Collection

Designs practice notices

Design Practice Notices (DPNs) are used to notify our stakeholders of changes in relation to examination practice.

• From: Intellectual Property Office
• Published: 5 September 2014
• Last updated: 21 April 2026 — See all updates

We issue new notices when practice changes.

Designs Practice Notice 2026

• Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/26: Practice in respect of graphic symbols/icons, graphical/web user interfaces and animated designs
  • 21 April 2026
  • Statutory guidance

Designs Practice Notice 2024

• Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/24: Practice in respect of the examination of a product consisting of multiple components
  • 1 August 2024
  • Statutory guidance

Designs Practice Notice 2022

• Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 02/22: Application forms, deferring publication, and time periods for replying to objections
  • 2 November 2022
  • Statutory guidance
• Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/22: Designs Journal and online search facility
  • 21 September 2022
  • Statutory guidance

Designs Practice Notice 2016

• Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 1/16: Use of representations in design applications
  • 1 June 2016
  • Statutory guidance

Designs Practice Notice 2009

• Designs Practice Notice 1/09: Convention country priority claims
  • 28 July 2009
  • Statutory guidance

Designs Practice Notice 2006

• Designs Practice Notice 4/06: Facilitating restoration of lapsed registrations
  • 20 November 2007
  • Statutory guidance

Published 5 September 2014

Last updated 21 April 2026 + show all updates

1. 21 April 2026

   Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/26: Practice in respect of graphic symbols/icons, graphical/web user interfaces and animated designs added.

2. 1 August 2024

   Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/24: Practice in respect of the examination of a product consisting of multiple components added.

3. 3 January 2023

   Compliance periods on divisional applications has been removed and has been included in the Patents practice notices.

4. 3 January 2023

   Compliance periods on divisional applications added.

5. 2 November 2022

   Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 02/22: Application forms, deferring publication, and time periods for replying to objections added.

6. 1 November 2022

   Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 02/22: Designs Journal and online search facility added.

7. 21 September 2022

   Designs Practice Notice (DPN) 01/22: Designs Journal and online search facility added.

8. 1 June 2016

   Practice notice1/16 added.

9. 5 September 2014

   First published.