- Home
- Introduction
- Part 1 - Formalities
- 1. Classification
- 2. Entitlement
- 3. Applicant Name
- 4. Applicant Address
- 5. Address for Service
- 6. (reserved)
- 7. Product Name
- 8. Section 43
- 9. Statement of Newness and Distinctiveness
- 10. Convention Details
- 11. Excluded Design Details
- 12. Registration / Publication Request
- 13. Designer Name
- 14. Representations
- 15. Further Designs
- 16. Amendments
- 17. Formalities Checking Procedure
- Part 2 - Examination
- D01 Citation Index
- D02 (reserved)
- D03 Examination Process
- D03.1 Overview
- D03.2 Requesting examination - requirements
- D03.3 Who may request examination?
- D03.4 Which Designs may be examined?
- D03.5 Court proceedings
- D03.6 Handling concurrent requests for examination
- D03.7 Handling requests for examination when a Certificate of Examination has previously issued
- D03.8 Further reports
- D03.9 Being 'satisfied'
- D03.10 Period for completion of examination
- D03.11 Withdrawal of request for examination
- D03.12 Interface with Court Proceedings
- D03.13 Intention to Certify
- D03.14 Material provided by a 3rd party
- D03.15 3rd Party Initiated Examinations
- D03.16 Revocation during Examination
- D03.17 Expedited Examination
- D04 Identifying the Design
- D04.1 Introduction
- D04.2 Design in relation to a product
- D04.3 What is a product?
- D04.4 Overall appearance, and visual features
- D04.5 Interpretation of representations
- D04.6 Role of a Statement of Newness and Distinctiveness
- D05 Designs which must not be registered
- D05 Designs which must not be registered - s.43, Reg 4.06
- D05.1 s.18 of the Olympic Insignia Protection Act 1987 s.43(1)(b)
- D05.2 Integrated circuits [s.43(1)(c)]
- D05.3 Medals [reg 4.06(a)]
- D05.4 Protection of Word 'Anzac' Regulations
- D05.5 Paper money, securities [reg 4.05(c)]
- D05.6 Scandalous designs
- D05.7 Arms, flag or seal of Australia, state, territory, city or town, public authority or institution, or another country [reg 4.06 (e), (f) and (g)]
- D06 Priority Dates
- D06.1 Background, general issues
- D06.2 Priority date - Convention Applications
- D06.3 Priority date - Excluded Designs
- D06.4 Priority date - Applications by an entitled person (s.52, 53 or 54)
- D06.5 Priority date - Converted Applications
- D07 Prior Art Base
- D07.1 General Information/Background
- D07.2 Publicly used in Australia
- D07.3 Published in a document within or outside Australia
- D07.4 Designs disclosed in applications
- D07.5 Exhibitions, Unauthorised disclosures
- D07.6 Copyright overlap - s.19
- Appendix - Examiner's Worksheet
- D08 Searching
- D09 Assessing Newness and Distinctiveness
- D10 Amendments
- D10.1 Overview
- D10.2 Ambit of s 28 amendments
- D10.3 Ambit of s.66 amendments
- D10.4 Allowabililty - inclusion of matter not in substance disclosed
- D10.5 Allowability - increasing scope of the Design Registration
- D10.6 Amendments of Statement of Newness and Distinctiveness
- D11 Extension of Time - s.137
- D11.1 Introduction
- D11.2 s.137(1) - Error or Omission by the Registrar
- D11.3 s.137(2) - Summary of the Principles of Law
- D11.4 Making the Application - s.137(2)
- D11.5 Registrar's Discretion - s.137(2)
- D11.6 Advertisement of Extension - Subsection 137(4)
- D11.7 Period of Extension to be Granted
- D11.8 Common Deficiencies
- D11.9 Protection and Compensation Arrangements
- D12 Assignment etc of Designs, the Registrar
- D12.1 Introduction
- D12.2 Registering Assignments
- D12.3 Registering other interests
- D12.4 Correction of the Register - Regulation 9.05
- D12.5 Rectification of the Register by a court
- D12.6 Trusts, Bankruptcy, Insolvency
- D13 Ownership Disputes
- D13.1 Overview of ownership disputes
- D13.2 S.29 disputes
- D13.3 S.30 Disputes associated with recording assignments
- D13.4 S.52 Revocation relating to Entitled Persons
- D13.5 Application by Entitled persons after revocation
- D14 Publication, File access
- D14.1 Background, general issues
- D14.2 Documents not publicly available
- D14.3 Interaction with the Freedom of Information Act 1982
- D14.4 Production of documents under s.61(2)
- D14.5 Right of Lien
- D15 Surrender of a Design
- D15.1 Overview
- D15.2 Processing an offer to surrender
- D15.3 Discretionary considerations in Accepting the Offer
- D15.4 Surrender by consent - and ownership matters
- D16 Prohibition Orders
- Part 3 - Classification
- Introduction
- Amendments to the Eleventh Edition of the Locarno Classification
- Amendments to the Tenth Edition of the Locarno Classification
- Class Heading Summary
- Class 01 - Foodstuffs
- Class 02 - Articles of clothing and haberdashery
- Class 03 - Travel goods, cases, parasols and personal belongings not elsewhere specified
- Class 04 - Brushware
- Class 05 - Textile piecegoods, artificial and natural sheet material
- Class 06 - Furnishings
- Class 07 - Household goods not elsewhere specified
- Class 08 - Tools and hardware
- Class 09 - Packages and containers for the transport or handling of goods
