Industrial Design Office Nepal: DoI Registration Guide

Industrial Design Office in Nepal: Where to Register

14 Aug, 2026
Updated 11 Oct, 2026
Patents & Designs
IP Sewa Admin
10 min read

The industrial design office Nepal uses is the Department of Industry (DoI). Under the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965 (PDTA), the DoI receives, examines, publishes and registers product-design applications. An unopposed filing commonly takes about 12–14 months, while the smoothest cases may finish in 6–8 months.

Key Takeaways

The Department of Industry is Nepal’s registration authority for industrial designs, and a registered design normally lasts five years before renewal. Filing early matters because Nepal follows first-to-file rules, while publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin opens a fixed 35-day opposition period.

The DoI is the design registration department of industry for all Nepal filings.
Industrial design protection covers a product’s visual appearance, not its technical function.
Nepal is first-to-file, so the first valid applicant has the stronger position.
Four copies of clear drawings or representations are required for a design filing.
The DoI examines the design before publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin.
Any interested person may oppose publication within 35 days.
A registered industrial design has a five-year term and can be renewed.

The industrial design registration path in Nepal runs from a DoI filing through examination, Bulletin publication, opposition and certificate issuance.

Which office handles industrial design registration in Nepal?

The Department of Industry handles industrial design registration in Nepal under the PDTA and acts as the national filing authority. The DoI examines whether a proposed design meets the legal standard, publishes accepted applications in the Industrial Property Bulletin, hears objections, and issues the registration certificate after approval.

There is no separate industrial design registry in Nepal. In practice, a product maker, manufacturer or foreign owner files directly with the DoI, usually through a Nepal-based representative. The DoI also has a quasi-judicial role in industrial-property matters, meaning it can consider disputes that arise during the registration process.

Foreign registrations do not automatically extend to Nepal. Nepal is not part of the Hague System for international design registration, just as it is outside the Madrid System for trade marks and the PCT for patents. A foreign business entering Nepal needs a direct national filing, although a Paris Convention priority claim may be relevant where the facts support it.

You can read the governing statute through the Nepal Law Commission’s legal resources and check current departmental notices through the Department of Industry website. For filing help, our team can prepare representations and manage the DoI process through our industrial design registration service.

What does an industrial design protect in Nepal?

An industrial design protects the new and original visual features of a product under the PDTA, while the DoI assesses the application during examination. Protection may cover shape, configuration, surface pattern or ornamentation, but it does not protect the underlying technical idea, manufacturing method or product function.

Think of a locally made water bottle with an unusual twisted body, a distinctive cap shape and a repeated embossed pattern. Those visible features may be suitable for design registration. The fact that the bottle holds water is functional; that part is not a design right.

This distinction avoids expensive mistakes. A new mechanical locking system may need patent protection because the value lies in how it works. A wordmark, logo or business name needs trademark registration because it tells customers who made the product. A design right protects how the product looks to the eye.

A common mistake we see is filing a logo as an industrial design. If customers use the sign to identify the source of goods or services, it is better treated as a TM or registered mark. The DoI uses the NICE Classification’s 45 classes for trademarks, but industrial design filing is not a one-class-per-design exercise in the same way as logo or wordmark registration.

Who should register a product design with the DoI?

Manufacturers, furniture makers, packaging businesses, consumer-goods startups and overseas brands should register a product design Nepal uses before public launch where possible. The DoI applies a first-to-file system, so the earliest valid application matters more than proving that you created the appearance first.

File if the look of the product helps customers choose it or gives it market value. This includes a distinctive chair frame, a decorative lighting fixture, a cosmetic container, a food-packaging shape or a patterned tile. The applicant may be an individual, company or other legal owner.

Ownership should be settled before filing. If a freelance designer created the product appearance, check whether a written assignment or employment arrangement clearly gives the business the right to apply. Do not assume that paying for drawings automatically answers every ownership question.

How do you complete a DoI design filing?

You complete a doi design filing by submitting the prescribed application and supporting representations to the Department of Industry, followed by examination, publication and registration. The Industrial Property Bulletin creates a 35-day public opposition period, and an unopposed application typically reaches certificate stage in about 12–14 months.

Confirm the asset: Separate the product’s visible appearance from its function, brand name and technical invention. Choose industrial design registration only for the visual element you need to protect.
Prepare the views: Produce four consistent copies of the design and drawings showing plan, elevation and side views. Make the images clear enough for the DoI and later readers to identify the claimed appearance.
Collect applicant papers: Prepare the prescribed form, a notarised Power of Attorney where an agent acts, and documents supporting originality or any claimed priority.
File with the DoI: Submit a complete application to establish the filing date. In a first-to-file system, delaying while products are already being displayed can create avoidable risk.
Handle examination and publication: Answer any DoI query carefully. If accepted, the design appears in the Industrial Property Bulletin for public information and possible opposition.
Complete registration: If no valid objection succeeds, the DoI registers the design and issues a registration certificate. Keep that certificate and the final approved representations safely.

DoI examination is not a formality. The office considers novelty and originality, and unclear drawings can make it difficult to know what is claimed. If an objection or opposition arises, the facts and documents may need a careful response. This article is general information, not legal advice; discuss a particular filing with our team through industrial design filing guidance.

Which documents does the Department of Industry require?

The Department of Industry requires an application form, a notarised Power of Attorney where applicable, and four copies of design drawings showing plan, elevation and side views. Foreign or priority-based filings may also require certified English documents, and the DoI may seek clarification during examination.

