Protecting Industrial Designs in Ireland — A Comprehensive Guide

Industrial Design Protection in Ireland — Procedures, Requirements, and Renewal 

Ireland offers a well-structured and efficient registration system for industrial designs, managed by the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland (IPOI). The system focuses primarily on formality examination, ensuring that the visual appearance of products - defined by shape, color, material, and texture — receives legal protection that supports creativity and innovation across industries.

Authority:
Terms of Protection:
  • The initial term of protection for an industrial design in Ireland is 5 years from the filing date. This protection can be renewed every 5 years up to a maximum of 25 years.
Filing Deadline: 
  • Paris Convention applications must be filed within 6 months from the earliest priority date.
Required Documents:
  • Representations / Pictures
  • Brief description
  • Certified copy of priority document (DAS available)
  • Ownership Statement / Employment Statement / Priority Assignment
Process & Procedure:
The IPOI conducts **formality examination only** for industrial design applications.
  • The IPOI conducts only a formality examination for industrial design patent applications. The applicant shall pay the application fee at the time of filing a new application. The IPOI generally issues the fee receipt on the day following the receipt of the industrial design patent application and issues the filing acknowledgment within seven days.
  • Industrial design means the appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture, or materials of the product itself or its ornamentation.
  • In Ireland, designs that include protected official symbols or emblems will be refused registration. In Ireland, the harp and the shamrock are national emblems. The harp is generally reserved for use by state authorities, such as government departments or other national institutions.
  • A single industrial design application may include up to 100 industrial designs, that is, multiple designs. Except for ornaments, the condition for multiple designs is that the products in which these designs are intended to be incorporated belong to the same Locarno classification.
  • The applicant may request deferred publication.
Grace Period for Novelty:
  • Ireland provides a 6-month grace period prior to the filing date. This allows applicants to disclose their design publicly without losing the right to protection, as long as the application is filed within this period.
Grant and Renewal Maintenance Fee: 

Renewal Fee is payable every 5 years. Late payment subject to a 6month grace period for payment with surcharge. 

Granting Time:

Approximately 4 months from filing.

Conclusion

Ireland’s industrial design registration system is both efficient and internationally harmonized, making it an attractive jurisdiction for design protection under the Paris Convention or the Hague Agreement. With streamlined formalities, clear renewal rules, and broad protection for visual creativity, the IPOI provides a reliable framework for safeguarding innovative design assets in the Irish and European markets.

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Posted on
Nov 01, 2025