- Class 10 - Clocks and watches and other measuring instruments, checking and signalling instruments
- Class 11 - Articles of adornment
- Class 12 - Means of transport or hoisting
- Class 13 - Equipment for production, distribution or transformation of electricity
- Class 14 - Recording, communication or information retrieval equipment
- Class 15 - Machines not elsewhere specified
- Class 16 - Photographic, cameras, cinematographic and optical apparatus
- Class 17 - Musical instruments
- Class 18 - Printing and office machinery
- Class 19 - Stationery and office equipment, artists and teaching materials
- Class 20 - Sales and advertising equipment, signs
- Class 21 - Games, toys, tents and sports goods
- Class 22 - Arms, pyrotechnic articles, articles for hunting, fishing and pest killing
- Class 23 - Fluid distribution equipment, sanitary, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment, solid fuel
- Class 24 - Medical and laboratory equipment
- Class 25 - Building units and construction elements
- Class 26 - Lighting apparatus
- Class 27 - Tobacco and smokers supplies
- Class 28 - Pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, toilet articles and apparatus
- Class 29 - Devices and equipment against fire hazards, for accident prevention and for rescues
- Class 30 - Articles for the care and handling of animals
- Class 31 - Machines and appliances for preparing food or drink, not elsewhere specified
- Class 32 - Graphic symbols and logos, surface patterns, ornamentation
D03.1 Overview
Examination of a design occurs any time after a design has been registered. The examination is in respect of whether the design is a ‘registrable design’ [as per the requirements of s.15], and whether any of the grounds referred to in s.43(1) apply to the design [Reg 5.02 and s.65(2)(b)].
When examination has been requested, an examiner will examine the design where the request fulfils the requirements of reg 5.01 and the applicable fee has been paid. This examination will include a search in respect of newness and distinctiveness, and will consider any material provided by the person requesting the examination.
If the Registrar is satisfied that a ground for revocation has been made out, an examination report will be issued setting out the grounds of revocation [s.66(2)]. The registered owner may respond to that report – either by making amendments to the Register to remove the ground for revocation, or providing arguments contesting the examination report. If a request to amend is filed, the Registrar will then reconsider the design as if the amendments have been made. In principal, there is no limit to the number of examination reports that may issue.
If the Registrar is satisfied that a ground for revocation has not been made out, or would be removed if proposed amendments are allowable and were made, examination is ‘completed’. The relevant parties are notified that the Registrar intends issuing a certificate of examination. If no party then seeks to be heard, a certificate of examination will issue [s.67].
If the Registrar has issued an examination report, and the examination has not been completed within the relevant time (normally 6 months from the date of the first examination report, but see reg 5.04), the registration of the design ceases [s.48(1)(a)]. However an extension of time under s.137 is potentially available to obtain further time for completion of the examination.
If the Registrar has issued an examination report, and either
i. the owner contests the grounds of revocation by requesting a hearing; or
ii. the Registrar sets a hearing in respect of the examination
and the Registrar is subsequently satisfied that a ground for revocation has been made out, the registration of the design may be revoked. [s.68]. Note that the time for completion of examination cannot be extended by way of s.137 after revocation has occurred.
D03.1.1 Certificate of examination, and ‘certified’
The end result of examination is the issuance of a Certificate of examination. This certificate is a prerequisite for the owner commencing any form of court proceedings for infringement [s.73(3)(b)] or revocation [s.93(2)], applying for a compulsory licence [s.90(2)], various applications under the crown use and acquisition provisions [s.98(3), 101(2), 102(5), 106(5)], and applying for rectification of the Register [s.120(5)]. It also has a particular significance in the context of threats [s.77(3), 78(a)].
Note that a certificate of examination is automatically revoked if, following a subsequent request for examination, the design ceases for failure to complete that examination within the prescribed time [S.48(4)].
Where a certificate has been issued, it is common for the associated matter to be referred to as having been certified. In this respect, the certificate of examination relates to the fact that examination has occurred – and nothing more. In particular, a certificate of examination does not constitute an assertion by the Registrar that the design is definitely a registrable design under the Designs Act.