Design Renewal, Extension and Restoration
A design registration runs for ten years and can be extended once, by five more. The extension has to be applied for before the ten years expire — miss it and you are into restoration, with a one-year window and no guarantee.
- Extension filed before the ten-year term ends
- Restoration within one year of lapse
- Deadlines docketed, not left to memory
- Portfolio renewals handled together
- Government fee from
- ₹2,000
- Our fee from
- ₹3,999
- Typical timeline
- 3–8 months
Ten years, then five, and then it is over
Copyright in a registered design subsists for ten years from the date of registration. It can be extended once, for a further period of five years, by applying in Form 3 with the prescribed fee before the expiry of the initial ten-year term. Fifteen years is the maximum — there is no second extension, and the design then falls into the public domain permanently.
The critical point is timing. The extension application must be made before the ten years expire, not after. This differs from trademarks, where a six-month grace period with a surcharge is available. For designs there is no grace period; once the term lapses the only route is restoration.
Restoration is possible where the failure to extend was unintentional. An application in Form 4 must be made within one year of the lapse, supported by a statement of the circumstances. The Controller may restore the registration, subject to conditions protecting anyone who began using the design in the intervening period. It is discretionary, it costs more, and it is not something to rely on.
For anyone holding more than a handful of designs, the practical answer is a docket. Renewal dates are known from the date of registration and do not move. Most design rights that are lost are lost to a diary failure rather than a decision.
What design renewal & restoration gives you
The practical advantages, not the marketing version.
Five more years of exclusivity
An extension takes a commercially successful design from ten years of protection to fifteen.
No missed deadline
The date is docketed from registration and reminders run well ahead of expiry, not in the final week.
Restoration attempted properly
Where a design has already lapsed, the Form 4 application is prepared with a proper statement of circumstances.
Portfolio handled in one cycle
Multiple designs are renewed together, with a single schedule and one point of contact.
Piracy action stays available
Infringement proceedings under Section 22 depend on a subsisting registration — a lapse ends them.
Asset value preserved
A registration in force is an asset that can be assigned, licensed or shown in diligence. A lapsed one is not.
The process, step by step
Every stage, with realistic timelines — including the ones that depend on the registry rather than on us.
- 11 day
Confirm the registration and dates
The registration number, date of registration and current status are verified against the register so the deadline is certain.
- 21–2 days
Advise on whether to extend
Extension is worth taking where the design is still commercially live. Where it is not, we say so rather than renewing by reflex.
- 31–2 days
Prepare Form 3
The extension application is prepared with the correct fee for your entity type.
- 4Before expiry
File before expiry
The application is filed with the Design Office ahead of the ten-year date, with acknowledgement recorded.
- 51–3 months
Extension recorded
The Controller records the extension and the term runs to fifteen years from registration.
- 63–8 months
Restoration, where needed
For a lapsed design, Form 4 is filed within one year with a statement of the circumstances of the failure.
What you need to provide
Have these ready and the filing moves quickly. We tell you if anything is missing before we start.
Extension
- Design registration number and certificate
- Date of registration
- Details of the registered proprietor as currently recorded
- Power of Attorney in favour of the agent
- Form 24 evidencing small entity status, where the lower fee is claimed
Restoration
- Everything required for an extension
- Statement of the circumstances that led to the failure to extend
- Evidence that the omission was unintentional
- Details of any use of the design by others since the lapse
Where ownership has changed
- Assignment deed or transmission document
- Application to record the change of proprietor
- Updated address for service
Official fees
These are statutory fees payable to the government, separate from our professional fee. We never mark them up.
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Extension by 5 years (Form 3) — natural person, startup or small entity | ₹2,000 | Filed before the ten-year term expires. |
| Extension by 5 years (Form 3) — company or other applicants | ₹8,000 | Filed before expiry. |
| Restoration (Form 4) — small entity | ₹1,000 | Within one year of lapse. Discretionary. |
| Restoration (Form 4) — others | ₹4,000 | Within one year of lapse. |
| Additional fee on restoration | ₹2,000 / ₹8,000 | The extension fee remains payable in addition. |
| Change of proprietor on the register | ₹500 / ₹2,000 | Small entity / others. |
Fifteen years from the date of registration is the statutory maximum for a design — there is no further extension beyond it. Restoration is at the Controller's discretion and may be granted subject to conditions protecting third parties who began using the design after it lapsed.
Transparent professional fees
Fixed fees, quoted upfront. Government fees are charged at cost and shown separately on every invoice.
Extension
One design extended to fifteen years.
- Register status verified
- Deadline confirmed and docketed
- Form 3 prepared and filed
- Confirmation of extension delivered
Restoration
A lapsed design, within the one-year window.
- Lapse position assessed
- Statement of circumstances drafted
- Form 4 prepared and filed
- Third-party use position advised
- Follow-through to the Controller's decision
Portfolio Docket
Deadlines tracked across a portfolio.
- All renewal dates docketed
- Reminders at 6, 3 and 1 month
- Annual portfolio status report
- Filing handled at the applicable rate
Questions we get asked
If your question is not here, send it over — we answer directly rather than routing you to a form.
How long does a design registration last?
Is there a grace period if I miss the extension date?
What does restoration require?
Can I extend a second time to get twenty years?
What happens to infringement proceedings if the design lapses mid-case?
Still unsure? Book a free consultation and we will tell you honestly whether this is the right service for you.
Ready to start your design renewal & restoration?
Talk to an IP professional first. No obligation, no sales script — just a clear view of where you stand and what it will cost.