German Design Protection

National design protection

A registered design (eingetragenes Design) with the DPMA protects the appearance of an industrial or handicraft product — the shape and colour of its outward form. The substantive requirements are novelty and individual character (a sufficient distance from earlier designs), but the DPMA checks only the formalities: like the EU design, it's an unexamined right, so novelty is tested only later in a dispute. Up to 10 designs can be filed together in one collective application.

Fees, term and how we handle it

The DPMA's official fee is €60 for up to 10 designs, plus €6 for each further design. Protection lasts five years and can be renewed in five-year steps up to 25 years. Agents draft the application, prepare the representations, and file with the DPMA; on request we run an information or novelty search first to check what already exists. Our flat service fee is €199 net, and protection can be extended abroad via the Hague System.