How to apply for a design

Filing your design application can be as simple as completing the application form and paying the prescribed fee online. Before you begin there are a few things that you are going to need:

• You need to prepare representations of your design. Representations are drawings or pictures that show different views of the article or articles. For example, a perspective, front, back, sides, top and bottom views, may be necessary to show the full design features of the article. Each view should include an appropriate view label. That is, the back view should be labelled "Back view", the perspective view should be labelled "Perspective view" and so on. The representations must be visually clear, of good quality, suitable for reproduction on to an A4 page and in one of the following formats:

  • Line drawings (of draftsperson quality), without any written specifications or dimensions
  • Photos (with plain backdrop and no other items in the shot except the article).

  You may submit as many pictures as required to represent the design. More than one image, picture or view may be fitted on a page.

• Each page of representations must be submitted online as a single image file. That is, one file per page.

You will also need:

• A title for the article or article(s). This should be a short (one line) description. Please do not use trade names

• A Statement of Novelty. This is a brief statement describing what is novel about the design. It should focus on any non-functional, visual features that you consider to be novel.
  
  NOTE: Statements of Novelty should not specify design advantages, and should not include a description of the article, its manufacture or function. Statements of Novelty are not required for textiles, wallpaper and lace.

You may wish to adapt one of the following examples for your Statement of Novelty by substituting the name of your article for the article example given in brackets. 

1. If the article’s design appeal is its three-dimensional shape: '

“The design is to be applied to a (blender) and the novelty resides in the features of shape and configuration as shown in the accompanying representations."

“The novelty of the design resides in the features of shape and configuration of a (desk) as shown in the accompanying representations.” 

2. If the article’s design appeal is its decorative features:

“The design is to be applied to a (fork) and the novelty resides in the features of pattern and ornamentation as shown in the accompanying representations."

“The novelty of the design resides in the features of pattern and ornamentation of a (picture frame) as shown in the accompanying representations.”

You can use the free online Design Search function to view more examples of how designs are represented and described on our design database.

• An Authorisation of Agent (Design form 1)
  If the person filing the design application is not the proprietor of the design, then a separate electronic authorisation document (or advice of a general authorisation) will be required, either attached to the online application prior to submission of the application or filed at a later date.
• The applicant’s name and address information. If you are the applicant for the design, then supply your details. If you are applying for a business or someone else, or if several applicants are applying, then have these details ready.
• An address for service in New Zealand – every application must have a service address in New Zealand. This can be a business or residential address, post office box or document exchange box in New Zealand. You will need to maintain an address for service in New Zealand against your client record - go to Maintain Client to do this.

Online application 

Getting started

To file your design application online you must be a registered user of our website. Registering as a user is free and it only takes a few minutes to complete. If you already have an igovt login with other Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment websites you will be able to use this to access our site. See How do I manage my login? for more information.

FIRST let us know who would like to file the application:

1. Select Online Services then choose TM & Design Login
2. Logon using your igovt username and password

(Tip: record your igovt LOGIN details in a safe place as these will save you time on subsequent visits.)

If you need an igovt logon you can 'Register' to create one from our website. If you already have an igovt logon you won't need to create a new one, simply Log on and enter your username and password. On the left hand side navigation bar under the section Design select Apply for a Design.

Note: You are able to save your incomplete application by selecting Save on the bottom right corner of the page. To re-enter saved application choose Apply for a Design and you will be able to choose Load to complete your previously saved application.

Ensure you fill in all required Fields (marked with an asterisk). If you need help, click and hold the cursor over the chosen Field box a help dialogue box will appear. If you need help contact us during business hours to speak to a client services advisor.  

Navigating the form

Field tips

Reference Number: Use a different reference for each application.

Contact information

When completing the Identity field, if you are acting ‘in your own right’ select that option and your IPONZ user account details will be shown as the Applicant details. You are able to change these details by selecting EDIT on the right side of the address. 

If you are acting ‘As an agent’ then your Agent details will be uploaded from your IPONZ user account and the Applicant can be searched and selected from your listed clients.

Convention Priority

If you are claiming an earlier filing date based on an overseas application you will need to enter the details of the overseas application. Select Convention from the drop down box then Select add and complete the convention priority fields including Priority Date and Country. Choose Submit to confirm request for convention priority. 

Based Design

If you are applying for a new Design then do not modify this option. If your application is modification of an existing Design, or is the same Design applied to different articles then select the appropriate option from the dropdown menu. You will then need to Search for your existing Design to link it to this application, and describe how your Design relates to the original in the box provided. 

Deferred Month(s)

If you wish to delay the registration of your application, enter a number between 0-15 to indicate the number of months you would like the registration delayed. The delay will begin from the New Zealand filing date of the application.  

Article(s)

For each article that you wish to have your design registration applied to you must submit a set of representations. To add Article(s) select Add Article then select Add in the Pictures section to upload your representations of the Design for this Article. Choose the button Select Files to upload files from your computer. Then select Submit to confirm the addition of the file to your application. Repeat this process for each article.

Note: you can select multiple files to upload at one time. 

Submitting your online application

1. When you have completed the application form click Submit.
   (Note: If there is an error or omission in the form a message will display in red at the top of the screen).
2. Check your application thoroughly and make any final changes before submitting it. If you would like to save your application without submitting it press Save. You can generate a printout of your application, by clicking Generate PDF summary.
   
   Select Submit when you wish to proceed to payment. Your fee description will be displayed at the bottom of the main application page and on the payment page.
3. Payment: If you have a direct debit facility loaded to your IPONZ user account you can choose the Direct Debit option for payment. Otherwise click Credit Card and fill in the credit card form. Once your application has been submitted you will receive a notification to the e-mail address that was listed in the contact details. A confirmation and summary of the submission of the design application will then appear in the discussion section of your IPONZ inbox. 

What happens next?

Review The designs process section for more information on the application process. 

Professional assistance

If you require assistance with preparing a design application we recommend that you contact a patent attorney or a lawyer who is familiar with intellectual property law. See a list of registered patent attorneys.