Examination of your application and registration of the design
We at the PRH check first that your design application is formally correct in terms of, for example, the classification, illustrations and other details included in the application. In addition, we examine whether the design can be registered.
If we find no obstacles to registering the design, it will be approved, which means we register the design and publish it in the Design Gazette. New registrations are published in the Design Gazette automatically once the designs are registered. Go to the Design Gazette.Open link in a new tab
As the owner of the design right, you will receive a registration certificate.
An opposition period of two months begins from the date of the publication of the registration. During the opposition period, anyone can file an opposition against the registered design. The grounds for the opposition may be, for instance, that the design is not different from previously known designs on the market.
The registration will be valid for five years from the filing date of the design application. You can renew your registration four times, each time for a period of five years. This means that a design registration can be valid for a maximum of 25 years starting from the application date.
Why has my application been rejected?
If we find an obstacle to the registration of your design, we will give you a hearing. If the hearing does not change our stand on the obstacles, we will reject your design application either in part or in full.
If you disagree with the decision, you can lodge an appeal with the Finnish Market Court and further with the Supreme Administrative Court. When you have used all possible ways to appeal and the final decision is still a refusal, we will only register those designs in your application that do not involve any obstacles.