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IPA manuals logo Designs Examiners' Manual of Practice and Procedure
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  • Introduction
    • Welcome
    • Disclaimer
    • History
    • Quality
      • Quality Management at IP Australia
      • Monitoring and Measuring Quality at IP Australia
      • Designs Quality Standards
  • 1. Design rights
    • 1.1. Design rights: overview
    • 1.2. What a design right protects
    • 1.3. Why protect a design?
    • 1.4. How designs are protected in Australia?
  • 2. Application for registration
    • 2.1. Application for registration: overview
    • 2.2. Registration process
    • 2.3. Submitting an application
    • 2.4. Minimum filing requirements
    • 2.5. Who is entitled to be a registered owner?
    • 2.6. Types of applications (s 22)
    • 2.7. Request for registration
    • 2.8. Further designs
  • 3. Fees
    • 3.1. Fees: overview
    • 3.2. Application fees
    • 3.3. Renewal fees
    • 3.4. Examination fees
    • 3.5. Hearing fees
    • 3.6. Fees for extensions of time
    • 3.7. Refunds
    • Production test Designs
  • 4. Formalities assessment
    • 4.1. Formalities assessment: overview
    • 4.2. The ‘Formalities check’ and ‘Formal requirements’
    • 4.3. Formalities notices
  • 5. Applicant details
    • 5.1. Applicant name: overview
      • 5.1.1. Is the applicant a person?
      • 5.1.2. Individual (Australian and overseas, including joint owners)
      • 5.1.3. Australian company (Pty Ltd, Ltd)
      • 5.1.4. Strata company, owners corporation, body corporate etc
      • 5.1.5. Government entity
      • 5.1.6. Incorporated association
      • 5.1.7. Overseas entity (AG, S.r.L etc)
      • 5.1.8. Several applicant names, multiple designs
      • 5.1.9. Joint owner names with ABN
      • 5.1.10. Partnership
      • 5.1.11. Trust/trustee
      • 5.1.12. Business names and 'trading as'
      • 5.1.13. Applicant name and design owner
    • 5.2. Applicant address
  • 6. Representations
    • 6.1. Representations: overview
    • 6.2. General requirements
    • 6.3. Formal compliance
    • 6.4. Product
    • 6.5. Consistency
    • 6.6. Text
    • 6.7. Common designs
    • 6.8. Drawings
    • 6.9. Photographs
    • 6.10. Specimens or 3D models
    • 6.11. Different views
    • 6.12. Environmental views
    • 6.13 Pairs and mirror images
  • 7. Classification
    • 7.1. Classification: overview
    • 7.2. Classification systems
    • 7.3. Finding the right class
    • 7.4. Cases of doubt
    • 7.5. More than one possible classification
    • 7.6. Multiple products or designs
  • 8. Examination and certification
    • 8.1. Examination and certification: overview
    • 8.2. Examination and certification processes
    • 8.3. Requesting examination
    • 8.4. Third party initiated examinations
    • 8.5. Concurrent requests for examination
    • 8.6. Expedited examination
    • 8.7. Material provided by a third party
    • 8.8. Relevant material that must be considered
    • 8.9. Time frame for completion of examination and last-minute responses
    • 8.10. Withdrawal of request for examination
    • 8.11. Notice of intention to certify
    • 8.12. Requests for examination after certification
    • 8.13. Further examination reports
    • 8.14. Revocation
    • 8.15. Examination hearings
    • 8.16. Examination on Registrar's initiative
  • 9. Identifying the design
    • 9.1. Identifying the design: overview
    • 9.2. Overall appearance
    • 9.3. Visual features
    • 9.4. Variable visual features
    • 9.5. What cannot be a visual feature
  • 10. Product
    • 10.1. Product: overview
    • 10.2. Identifying the product
    • 10.3. Things that are not products
    • 10.4. Things that are not different products
    • 10.5. Product name
    • 10.6. Manufactured or handmade
    • 10.7. Component part of a complex product
    • 10.8. Assembled set or kit
    • 10.9. Indefinite dimensions
    • 10.10. Examples - things that are / are not products
  • 11. Excluded designs
    • 11.1. Excluded designs: overview
    • 11.2. Priority date of excluded designs
    • 11.3. Checking the priority status of an excluded design
    • 11.4. Designs that cannot be excluded
    • 11.5. Registration/publication requests
  • 12. Section 43 refusal to register
    • 12.1. Section 43 refusal to register: overview
    • 12.2. Medals
    • 12.3. Anzac
    • 12.4. Currency
    • 12.5. Scandalous content
    • 12.6. Arms, flags, emblems etc.