Document or item	Why it matters for a design filing
Prescribed application form	Identifies the applicant, the design and the request for registration.
Four design copies and drawings	Show the plan, elevation and side views that define the appearance being claimed.
Notarised Power of Attorney	Authorises a Nepal-based representative; it should be signed, sealed and attested by two witnesses.
Originality details	Supports the claim that the appearance is new and original.
Priority filing record	May support a Paris Convention priority claim when properly certified in English.
Foreign registration certificate	May be needed for a foreign design owner and should be certified in English.

Clear representations and properly executed authority documents give a DoI design filing a stronger start.

How long does design registration take and how is it renewed?

Industrial design registration usually takes about 12–14 months from filing to certificate when unopposed, though a straightforward case can finish in 6–8 months. The registration term is five years and renewable, while the fixed 35-day opposition period begins only after Industrial Property Bulletin publication.

Publication is a key point, not the finish line. An interested person can object during the 35-day window. If that happens, the DoI considers the matter and the expected timetable can extend. Keep production plans realistic rather than promising a certificate by a launch date.

Costs depend on the government stages, professional work, the quality of the drawings, foreign-document formalities and any examination or opposition issue. There is no useful single figure for every design. Ask for a current, tailored estimate through our contact team before committing to a filing strategy.

The DoI process includes examination and Bulletin publication before certificate issuance, followed by a five-year renewal cycle.

What legal rules and mistakes should product makers know?

The PDTA is the legal basis for industrial design registration, with the Department of Industry administering applications, publication and registration. Nepal’s first-to-file approach means a product launch can weaken your practical position if another party files first, especially where the product’s appearance is easy to copy.

Do not rely only on an OCR company registration. The Office of the Company Registrar (OCR) records a business entity; it does not grant an industrial design right. Likewise, a trade mark registration protects a name or logo, not the visual form of the product itself.

Another mistake is treating a design certificate as protection for every variation. The drawings define what you have placed before the DoI. If the product changes materially after filing, assess whether the changed appearance needs separate protection. Keep dated design files, prototypes and supplier agreements, even though registration priority remains central.

Imagine “Himal Curve,” a Kathmandu furniture startup launching a stool with a sculpted S-shaped base and woven diamond-pattern seat. It should consider filing the appearance before displaying samples at a trade fair. It may also register “Himal Curve” as a wordmark in the relevant NICE classes, because design rights and brand registration solve different problems.

In short: register the product’s new visual appearance with the DoI, use clear four-view drawings, prepare for Bulletin publication and renew the certificate after its five-year term. Protect the name, logo and technical features separately where needed.

People also search for

Department of Industry procedures connect design registration with patents, trademarks, product packaging and renewal. These related Nepal guides explain the same Industrial Property Bulletin system from different angles, including the five-year design term and the distinction between visual appearance, brand identity and technical invention.

Before you disclose a new product appearance, speak with our team about the correct filing route through our industrial design service. You can also use the Nepal trademark database search for related brand-name checks, then contact IP Sewa for practical filing advice.

#intellectual property #industrial design #department of industry #design registration

Frequently asked questions

The Department of Industry (DoI) is the official office for industrial design registration in Nepal. It examines applications, publishes accepted designs, handles objections, and issues registration certificates. The Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965 governs this process. Applications are filed directly with the DoI, not with the Copyright Registrar or a municipal office.

Industrial design registration is handled by the Department of Industry in Nepal, historically through its Kathmandu office. Before visiting, confirm the current filing counter, working hours, and document requirements with the DoI or a local filing representative. IP Sewa can prepare and submit the application through its design registration service.

You may prepare documents and submit information online through a professional filing service, but registration is completed through the Department of Industry’s national process. The DoI remains the registrar under the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965. A representative can manage drawings, forms, notarisation, filing, examination, publication, and certificate collection.

A design application normally includes the prescribed form, a notarised Power of Attorney, and four copies of the design with plan, elevation, and side views. You also need a notarised originality claim. Foreign applicants may need certified English copies of their home registration or priority filing documents.

Yes. The Department of Industry examines an industrial design for novelty and originality before registration. Clear drawings are essential because they show the appearance being protected. The office may raise questions or objections during examination. Applicants must respond properly before the design can proceed to publication and registration.

An unopposed industrial design application in Nepal typically takes about 12–14 months from filing to certificate. Six to eight months is possible only in the smoothest cases. Delays may arise during examination, document correction, publication, objections, or Department of Industry processing. An opposition can extend the timeline further.

After the Department of Industry accepts an industrial design, it publishes the design for public information. Under Nepal’s design practice, an interested person may file an objection within 35 days of publication. If no valid objection succeeds, the DoI registers the design and issues its certificate after the required formalities.

Yes. Publication gives others an opportunity to challenge the design before registration. An interested person may submit an objection to the Department of Industry within the applicable publication period, generally 35 days for industrial designs. The DoI considers the objection and may require hearings or written responses before deciding the application.

No. Nepal is not part of the Hague System for international industrial designs. Protection therefore requires a direct national application at the Department of Industry. Foreign applicants cannot rely on an international design registration alone, although a qualifying Paris Convention priority claim may be available with supporting documents.

An industrial design registration in Nepal begins with a five-year term and may be renewed for further terms. Renewal should be filed within 35 days after expiry; a later six-month period may be available with a fine. The Department of Industry records renewal, so owners should track the date printed on the certificate.