How to obtain a South African Registered Design

September 29, 2008
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

The first thing to do is to keep the design secret and do not market it or sell it until a South African registered design has been filed.

Contact an attorney to discuss its protection. Should you wish to proceed with registration of a design, he or she will prepare the design application including drawings or photos showing the design and this will be forwarded to you for approval.

When you are satisfied that the design application is complete it will be filed it at the South African Design office in Pretoria.

Only after confirmation that the design application has in fact been filed may you disclose your design.

Design Links

1. Identical Designs & Dispute Resolution – Should a situation arise where a dispute needs to be settled about two identical designs
2. Concept Design Registration – Our Designs Act provides for aesthetic and functional designs to be registered. Should you thus have a concept design
3. Interaction Design – Interaction design and User-experience design facilitate interactions between people and their environment.
4. Industrial Designs – Industrial designs in South Africa can be filed as Functional Design or an Aesthetic Design, or both.
5. Registered Design – Registered designs in South Africa: A Registered design can be filed as Functional Design or an Aesthetic Design, or both.
6. Aesthetic Design – The features of an Aesthetic Design are judged solely by the eye and are not involved in the function of an article.
7. Functional Design – Functional Design applies to the pattern, shape, ornamentation or configuration and performance of an article