    • 12.7. Olympic symbols
    • 12.8. Integrated circuits
  • 13. Assessing newness and distinctiveness
    • 13.1. Assessing newness and distinctiveness: overview
    • 13.2. Product name and intended use
    • 13.3. Identifying the product
    • 13.4. Test for newness
    • 13.5. Test for distinctiveness
    • 13.6. Substantially similar in overall impression
    • 13.7. How the design is displayed
    • 13.8. Other visual features
    • 13.9. Searching
  • 14. Section 19 requirements for distinctiveness
    • 14.1. Section 19 requirements for distinctiveness: overview
    • 14.2. Similarities and differences
    • 14.3. State of development of the prior art base
    • 14.4. Statement of newness and distinctiveness
    • 14.5. Amount, quality and importance
    • 14.6. Freedom of the creator of the design to innovate
    • 14.7. Familiar person / Informed user
  • 15. Statement of newness and distinctiveness
    • 15.1. Statement of newness and distinctiveness: overview
    • 15.2. Formalities assessment of the SoND
    • 15.3. Amendments to the SoND
    • 15.4. Using the SoND to assess distinctiveness
  • 16. Standard of the familiar person / informed user
    • 16.1. Standard of the familiar person / informed user: overview
    • 16.2. Identifying the familiar person / informed user
    • 16.3. Declarations about the familiar person / informed user
    • 16.4. Familiarity with the product
    • 16.5. References to European and UK decisions
    • 16.6. Familiar person’s / informed user’s knowledge base versus prior art base
  • 17. Prior art base
    • 17.1. Prior art base: overview
    • 17.2 Publicly used in Australia
    • 17.3. Published in a document within or outside of Australia
    • 17.4. Trade marks and patents as citations
    • 17.5. Establishing the publication date
    • 17.6. Designs disclosed in applications
  • 18. Prior publication or use exceptions
    • 18.1. Prior publication or use exceptions: overview
    • 18.2. Exhibitions
    • 18.3. Unauthorised disclosures
    • 18.4. Disclosure to government
    • 18.5. Copyright
    • 18.6. Grace Period
    • Annex A - An example of a grace period declaration
  • 19. Priority date
    • 19.1. Priority date: overview
    • 19.2. Convention application
    • 19.3. Multiple bases for priority
    • 19.4. Plural designs
    • 19.5. When priority must be asserted
    • 19.6. Excluded designs
    • 19.7. Converted applications
    • 19.8. Applications by an entitled person
  • 20. Convention priority
    • 20.1. Convention priority: overview
    • 20.2. Convention countries
    • 20.3. Time limit to claim convention priority
    • 20.4. Assessing convention priority claims
    • 20.5. Convention priority for excluded designs and applications that include more than one design
    • 20.6. Basic application
    • 20.7. Requesting the basic application
    • 20.8. Relevance of the basic application to examination
  • 21. Satisfied
    • 21.1. Satisfied: overview
    • 21.2. Meaning of ‘satisfied’
    • 21.3. ‘Satisfied’ as to prior art base
    • 21.4. Reasonable doubt, balance of probabilities and uncertainty
    • 21.5. ‘Not satisfied’
  • 22. Amendments
    • 22.1. Amendments: overview
    • 22.2. Amending an application
    • 22.3. Amending a registration
    • 22.4. Inclusion of matter not in substance disclosed
    • 22.5. Increasing the scope of the design registration
    • 22.6. Other types of amendments
      • 22.6.1. Clerical error and obvious mistake
      • 22.6.2. Adding a new registered owner
      • 22.6.3. Adding a new designer
      • 22.6.4. Change of name or address
      • 22.6.5. Register indicating that a design has been revoked
      • 22.6.6. Rectification by court order
  • 23. Extensions of time
    • 23.1. Extensions of time: overview
    • 23.2. Legal principles
    • 23.3. Error or omission by the Registrar
    • 23.4. Error or omission by the customer
    • 23.5. Circumstances beyond the customer’s control
    • 23.6. Registrar’s discretion
    • 23.7. Protection for third parties
    • 23.8. Period of extension
    • 23.9. Extensions process
    • 23.10. Advertisement
    • 23.11. Request from an unrecorded new owner
    • 23.12. Extension of the convention priority period
  • 24. Assignments (and other interests)
    • 24.1. Assignments and other interests: overview
    • 24.2. Recording changes of ownership
    • 24.3. Possible complications
    • 24.4. Bankruptcy and winding up
    • 24.5. Registering other interests
  • 25. Ownership disputes
    • 25.1. Ownership disputes: overview
