Design Registration

There was another downturn in the number of design applications filed at NIPO in 2016. This applies to both applications filed directly at NIPO and for applications received via the Hague Agreement.

Two ways to register a design in Norway:

File an application for registration directly to the Norwegian Industrial Property Office. Most Norwegian applicants file their applications in this way
Private individuals or companies connected to one of the member states of the Hague Agreement, may apply for registration in the other member countries. Over half of the design applications received by NIPO are designations via the Hague Agreement.

The total number of design rights in Norway are a combination of these. A design registration can be renewed for up to four five-year periods. A design application and a design registration may contain several designs.

Designs: figures for period 2014-2016

	2014	2015	2016
Design applications total	1219	1214	1229
- direct to NIPO from Norwegian applicants	302	250	240
- direct to NIPO from foreign applicants	217	183	157
- international designations in Norway via Hague Agreement from Norwegian applicants	33	33	26
- international designations in Norway via Hague Agreement from foreign applicants	667	748	806
Decisions in design applications	1287	1148	1344
- registered designs	1220	1089	1278
- refused	0	0	0
- finally shelved or withdrawn	67	59	66
Number of designs	3900	3765	3923
Renewals	628	818	964
Total number of registered designs in effect	8402	8978	9543

One design application may contain several designs, and it is therefore also relevant to count the number of designs. This number rose in comparison with 2015.

Unlike patent and trademark applications, NIPO does not review design applications unless the applicant explicitly requests that this is done. Most design applications are consequently approved soon after they are filed. Applicants are themselves responsible for not infringing the rights of others. The person applying can ask NIPO to make such an assessment, but this happens in less than 5% of applications.

There are therefore very few cases that are being processed in the area of designs. In 2016, 115 more applications were decided than were received during the year (applications filed in 2015).

You can find more statistics in our Statistic module

Case processing time

The target is for applicants for registration of designs at NIPO receiving decisions on their applications within 2-3 months. The average case processing time in 2016 was 2 months.