How to Register

Read on for more information on the registration process – including registration criteria, application options, forms and fees, as well as our service commitment.

Here is a quick example of the registration process. Your registration process may vary, depending on your application requirements or if there are opposition proceedings.

registering_design

The details of each stage of the registration process can be found below.

Step 1: Check Registration Criteria for a Design

Before applying to register your design, you should check if your design fulfils the registration criteria. Here are four quick questions to guide you on determining the registrability of your design:

a. Does Your Design Meet the Registration Criteria?

Your design is registrable if it satisfies this key criteria:

New - The registered design must not have been registered in Singapore or elsewhere before, or published anywhere in the world before the date of application of the first filing.

b. Have You Searched for Similar Existing Designs?

Before you register your design, it is a good idea to run a search on existing designs to see if it already exists. You can also avoid scenarios where there might be possible infringement of other registered designs. You can conduct the search on IPOS Digital Hub. You may also check the databases of other countries, generally found on the respective national IP offices’ websites.

c. What Cannot Be Registered As A Design?

Designs that are contrary to public order or morality
Computer programmes or layout designs of integrated circuits
Designs applied to certain articles, such as wall plaques, medals and medallions, and printed matter primarily of a literary or artistic character (e.g. calendars, certificates, coupons, greeting cards, leaflets, maps, playing cards, postcards, stamps, and similar articles)
Methods or principles of construction
Designs that are solely functional
Designs that are dependent upon the appearance of another article or non-physical product, of which it is intended by the designer to form an integral part or enable the article or non-physical product to be connected to, or placed in, around or against, another article or non-physical product so that either article or non-physical product may perform its function

d. Do You Wish to Engage Professional Assistance for Your Design Application?

While engaging professional services to file your design application is not a requirement, you may benefit by enlisting the help of professionals to advise on your scope of rights before filing.

Step 2: Apply for a Design

Before you apply to register a design, learn more about the different options to do so.

Registering a Design in Singapore

Pre-filing Checklist

Check that your design fulfils the design registration criteria in Singapore.
Check that you have properly represented your design in your application. You may refer to the “ Guide on Acceptable and Unacceptable Images” for an example.
Check for existing designs that may be similar to yours.

From Application to Registration of a Design in Singapore

Generally it takes about 4 months from the date of filing the application to the successful registration of a design. However, the registration process may take longer if the application has deficiencies that must be corrected or if documents that must accompany the application have not been submitted within the time specified by the Registrar.

The following steps outline the stages following an application to register a design in Singapore.

Step 1: Application

New registration

Your application must include:

Application form
Application fee: S$200/-

Request for Deferment of Publication (Optional)

Your application must include:

An indication on application form
Application fee: S$40/-

You can file up to 50 designs within a single application if the designs relate to the same class or all of the same classes as classified in accordance with the Practice Direction No 4 of 2020.

You can also file a Graphical User Interface (GUI) as a design. Learn how to register a GUI.

Step 2: Minimum Filing Requirements check

The application for a registered design must contain:

Application form
Application fee: $200/-
Name and address of the applicant
At least one clear representation of the design

Upon successful submission of the above, you will receive an online acknowledgement and application number(s). For multiple designs filed within a single application, you will receive an application number for each design in the application. If you applied online via the IPOS Digital Hub, the application number will be provided upon successful payment.

Step 3: Formalities Examination

Your application will undergo a formalities examination to ensure the following information is in order:

Statement of Novelty
Classification & article/non-physical product name
Representation or Image of the design is suitable for reproduction

If formal requirements are in order:	If these requirements are not complied with:
Your application will proceed to the Registration and Issuance of certificate stage	You will be notified by the Registrar to provide what is lacking, or amend the application if necessary, within 3 months from the date of notification. Failure to do so will result in your application being treated as withdrawn.

Step 4: Registration and issuance of certificate

Once your design is registered, a Certificate of Registration is issued and your design will be protected for 5 years from the date of filing of the application.

After the initial 5-year protection, you may choose to extend the protection for the design for an additional 5 years. The maximum term of a design is 15 years.

Step 5: Publication

Once registered, the full details of your design are published in the Designs Journal and the register at the IPOS Digital Hub. Once published, the designs are available for public inspection. If you have requested to defer the publication of the design, it will not be published until the end of 18 months from the date of filing of the application.

Registering a Design Outside of Singapore

Protection for designs is territorial in nature. You will need to file individually in each country you wish to obtain design protection in.

You may do so by:

Filing individual applications with the IP offices of each countries, as:
- Law and procedures vary across countries
- Filing fees vary across countries
- Translation may be required if the IP office does not use English as their official language
Filing an international application under the Hague System, where:
- Only one application is required
- Only one filing fee is required
- Filing can be done in one language

To be eligible for filing an international application under the Hague system directly with IPOS, each applicant must satisfy at least one of the following entitlement criteria :-

be a national of Singapore
have a domicile in Singapore
have a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in Singapore. For more information, please refer to Guidelines for the Determination of a Real and Effective Industrial or Commercial Establishment
have a habitual residence in Singapore

Filing Through the Hague System

The Hague System is an international registration system that is administered by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Switzerland.

Singapore is a Hague Union member and can therefore participate in the international registration system facilitated by the Hague System, which has a total of 79 contracting parties covering 96 countries .

