Collection

Designs directions

The Designs Act 1949 allows us to give directions in some areas, so that we can react quickly to change.

• From: Intellectual Property Office
• Published: 23 December 2014
• Last updated: 5 May 2026 — See all updates

We can direct other things but these are usually in the context of a particular Design.

Documents

• Directions for online forms
  • 5 May 2026
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions under Trade Marks and Designs Acts
  • 7 April 2025
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions under Trade Marks, Patents and Designs Acts
  • 26 April 2023
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions under the Designs, Patents and Trade Marks Acts
  • 28 June 2022
  • Statutory guidance
• Directions: hours of business and excluded days
  • 17 February 2022
  • Statutory guidance
• Filing documents using the Forms@IPO e-mail address
  • 8 October 2021
  • Statutory guidance
• Filing patent, trade mark and design renewals by electronic means
  • 21 April 2021
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions under the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Acts
  • 18 August 2021
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions for patents, designs and trade marks Acts
  • 31 March 2021
  • Statutory guidance
• Forms directions under patents, designs and trade marks Acts
  • 22 December 2020
  • Statutory guidance
• Changes to forms under the Patents, Registered Designs and Trade Marks Acts
  • 6 November 2020
  • Statutory guidance
• Directions under Patents, Registered Designs and Trade Marks Acts
  • 30 September 2020
  • Statutory guidance
• Directions under the Registered Designs Act and Trade Marks Act
  • 30 July 2020
  • Statutory guidance
• Directions under 37A of the Registered Design Act
  • 23 May 2018
  • Statutory guidance
• Application form in relation to use of electronic communications
  • 31 May 2016
  • Statutory guidance
• Application forms for applying to appeal
  • 16 March 2015
  • Statutory guidance
• Application forms for applying to register a design
  • 19 December 2017
  • Statutory guidance

• Last updated: 5 May 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 5 May 2026

     Online forms directions added.

  2. 7 April 2025

     Forms directions under Trade Marks and Designs Acts added.

  3. 26 April 2023

     Forms directions under Trade Marks, Patents and Designs Acts added.

  4. 28 June 2022

     Forms directions under the Designs, Patents and Trade Marks Acts added.

  5. 17 February 2022

     Directions: hours of business and excluded days added.

  6. 8 October 2021

     Filing documents using the Forms@IPO e-mail address added.

  7. 18 August 2021

     Forms directions under the patents, designs and trade marks Acts added.

  8. 21 April 2021

     Filing patent, trade mark and design renewals by electronic means added.

  9. 31 March 2021

     Forms directions for patents, designs and trade marks Acts added.

  10. 22 December 2020

      Forms directions under patents, designs and trade marks Acts added.

  11. 6 November 2020

      Changes to forms under the Patents, Registered Designs and Trade Marks Acts added.

  12. 30 September 2020

      Directions under Patents, Registered Designs and Trade Marks Acts added.

  13. 30 July 2020

      Directions under the Register Designs and Trade Marks Act added.

  14. 23 May 2018

      Directions under 37A of the Registered Design Act added.

  15. 22 August 2017

      Incorporation of the priority declaration DC1 into the designs application service.

  16. 31 May 2016

      New directions added for application form in relation to use of electronic communications.

  17. 16 March 2015

      New directions added for application forms for applying to appeal.

  18. 23 December 2014

      First published.