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IP roadmap – Your path to industrial design registration – Direct filing with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office

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This roadmap shows you steps of filing your application directly with the Industrial Design Office of CIPO.

1– Filing

To file with Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO), your application must include:

  • your name and postal address
  • the name of the finished article to which the design is applied
  • a representation of the design (reproductions or photographs)
  • the required examination fee
  • the name and address of your agent, if one is appointed
  • a descriptive or limiting statement, if required
  • an indication of a divisional, if applicable
  • a priority claim, if applicable

2 – Verification

Your application will be verified to ensure that it complies with the filing requirements. If these requirements are not met, CIPO will send you an omission notice.

3 – Establishment of the filing date

If the application meets the filing requirements, your application's filing date will be established and CIPO will send you a notice of filing.

4 – Classification

CIPO will classify the design in your application according to the Canadian Classification Standard for Industrial Designs. Classifying the design will allow CIPO to conduct a novelty assessment of the design.

5 – Examination: formal and substantive requirements

An industrial design examiner will review your application to ensure that it complies with the formal and substantive requirements set out in the Industrial Design Act and the Industrial Design Regulations. This includes a search of prior art to assess the novelty of your design.

6 – Examination report

If the application does not comply with the Act and the Regulations, CIPO will issue an examination report outlining the objections to registration and required amendments, if any.

7 – Response

You can respond to the examination report. You can choose to: argue against the objection; amend; withdraw; or, abandon your application.

8 – Allowance

Once your application is allowed, your design will be registered.

or

Objection maintained

If you do not manage to overcome the objections to registration outlined in the examination report, CIPO may send you subsequent examination reports, and, eventually, a final examination report.

If you disagree with the outstanding objections, CIPO must receive final arguments within 3 months after the date of the final examination report. Upon receipt of your response, the application will be reviewed by a subject‑matter expert from CIPO. If the objections are not overcome, your application will be considered for refusal. From this point on, no arguments or amendments may be submitted.

If your application is refused, you may appeal the Refusal to the Federal Court of Canada.

9 – Registration

Upon registration, you will receive:

  • a notice of industrial design registration
  • a representation of the registered design
  • a registration details report that summarizes information relevant to the registration
  • a notice to proprietors regarding the maintenance of the exclusive right

10 – Maintaining your exclusive right

You must pay the maintenance fee within 5 years from the date of registration in order to keep the exclusive right to your design for up to 15 years.

If you miss the 5-year deadline, you can maintain your exclusive right by submitting a late payment fee in addition to the prescribed maintenance fee before 6 months have passed from the original 5-year deadline.

Certain fees for industrial design are adjusted every year on the first of January. Consult the updated fee amount on CIPO's website: www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/id

For details, please visit our guide to industrial designs.

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