About registering your design

Register your design with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) to get exclusive rights to use the design and prevent others from making, importing or using it.

Design refers to legal protection of the appearance of an article or a product.

Design is about the shape, form, appearance, pattern, ornamentation or configuration of a product or article, e.g. the design of a ring (jewelry). A design must be able to be produced by an industrial process.
 
There are two types of designs that you can register for; an aesthetic design and a functional design.

An aesthetic design has a unique shape, configuration or ornamentation that appeals to the eye. A functional design has a shape or configuration that is necessitated by its function. An aesthetic design is legally protected for 15 years whilst a functional design is protected for 10 years.

Note: You have to renew your registered designs annually before the expiry of the third year, as from the date of lodgement.

What you should do

• Visit the CIPC offices or download forms from the CIPC website
• Complete the following application forms:
  • Form D1, Application and acknowledgement
  • Form D2, Register of designs 
  • Form D3, Declaration and power of attorney
  • Form D6, Definitive statement and explanatory statement
  • Form D8, Publication particulars

• Submit:
• Representations in the form of drawings or photos of the design need to be included.

Note: The definitive statement should be a description of the features of the design for which protection is sought (e.g. shape, pattern, ornamentation, configuration, as applicable).

Timeframe

Your design may take up to seven months to be registered. (if your application complied with all the formal requirements).

How much does it cost

R240

Forms to complete

(Forms are provided in PDF format. To open PDF documents, you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4 or higher installed on your computer.)

• Form D1, Application and acknowledgement
• Form D2, Register of designs 
• Form D3, Declaration and power of attorney
• Form D6, Definitive statement and explanatory statement
• Form D8, Publication particulars

Who to contact