Register a design
Prepare your application
You must prepare detailed illustrations of your design.
You can upload up to 12 illustrations of the same design if you’re applying online. If you need to include more than 12 illustrations, you must apply by post.
If you’re applying by post, your illustrations must be on plain A4 paper.
If you want to register more than one design
You can register up to 50 designs at a time online.
You must register each design separately.
If your designs are different, for example a different shape, pattern or decoration, you must register each version as a separate design.
Rules for illustrations
Show one design only
Your illustrations must:
- show just one version of your design
- show each view (for example front, side and back) as a separate illustration
- only show colour or tonal contrasts that are elements of your design - unless you say otherwise
Show the design on its own
Your illustrations must:
- show the design against a plain background
- not include your hand, or an object unrelated to your design
- not include text, measurements or technical information
If there are parts of the design showing that you do not want to register, you can ‘grey out’, highlight or circle parts of the illustration.
Example
You want to register a design for some table legs. Your illustrations show the whole table. Highlight the legs (for example, by outlining them) to make it clear they are the only part of the table you want to register.
If you’re registering a surface pattern
Your illustrations must show the complete pattern and clearly show how the pattern repeats.
Use clear images
Your illustrations must:
- show the design as it appears to the eye, using photographs, line drawings, computer-aided design (CAD) or rendered CAD
- all be the same type of image, for example all photographs or all line drawings
- be clear, for example if you use photographs they must be in focus
- have no details hidden by shadows or reflections
If your illustrations include things you do not want to register
You must explain in writing the parts of an illustration you do not want to register as a design - this is called a ‘disclaimer.’
Example 1
You want to register a design for a bike. The bike in your illustrations is pink. Add a note (‘disclaimer’) that you’re registering the shape of the bike, not the colour, to protect your right to use any colour.
Example 2
You want to register a design for a teapot. The illustrations show a pattern but your design relates to the teapot’s shape. Add a note (‘disclaimer’) explaining that the pattern is not part of the design.