Design Patent in New Zealand

A registered design in New Zealand protects the visual appearance of a product, including its shape, configuration, pattern, or ornamentation. It does not protect how the product works — only how it looks.

We help clients register their product designs through IPONZ to secure exclusive rights in New Zealand.

Design registration in New Zealand can protect:

• Physical product shapes (e.g., containers, tools, furniture)
• Surface patterns, lines, textures, or ornamentation
• User interface elements or graphic features (when applied to a product)
• Fashion items, jewelry, packaging, and industrial tools

We evaluate your design and prepare a legally compliant application for submission.

Registering your design gives you:

• Exclusive rights to the visual design in New Zealand
• The legal ability to stop others from copying or using your design
• A valuable IP asset for licensing or commercializing
• A competitive edge in manufacturing and product marketing

We manage the full process from filing to registration, saving you time and effort.

Design registration in New Zealand is valid for an initial term of 5 years, and can be renewed twice — up to a maximum of 15 years.

We track all renewal deadlines and assist with timely renewals to keep your protection active.

To register a design in New Zealand, you'll need:

• A representation or drawing of the design showing all angles
• A brief description of the article and how the design is applied
• Classification details (Locarno system)
• Applicant details (individual or company)

We handle every step of the application and ensure your documents meet IPONZ’s standards.

To be registered, your design must:

• Be new and original (not publicly disclosed before the filing date)
• Be applied to a manufactured product
• Not be dictated solely by the product's function

We review your design to ensure it qualifies before preparing the application.

No. Each design must be filed in a separate application, even if the designs are similar or related.

However, we offer discounted service packages if you need to register multiple designs at once.

Yes. If you filed a design in another country within the last 6 months, you can claim priority when registering in New Zealand, keeping your earlier filing date.

We help manage priority claims and handle all required documentation.

New Zealand currently does not offer a grace period — meaning if your design is made public before filing, it may no longer be considered new.

We strongly recommend filing your design before any public disclosure, and we can expedite your application if needed.

If your design meets all formal requirements, it can be registered within a few weeks to a couple of months.

We monitor your application closely and provide updates until your certificate is issued.

Once registered, you can:

• Prevent others from manufacturing, selling, or importing products that use your design
• Take legal action against infringers
• License your design to others commercially
• Use your registration as an asset in branding or investment

We support you in enforcing your rights, including legal consultation and takedown procedures.

We offer end-to-end services for design registration, including:

• Design eligibility assessment
• Professional image and document preparation
• Filing through IPONZ
• Monitoring and updates
• Renewals and enforcement support

👉 Contact us today to secure exclusive rights to your product design in New Zealand.