Intellectual Property Law · European Union
Register Your Design Correctly and Keep It Yours
A design registration turns the look of your product into a right you can enforce — but only if it is filed properly, in the right territories, before anyone else does. We match you, free of charge, with a design registration lawyer who files across Europe every day.
- Filing, priority & renewals
- National & EU-wide registration
- No fee to get matched
No commitment. No hidden fees.
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Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Who this is for
Registration is how the appearance of your product becomes a right you can actually enforce
Design registration is the formal process of securing legal protection for the appearance of a product — its shape, pattern, ornamentation or a combination of these — by filing an application with a national office or the EU-wide system. Unlike copyright, which can arise automatically, a registered design gives you a dated, documented and renewable right that is far easier to rely on when a lookalike appears. What you depict and which features you claim determine the scope of protection you receive, and a missing or ambiguous representation can leave the door open for imitators. Designers registering fashion items, furniture, packaging, consumer goods and digital interfaces all face the same timing pressure — filing before public disclosure, and before a competitor files first. We match you with a design registration lawyer who will prepare and file your application correctly.
Why registrations go wrong
A design registration is only as strong as the images and claims behind it.
Mistakes there are costly to fix.
The scope of a registered design is set by what you file — so a poor filing can leave your most distinctive features unprotected.
Representations that undercut you
The drawings or photos you file define your protection, and omitting views or key visual features can narrow it. A competitor can exploit a gap in the images to argue their lookalike is different enough to be lawful.
Filing after public disclosure
In most systems, showing your design publicly before filing destroys its novelty and bars registration. Launching a product, posting it online or exhibiting at a fair without filing first can cost you the right entirely.
Missing priority and renewal dates
Design rights run on deadlines — priority claims when extending to new territories, and renewal fees to keep the right alive. A missed date can mean losing protection in a market, or letting the whole registration lapse.
What you get
A design registration lawyer who files it right
We only match you with lawyers who prepare and file design registrations for product designers, makers and brands.
Accurate representations
Your lawyer helps you prepare the right views and depictions so your registration captures the distinctive features that matter, leaving imitators with no easy gap to exploit.
Territory & priority planning
Get advice on whether to file nationally or through the EU-wide system, and on using priority claims to extend protection to new markets without losing your original filing date.
Application management
Your lawyer handles the filing, responds to any objections from the office and keeps the application moving, so your right is granted without unnecessary delay or error.
Renewals & portfolio care
Once registered, your lawyer tracks renewal deadlines and advises on maintaining or pruning your design portfolio, so you keep protection only where it still has commercial value.
Coverage
Design registration lawyers across Europe
Design registration can be done nationally or across the whole EU through a single filing, and the right route depends on where you sell. We match applicants with design registration lawyers in the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Design registration — common questions
What can I register as a design?
Generally, you can register the appearance of a product — its shape, pattern, colour or ornamentation — provided it is new and has individual character, meaning it differs from prior designs and creates a different overall impression. Purely technical features are usually excluded.
Should I register nationally or as an EU-wide design?
An EU-wide registered design covers all member states in a single application, while a national registration protects one country. The right choice depends on your markets and budget — an EU-wide filing is often efficient, but a lawyer can confirm the best route for your situation.
How long does a registered design last?
In many European systems a registered design is renewable, typically up to a maximum of around 25 years in five-year renewal periods, provided the renewal fees are paid on time. The exact terms vary, so it is worth confirming for the specific system you use.
Can I still register a design I have already shown publicly?
This is risky. In most systems, public disclosure before filing destroys novelty and prevents registration, though some countries offer a limited grace period. If you have already disclosed your design, seek urgent advice before assuming you are out of options.
What is a priority claim and why does it matter?
A priority claim lets you use your first filing date when you later file the same design in other territories, typically within a set period. It protects your position against intervening disclosures or rival filings, so it is a key part of any multi-country strategy.
Do I need a lawyer to register a design?
It is possible to file yourself, but the scope of your protection depends heavily on how the application is prepared, particularly the representations and claimed features. A mistake here is hard to correct later, so professional help is usually worthwhile for a commercially important design.
Free case review
File your design before a competitor does
Tell us what you design and where you sell it, and we will connect you with a design registration lawyer who files in your product category every day — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.