appearance of an article, such as its shape, configuration, pattern, ornament or colour combination. It is governed by the Designs Act, 2000 and the Designs Rules, 2001, and applications are examined by the Design Office under the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks. A registered design gives the owner the exclusive right to use it and to stop others from copying it.
Last updated: October 2026. Fees, forms and time limits can change and every case depends on its facts, so we confirm the current position before filing. No outcome can be guaranteed.
A design is the look of a product: the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture or ornament that make it visually distinct. Design registration turns that look into a legally protected right. Once registered, the owner can stop others from making, selling or importing articles that carry the same or a deceptively similar design.
The design must be applied to an article by an industrial or manual process. It must be new, which means no one, anywhere, should have published or publicly used it before you file. Functional features, a mere method of construction, trademarks and artistic works are outside the scope of design registration. If a feature is really a brand name or logo, trademark registration is the right route.
Registration is optional, but an unregistered design has weaker protection. Because novelty is lost once a design is made public, it is best to file before launch, an exhibition or online listing. For official forms, search and fee schedules, visit ipindia.gov.in, the official portal of the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks, Government of India. To protect your brand name or logo as well, see our trademark registration online and wordmark registration services.
Important limits every design owner should know.
Registrable designs relate to the appearance of an article, not its function.
The three-dimensional form of a product.
Surface decoration applied to an article.
A distinctive arrangement of lines or colour combinations.
Everyday goods where appearance drives purchase.
Parts and products made by an industrial process.
Some subject matter falls outside design law.
Not sure whether your product qualifies? Share an image or sketch and our experts will review it free of charge.
Why manufacturers and designers register the look of their products.
Stop others from copying or selling lookalike products.
A registered owner can seek an injunction and damages against infringement.
A registered design can be licensed, assigned or used to attract investors.
Make your product recognisable in a crowded market.
Early filing secures your place before competitors can file.
Use your Indian filing date to protect the design abroad within the priority period.
Share images and documents from anywhere in India. No office visit is needed.
From novelty check to registration certificate, here is how a design application proceeds.
Timelines depend on Design Office schedules and whether objections are raised. Not to scale.
We review your design, check for similar published designs and confirm the design has not been disclosed in a way that affects novelty.
We name the article correctly and place it in the right class of the Locarno classification used by the Design Office.
We guide you on clear drawings or images from the required views, and draft the statement of novelty and the disclaimers, if any.
The application is filed with the prescribed fee, along with the Power of Attorney if we are filing for you.
If the examiner raises objections, we draft a reply and, where needed, support you at a hearing within the time allowed.
Once accepted, the design is registered and published, and the certificate is issued. We track the status until then.
Keep these ready to avoid delays. Our expert will confirm the exact list for your case.
The total cost depends on the type of applicant, the number of designs and classes, and whether objections need a reply. It generally has three parts:
Depends on the category of the applicant and the mode of filing. The schedule can change, so we confirm the current fee before filing.
Our fee depends on the number of designs and the work involved. Call free for a custom quote before you pay anything.
Detailed drawings, objection replies, hearings and foreign filings are charged separately where they arise.
We share a clear, itemised quote before you begin – no hidden charges. Get your free quote →
Choose the situation that matches your case, or call free for a custom quote.
One design for one article.
Several designs, variations or a full product line.
Objections received, or a foreign filing to claim priority from.
Our professional fee is quoted per matter after a free call. Government fee is separate. Not sure which option fits? Ask for a free design review.
If the look of your product sets it apart, it is worth protecting before launch.
Makers of products where appearance influences buying decisions.
Designers who create original shapes, patterns or ornamentation.
Growing brands launching a new product line.
Creators of prints, patterns and decorative articles.
Sellers whose product look is easy to copy online or abroad.
If your product name or logo needs protection too, see our trademark registration online service.
These rights protect different things. Ask us which one fits your product.
| Right | What it protects | Governing law | Term | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design | The look of an article: shape, pattern, ornament | Designs Act, 2000 | 10 years, extendable by 5 | Must be new at filing |
| Trademark | Brand name, logo and other identifiers | Trade Marks Act, 1999 | 10 years, renewable | See trademark renewal |
| Patent | A new invention or how a product works | Patents Act, 1970 | 20 years from filing | Needs novelty and inventive step |
| Copyright | Original artistic, literary and other works | Copyright Act, 1957 | Long term, varies by work | May be lost for mass-produced designs |
Novelty and clear representations decide most design applications.
Registration is the start of protecting and managing your design.
The Design Office registers the design and issues the certificate. The registered design is then published.
Monitor the market. If someone copies your design, a legal notice and court remedies may be available.
A registered design can be extended once for another 5 years if the request is made in time.
Register the brand name or logo as a trademark. See our trademark registration online service, and our pages on trademark objection and trademark opposition if issues arise.
For local support, see our pages for trademark registration in Dwarka and Jaipur.
Quick answers on design registration in India.
Design registration gives the owner exclusive rights over the visual appearance of an article, such as its shape, pattern, ornament or colour combination. It is governed by the Designs Act, 2000 and handled by the Design Office.
Features of shape, configuration, pattern, ornament or composition of lines or colours applied to an article by an industrial process, which appeal to the eye. Trademarks, artistic works and the mere mode or principle of construction are not registrable as designs.
The design must be new or original, must not have been disclosed to the public anywhere in the world before the filing date, must be distinguishable from known designs, and must not be contrary to public order or morality.
A registered design is valid for 10 years from the date of registration. It can be extended once for another 5 years on a renewal request made in time, giving a maximum of 15 years.
Run a novelty search, prepare clear representations of the article and a statement of novelty, file the application on Form 1 online with the fee, reply to any examination objections, and wait for the design to be registered and published.
You need the name and address of the applicant, a description of the article, clear drawings or images from all required views, a statement of novelty, identity and entity documents, and a Power of Attorney if a professional files for you.
The government fee depends on the category of the applicant and the mode of filing. The schedule can change, so we confirm the current fee before filing.
The time depends on Design Office workload and whether objections are raised at examination. A clean application moves faster, and a reply to objections adds time. We cannot promise a fixed timeline.
Generally no. Prior publication or use of the design can defeat novelty, although limited exceptions may apply. Speak to an expert before showing or selling your design publicly.
A design protects the look of an article, a trademark protects a brand identifier such as a name or logo, and a patent protects a new invention or how something works.
Yes. If you filed the same design in a convention country, you can generally claim its filing date in India by applying within six months, subject to the conditions of the Designs Act.
The registered owner can send a legal notice and seek remedies such as an injunction and damages before the competent court. Each case depends on its facts and no outcome is guaranteed.
Ready to protect your product's design? Speak to our IP expert today – the design review and the quote are free.
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