Overview
Design Filing in Nepal, at a glance.
Design Filing overviewAn industrial design protects how a product looks — its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation. Under Sections 12–15 of the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act, 2022 (1965), an application is filed at the Department of Industry with four copies or representations of the design plus maps, drawings and particulars. Registration is refused only on narrow grounds: a design that hurts the prestige of a person or institution, is against public morality, undermines national interest, or has already been registered by another.
Once registered, the holder receives a certificate and the design is entered in the Department's register. The initial term is five years from registration, renewable twice for further five-year periods — a maximum of fifteen years in force (Section 23B). We prepare the representations, draft the particulars, file the application and track it through examination to registration and beyond.
- Governing law
- PDTA 2022 (1965), Sec. 12–15
- Authority
- DoI, Tripureshwor
- Term
- 5 + 5 + 5 — max 15 years
- Timeline
- Weeks–months; simpler than patent
Why this is done from Nepal
Because this is where the system actually runs.
Why this service is delivered from NepalFORMALITY
Representations in the form the Department expects
Design applications in Nepal need physical representations — four sets in practice — plus the particulars filed on Schedule 1(b). Assembly standards are local, and they decide whether an application sails through formality checks.
SCOPE
Refusal grounds are narrow and local
Section 14 refuses a design only on specific grounds — prior registration, public morality, national interest, prestige. Advising on registrability here means reading those provisions as applied, not as summarised abroad.
STRATEGY
Design + trademark filings coordinated
The same product is often protected by a design registration and a trademark at the same Department. Coordinating both filings in one place keeps scope, timing and renewals coherent.
Process
How it works, step by step.
ProcessAn industrial design protects how a product looks — its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation. Under Sections 12–15 of the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act, 2022 (1965), an application is filed at the Department of Industry with four copies or representations of the design plus maps, drawings and particulars. Registration is refused only on narrow grounds: a design that hurts the prestige of a person or institution, is against public morality, undermines national interest, or has already been registered by another.
Confirm the design is new
A design protects the look of a product — shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation applied industrially (Sections 12–15). It must not already be registered or disclosed; how the product works is patent territory, not design.
Prepare representations
Produce clear copies or representations of the design — in practice four sets — plus maps, drawings and particulars that show exactly what is protected.
File on Schedule 1(b)
Submit with the application fee (NPR 1,000) to the Industrial Property Section. The Department checks against the narrow Section 14(1) refusal grounds and earlier registrations.
Register and publish
On acceptance the registration fee (NPR 7,000) is paid, the design registers, a certificate issues in Schedule 2(b) format, and the design is published with the trademarks — objections within 35 days.
- Term: 5 years from registration, renewable twice — 15-year maximum
- Renewals within 35 days of expiry; 6-month grace with NPR 1,000 fine
- Design + trademark often protect the same product together
Once registered, the holder receives a certificate and the design is entered in the Department's register. The initial term is five years from registration, renewable twice for further five-year periods — a maximum of fifteen years in force (Section 23B). We prepare the representations, draft the particulars, file the application and track it through examination to registration and beyond.
Documents & fees
What it takes, and what it costs.
Documents and feesWhat you need
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Application (Schedule 1(b)) | Prescribed design application form |
| Representations of the design | Four sets in practice; define the scope of protection |
| Maps, drawings, particulars | Sufficient to show exactly what is claimed |
| Power of Attorney | Notarised, for agents and foreign applicants |
Documents for design filing in Nepal
Fees
| Fee | Amount (NPR) |
|---|---|
| Application fee | 1,000 |
| Registration fee | 7,000 |
| Renewal — first (year 5) | 1,000 per year |
| Renewal — second (year 10) | 2,000 per year |
| Late renewal fine | 1,000 |
Design fees (Schedule 3)
Legal references
Where the rules come from.
Legal referencesGoverning law & official references
FAQ
Design Filing in Nepal — common questions.
Frequently asked questionsWhat does an industrial design registration protect in Nepal?
How a product looks — its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation applied industrially (Sections 12–15 of the PDTA 2022 (1965)). How the product works is patent territory. A Nepalese design registration runs 5 years, renewable twice for 5 years at a time — 15 years maximum.
How long does a design registration last in Nepal?
Five years from registration, renewable at most twice for five years each — a hard 15-year ceiling under Section 23B. Renewal is filed within 35 days of expiry, with a six-month grace period carrying a NPR 1,000 fine.
What documents does a design filing require?
The Schedule 1(b) application, four sets of representations of the design in practice, maps, drawings and particulars sufficient to show exactly what is claimed — plus a notarised Power of Attorney for agents and foreign applicants.
Independent by design. IP Watch Nepal is independently operated and is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the Department of Industry or WIPO.