Benefits of the Hague System
You can use the Hague System to file a single international application instead of having to file individually to each countries’ IP office.

This means that you can enjoy the convenience of filing design protection in several countries simultaneously through one application with the International Bureau of WIPO, in one language, and by paying one set of fees in one currency (Swiss francs).

Step 3: Forms & Fees for New Applications

Forms & Fees for Filing in Singapore

Please proceed to our e-services portal, IPOS Digital Hub, to file your forms online. The acceptable modes of payment can be found here.

We will only accept FormSG for forms/requests that are not available for e-filing in IPOS Digital Hub.

Please provide your email address and Singapore contact number in your submission so that we can provide you with the payment instructions.

Payment shall be made via IPOS Digital Hub's payment platform. You can expect to receive payment instructions via email within 3 working days after we receive your submission.

General Forms

Description	Forms
GST Form (wef 1 Apr 2017)	GST(46KB) GST (6KB)

Description

Forms

GST Form (wef 1 Apr 2017)

GST(46KB)

GST (6KB)

Design Forms

Form	Description	Fee
D3	Application for registration of a design under Section 11 of the Act Request for deferment of publication.	S$200 in respect of each design S$40 in respect of each request
SG IP Fast Track Template	Request for Acceleration of Trademark/Registered Design Application(s) under the SG IP Fast Track	No Fee
D5	Application to amend an application for registration of a design under Section 15 of the Act	S$45 in respect of each design number
D8	Application for extension of period of registration of a design under Section 21 of the Act and paragraph 3(6) of the Schedule to the Act – (a) for the first period of 5 years (b) for the second period of 5 years (c) for the third period of 5 years (d) for the fourth period of 5 years	S$220 S$330 S$440 S$550
D8	Application for restoration of registration of a design removed from the Register under section 21(6) of the Act	S$135 in respect of each registration
D10	Request for disclaimer for registered design under section 30A of the Act [Please Contact IPOS at ipos_enquiry@ipos.gov.sg for more information.]
	Late application to extend period of registration of a design under Section 21(5) of, or paragraph 3(6) of the Schedule to, the Act	S$50 in respect of each registration in addition to fee under item No. 10
D13	Application for revocation of registration of a design	S$400 in respect of each design number
CM1	Request to appoint or change agent Notice of intention to cease to act as agent	No Fee
CM2	Request to change name or other particular of any person For the correction of name or other particular of any person, please file Form CM4.	No Fee
CM3	Request to surrender a registered design	No Fee
CM4	Request for correction of error	S$50
CM5	Request for extension of time by a person or party regarding a particular period prescribed by the Rules or specified by the Registrar for doing any act or taking any proceedings in relation to any matter, other than inter partes proceedings (proceedings with notice) (a) first and second extension of that period (b) third and subsequent extension of that period	NA S$50 in respect of each design number
CM6	Application to register the grant, amendment or termination of a licence	S$60 in respect of each design number
CM7	Application to register the grant, amendment or termination of any security interest	S$50 in respect of each design number
CM8	Application to an assignment of a registered design or any right in it	S$70 in respect of each design number
CM9	Request for withdrawal of application	NA
CM10	Request for online file inspection	S$30 in respect of each design number
CM12	Request for certified copy of an entry in the Register or certified extract from the Register (a) where the certified copy or extract or document is in soft copy (b)where the certified copy or extract or document is in hard copy	S$28 in respect of each design number S$35 in respect of each design number
CM13	Request for reinstatement of application, right or thing	S$100
HC1	Hearing and decision	S$1,000
HC3	Request for extension of time by a person or party regarding a particular period prescribed by the Rules or specified by the Registrar for doing any act or taking any proceedings in relation to contentious proceedings Request for an extension of time to file counter-statement (a) first extension of that period (b) second or subsequent extension of that period	(a) NA (b) S$120 in respect of each design number
HC4	Request for ex parte hearing	S$100
HC5	Request to the Registrar to state grounds of decision for hearing	S$700
HC6	Filing a counter-statement	S$360

Forms and Procedures for Other Requests

Description	Fee
Refund Refund may be allowed under the following list of circumstances: You have made duplicate payment for a form. You have filed duplicate forms. You have submitted a form which cannot be processed. You are advised to check your forms carefully before submitting them.	Submit your request via IPOS Digital Hub. Please note that forms which have been processed are generally not refundable. Request for refund is subject to approval. Submission of a request does not guarantee a refund. You are advised to check your forms carefully before submitting them.

Description

Fee

Refund
Refund may be allowed under the following list of circumstances:

You have made duplicate payment for a form.
You have filed duplicate forms.
You have submitted a form which cannot be processed.

You are advised to check your forms carefully before submitting them.

Submit your request via IPOS Digital Hub.

Please note that forms which have been processed are generally not refundable.

Request for refund is subject to approval. Submission of a request does not guarantee a refund.

You are advised to check your forms carefully before submitting them.

Our Service Commitment

Issuance of Design Registrations
Within 4 MONTHS from date of application, for straightforward applications*

Adjudication of Cases
Within 3 MONTHS from date ready for full hearing

Issuance of Grounds of Decision
Within 3 MONTHS from hearing

*Straightforward applications refer to those that do not encounter objections during processing

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Form & Fees

Access documents required for filing

Guides

View useful information to aid the filing process