A registered industrial design doesn’t stay protected forever, and it doesn’t have to stay registered if you no longer need it either. Here’s how both renewal and voluntary cancellation work under the Registered Designs Ordinance 2000.
Renewing a Design Registration
Design protection is issued for an initial period and extended through further renewal periods on Form D-5, the same form used to request the original Registration Certificate (PKR 3,000) or a duplicate certificate (PKR 3,000). The renewal fees step up by period:
- Renewal or extension for the second period: PKR 4,000
- Renewal or extension for the third or final period: PKR 6,000
If you need more time to file the renewal itself, extensions are available under Form D-4 – a one-month extension under Rule 34 costs PKR 1,000, and other extension categories (for removing objections or under Rule 17) run PKR 2,000–3,000 depending on the circumstance.
Cancelling a Design Registration
If a design is no longer commercially relevant, or you want to formally give it up rather than let it lapse, IPO-Pakistan provides two routes:
- Voluntary surrender – Form D-9, Application to Surrender a Design or Expiry of License or Mortgage, PKR 1,000. This is the route for a proprietor who simply wants to give up rights on their own design.
- Third-party cancellation – Form D-7, Application for Cancellation of Design under Section 10, PKR 5,000. This route is used when someone else – a competitor, for instance – challenges the validity of a registered design and applies to have it struck from the register. The registered proprietor can respond with a counter-statement (Form D-8).
What Happens If You Don’t Renew
If renewal fees for the next period aren’t paid, protection lapses at the end of the current period and the design falls out of the register, after which the appearance it protected is generally free for others to use. There’s no separate “restoration” form listed for designs the way there is for patents, so treating renewal deadlines as firm cut-offs is the safer approach.
Managing Design Renewals
Because renewal fees change by period and deadlines are tied to the registration date, it’s easy to lose track – especially across multiple product lines. Our IP registration team tracks design renewal deadlines alongside trademark renewals so nothing lapses unintentionally. If you haven’t registered a design yet, start with our guide on how to register an industrial design in Pakistan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to renew a design registration in Pakistan?
PKR 4,000 to renew for the second period, and PKR 6,000 to renew for the third or final period, filed on Form D-5.
Can I voluntarily give up a design registration?
Yes, through Form D-9, Application to Surrender a Design, at a fee of PKR 1,000.
Can someone else apply to cancel my design registration?
Yes, under Form D-7, Application for Cancellation of Design under Section 10 (PKR 5,000). As the registered proprietor, you can file a counter-statement (Form D-8) to defend it.
What happens if I miss a design renewal deadline?
Protection lapses at the end of the current registration period and the design comes off the register, so it’s important to track renewal deadlines closely.