    • 25.2. Disputes between joint applicants
    • 25.3. Disputes where a non-applicant claims ownership
    • 25.4. Disputes where some designs have been registered or published
    • 25.5. Disputes about recording a change of ownership before registration
    • 25.6. Typical situations where ownership disputes arise
    • 25.7. Revocation after an ownership dispute
  • 26. Production of documents under s 61(1)
    • 26.1. Production of documents under s 61(1): overview
    • 26.2. Powers of the courts
    • 26.3. Powers of the Registrar
    • 26.4. Precedent
    • 26.5. Who access is granted to
    • 26.6. Access in ownership disputes
    • 26.7. Where inspection can take place
    • 26.8. Right of lien
    • 26.9. Draft undertaking for access
  • 27. Publication and file access
    • 27.1. Publication and file access: overview
    • 27.2. Designs not publicly available
    • 27.3. Legal exceptions
    • 27.4. Freedom of information
    • 27.5. Prohibition orders
  • 28. Hearings
    • 28.1. Hearings: overview
    • 28.2. Filing evidence
    • 28.3. Disputes over whether the design was new and distinctive at the priority date
    • 28.4. Interface with court proceedings
  • 29. Glossary
  • 30. Citation index
  • 31. Keyword index
  • 32. Classification listings
    • Class Heading Summary
    • Class 01 Foodstuffs
    • Class 02 Articles of clothing and haberdashery
      • 02-01
      • 02-02
      • 02-04
      • 02-07
    • Class 03 Travel goods, cases, parasols and personal belongings not elsewhere specified
      • 03-01
    • Class 04 Brushware
    • Class 05 Textile piecegoods, artificial and natural sheet material
      • 05-05
      • 05-06
    • Class 06 Furnishing
      • 06-01
      • 06-03
      • 06-04
      • 06-06
      • 06-13
    • Class 07 Household goods not elsewhere specified
      • 07-01
      • 07-02
      • 07-05
      • 07-06
      • 07-07
      • 07-99
    • Class 08 Tools and hardware
      • 08-05
      • 08-08
    • Class 09 Packages and containers for the transport or handling of goods
      • 09-01
      • 09-02
      • 09-03
      • 09-07
    • Class 10 Clocks and watches and other measuring instruments, checking and signalling instruments
    • Class 11 Articles of adornment
      • 11-01
      • 11-02
    • Class 12 Means of transport or hoisting
      • 12-06
      • 12-15
      • 12-16
    • Class 13 Equipment for production, distribution or transformation of energy
      • 13-03
    • Class 14 Recording, communication or information retrieval equipment
      • 14-03
    • Class 15 Machines not elsewhere specified
      • 15-03
    • 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
      • 20-02
      • 20-03
    • Class 21 Games, toys, tents and sporting goods
      • 21-01
      • 21-02
    • 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
      • 23-01
      • 23-02
      • 23-03
    • Class 24 Medical and laboratory equipment
    • Class 25 Building units and construction elements
      • 25-01
      • 25-02
    • Class 26 Lighting apparatus
      • 26-05
    • Class 27 Tobacco and smokers supplies
    • Class 28 Pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, toilet articles and apparatus
      • 28-03
    • Class 29 Devices and equipment against fire hazards, for accident prevention and rescue
    • 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
  • 33. Designs (Formal Requirements for Designs Documents) Instrument 2022

Recent updates

Item amended Date Amended Amended Reason
7.4. Classification: Cases of doubt 07 Apr 2022
7.3. Classification: Finding the right class 07 Apr 2022
7.2. Classification: Classification systems 07 Apr 2022
7.1. Classification: overview 07 Apr 2022
6.12. Representations: Environmental views 07 Apr 2022
6.11. Representations: Different views 07 Apr 2022
6.10. Representations: Specimens or 3D models 07 Apr 2022
6.9. Representations: Photographs 07 Apr 2022
6.8. Representations: Drawings 07 Apr 2022
6.7. Representations: Common designs 07 Apr 2022
6.6. Representations: Text 07 Apr 2022
6.5. Representations: Consistency 07 Apr 2022
6.4. Representations: Product 07 Apr 2022
6.3. Representations: Formal compliance 07 Apr 2022
6.1. Representations: overview 07 Apr 2022
5.2. Applicant address 07 Apr 2022
5.1.13. Applicant name: Applicant name and design owner 07 Apr 2022
5.1.12. Applicant name: Business names and 'trading as' 07 Apr 2022
5.1.11. Applicant name: Trust/trustee 07 Apr 2022
5.1.10. Applicant name: Partnership 07 Apr 2022

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