After you apply

Examining your application

Once we receive your application and fee,we will write to you confirming your application number and filing date. An examiner will then check the application to ensure it meets the legal requirements for design registration. We will normally do this within one month of receiving your application. We will also place your design in the correct section of our database by classifying it according to the Locarno classification system.

If the application is acceptable and you have asked for immediate publication, we will arrange for a certificate of registration to be issued.

If we find any reason for objecting to your application, we will send you a letter explaining the results of the examination.

What happens if the examiner objects to your design?

If the examiner objects to your design, you will have at least 2 months to:

• try to persuade us that the objections are not justified; or
• overcome them in some other way.

If you want to put forward reasons why we should accept your design, you may phone or write to the examiner.

If there are relatively straightforward ways of overcoming our objections, the examiner will tell you about these in the examination report.

You may also apply in writing to have a formal meeting (a hearing) with a Hearing Officer who is a senior official in the Designs Registry. At the hearing, you will have the opportunity to put forward your case which will allow the Hearing Officer to make a decision on the future of your application.

What if I cannot overcome the objections?

You can either withdraw your application or we will write to you telling you that it has been refused.

We will also refuse your application if you do not reply to the examination report by the deadline that we give you.

How can I correct errors in my application?

What happens if my application is successful?

We will;

• send you a certificate of registration
• register your design in the United Kingdom Designs Register;
• list the Registered Design on our on-line database and
• publish your registration details in our Electronic Designs Journal.

Warning - unsolicited mail from third parties

Some third party companies are targeting applicants asking for a fee in return for certain services. It is important to check these are genuine if you are considering using their services.