Hague International Patent Applications
Protecting a product’s appearance in multiple markets starts with a coordinated design filing plan. Carson Patents helps you evaluate the Hague route and prepare materials for the jurisdictions you select.
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International Protection for Industrial Designs
The Hague System, administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), provides a coordinated application route for protecting industrial designs in selected member jurisdictions. In the United States, this concerns design patent protection for ornamental appearance.
It does not provide a worldwide patent. Protection depends on the designated jurisdictions and their laws. Functional inventions call for a different strategy, such as utility applications or the PCT route.
Filing a Hague International Design Application
We start by reviewing the design, intended markets, applicant eligibility, prior disclosures, and any earlier filings. Applicants generally need a qualifying connection to a Hague member through nationality, domicile, habitual residence, or a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment.
A prior national application is not a prerequisite. You select the eligible jurisdictions where protection is sought, prepare the application and reproductions, and pay the applicable fees. WIPO checks formal requirements; designated offices may examine the design and refuse protection under their own laws.
Our work focuses on the filing plan, application materials, and U.S. requirements, with coordination of appropriate local counsel when needed. Consult WIPO’s Hague overview and Hague System guide for current members and requirements.
What Should the Application Include?
The filing package must meet the Hague requirements and account for the selected jurisdictions. Common preparation tasks include:
- Confirming applicant information and the basis for eligibility.
- Selecting the jurisdictions and identifying the design or designs.
- Preparing clear reproductions that consistently show the appearance to be protected.
- Providing descriptions, claims, declarations, or other material required for the selected designations.
- Reviewing priority claims, publication choices, and fees.
There is no universal six-view drawing set suitable for every design and jurisdiction. We review the views and consistency against the intended protection. Learn about patent drawings and design patents.
Discuss Your Next Step
Tell us about your invention, target markets, and timing so we can discuss the work that fits your goals.