UKIPO Publishes Comprehensive Guide on Registered Designs Examination Procedures

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has published a detailed Registered Designs Examination Practice guide to clarify how design applications are examined for national filings. This resource is intended to ensure a consistent approach in the Registrar of Designs’ decisions and to offer clear procedural guidance to applicants and third parties engaging with the UK design registration service.

The guide is organized into several parts, each addressing key facets of the examination process. Part B focuses on absolute grounds for refusal, including the definition of a design, criteria of novelty and individual character, technical function considerations, as well as issues relating to morality and emblems.

Part C covers formalities, detailing the requirements and procedures related to applications, modifications, priority and convention claims, as well as the use of illustrations and disclaimers.

Part D explains the examination report and outlines post-examination procedures such as applicable time limits, the examination process itself, and withdrawal options.

The guide also addresses international design registrations under the Hague Agreement in Part E. This section provides guidance on applying for international registrations, design representation standards, deferment of publication, examination protocols, refusals, and renewals.

Part F is dedicated to the Locarno classification system, instructing on how to classify designs appropriately under this international classification scheme.

To assist users in navigating the manual, Part G offers a glossary containing concise explanations of terms and abbreviations used throughout the guide.

The UKIPO invites feedback from users to improve the GOV.UK platform and encourages stakeholders to participate in a survey to share their experience.

This comprehensive guide represents a significant resource for designers, legal practitioners, and businesses seeking to understand the UK’s registered design examination framework. By consolidating substantive and procedural rules, it supports transparency and predictability in design protection within the UK jurisdiction.