MPEP § 1505 — MPEP § 1505
Current through: 2022-07-01

1505-Term of Design Patent 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Skip over navigation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 search for patents | search for trademarks 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Search 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 PATENTS 
 
 Patent Search 

 
 Patent Process 

 
 Patent Classification 

 
 Patent Forms 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Electronic Business Center 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Resources and Guidance 

 
 Office of Data Management 

 
 Announcements 

 
 Initiatives & Events 

 
 International Protection 

 
 Employee Locator 

 
 Contact Patents 

 

 

 
 TRADEMARKS 
 
 Trademark Search 

 
 Trademarks Process 

 
 News & Notices 

 
 Manuals, Guides, Official Gazette 

 
 Laws & Regulations 

 
 Online Filing 

 
 Contact Trademarks 

 

 

 
 IP LAW & POLICY 
 
 Rulemaking 

 
 IP Policy and Enforcement 

 
 Protecting IP Overseas 

 
 Training and Education 

 
 Training Programs & Conferences 

 
 Office of Governmental Affairs 

 
 Office of Chief Economist 

 
 Boards and Counsel 

 

 

 
 PRODUCTS & SERVICES 
 
 Electronic Data Products 

 
 XML Resources 

 
 XML Resources - Retrospective 

 
 USPTO Contact Center Order Form 

 
 Services 

 
 Locate Libraries 

 
 Training/Events 

 
 Online Services Hub 

 

 

 
 INVENTORS 
 
 Patents for Inventors 

 
 Trademarks for Inventors 

 
 Inventors Assistance 

 
 Education and Information 

 
 Scam Prevention 

 
 Pro Se and Pro Bono 

 
 Current Events 

 
 State Resources 

 
 InventorsEye Newsletter 

 

 

 
 NEWS & NOTICES 
 
 Subscription Center 

 
 Press Releases 

 
 Testimony and Speeches 

 
 Director's Forum 

 
 Systems Status 

 
 Emergency Notices 

 
 USPTO Videos 

 
 Official Gazette 

 
 Federal Register Notices 

 
 Event Calendar 

 

 

 
 FAQs 
 
 Patents FAQs 

 
 Trademarks FAQs 

 
 Assignments 

 
 Security 

 
 Musicians and Artists 

 
 Browser Plugins 

 
 Other Web Resources 

 

 

 
 ABOUT US 
 
 USPTO Leadership 

 
 USPTO Organization 

 
 USPTO Offices 

 
 Careers 

 
 Budget, Performance, and Planning 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Vendor Information 

 
 Public Advisory Committees 

 
 National Medal of Technology and Innovation 

 
 IP in Motion 

 
 Contact Us 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 Home Page 

 
 Patents 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 1500 

 Section 1505 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 1505 Term of Design Patent [R-08.2017]

 
 35 U.S.C. 173 
 Term of design patent. 

 Patents issued from design applications filed on or after May 13, 2015
 shall be granted for the term of fifteen years from the date of grant. 
 

 

 On December 18, 2012, the Patent Law Treaties
 Implementation Act of 2012 (PLTIA) was signed into law. The PLTIA among other things sets
 forth provisions implementing the 1999 Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the
 International Registration of Industrial Designs (“Hague Agreement”). These provisions
 (Title I of the PLTIA) took effect on May 13, 2015. As a result, U.S. design patents
 resulting from applications filed on or after May 13, 2015 have a 15 year term
 from the date of grant . However, patents issued from design applications
 filed before May 13, 2015 have a 14 year term from the date of grant. 
 

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 1501-Statutes and Rules Applicable 

 1502-Definition of a Design 
 1502.01-Distinction Between Design and Utility Patents 

 1502.02-Design Patent Practitioner Bar 

 
 

 1503-Elements of a Design Patent Application Filed Under 35 U.S.C. chapter 16 
 1503.01-Specification 

 1503.02-Drawing 

 
 

 1504-Examination 
 1504.01-Statutory Subject Matter for Designs 
 1504.01(a)-Computer-Generated Electronic Images 

 1504.01(b)-Design Comprising Multiple Articles or Multiple Parts Embodied in a Single Article 

 1504.01(c)-Lack of Ornamentality 

 1504.01(d)-Simulation 

 1504.01(e)-Offensive Subject Matter 

 
 

 1504.02-Novelty 

 1504.03-Nonobviousness 

 1504.04-Considerations Under 35 U.S.C. 112 

 1504.05-Restriction 

 1504.06-Double Patenting 

 1504.07 - 1504.09-[Reserved] 

 1504.10-Priority Under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), 386(a) and (b) 

 1504.11-1504.19-[Reserved] 

 1504.20-Benefit Under 35 U.S.C. 120 

 1504.21-1504.29-[Reserved] 

 1504.30-Expedited Examination 

 
 

 1505-Term of Design Patent 

 1506-1508-[Reserved] 

 1509-Reissue of a Design Patent 

 1510-Reexamination 

 1511-Protest 

 1512-Relationship Between Design Patent, Copyright, and Trademark 

 1513-Miscellaneous 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 Accessibility 

 Privacy Policy 

 Terms of Use 

 Security 

 Emergencies/Security Alerts 

 Information Quality Guidelines 

 
 

 
 
 Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act 

 Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (NoFEAR) Act 

 Budget & Performance 

 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

 
 

 
 
 Department of Commerce NoFEAR Act Report 

 Regulations.gov 

 STOP!Fakes.gov 

 Department of Commerce 

 USA.gov 

 
 

 
 
 Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) 

 Careers 

 Site Index 

 Contact Us 

 Submit Feedback 

 
 

 
 This page is owned by Patents.

 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:50:35