The Hague System for Industrial Designs & Why Nepal Isn't In It

The Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs, administered by WIPO, lets a designer file a single application to protect a design in multiple member countries at once. Nepal has not joined the Hague System, so Nepali designers and businesses must file design applications directly with the Department of Industry under the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965 to secure protection here.

Key Takeaways

• The Hague System is a WIPO treaty that simplifies filing industrial design applications across dozens of countries through one central procedure.
• Nepal is not a member of the Hague System, the Madrid System, or the PCT — international IP filing routes don't reach Nepal.
• To protect a design in Nepal, you must file directly with the Department of Industry (DoI) under the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965.
• A Nepali industrial design registration lasts 5 years, renewable for two further 5-year terms (15 years maximum).
• Nepal follows a first-to-file system — whoever files a valid application first gets the right, even if someone else created the design earlier.
• Foreign applicants must file through a Nepal-based agent or representative with a notarised Power of Attorney.
• You can search existing designs on the DoI's records before filing — IP Sewa's team can help you run that check through our contact page.

What exactly is the Hague System and how did it start?

The Hague System is an international treaty framework that lets a designer or business secure industrial design protection in multiple countries by filing a single application with WIPO's International Bureau, instead of filing separately in each country. The system traces its roots to the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Deposit of Industrial Designs, first adopted in 1925. It has been revised several times — the London Act of 1934, the Hague Act of 1960, and the Geneva Act of 1999, which modernised the system and opened it to countries like the United States and Japan whose domestic laws previously prevented membership. Today the Geneva Act is the operative treaty, with over 70 contracting parties.

Which countries can use the Hague System for design protection?

As of 2026, the Hague System covers more than 90 countries through its 70-plus contracting parties — including the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and India. India joined in 2024, becoming a notable recent addition from South Asia. A single Hague application can designate any or all of these member states, and each designated office examines the design under its own domestic law. The system is administered by the International Bureau of WIPO in Geneva, which maintains the International Register of Industrial Designs and publishes the International Designs Bulletin.

Why isn't Nepal a member of the Hague System?

Nepal has not acceded to the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement, so the international filing route is not available for design protection here. The reasons are practical rather than ideological. Nepal's Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act dates from 1965 and was last substantively amended in 2006 — it predates the modern Hague framework and would need legislative updates to accommodate international design registrations. Nepal is also not a member of the Madrid System for trademarks or the Patent Cooperation Treaty for patents. For a small economy with a limited number of annual design filings, the administrative cost of joining and operating an international treaty may outweigh the immediate benefit. The Department of Industry currently handles all design registrations through a domestic-only process, and there has been no public announcement of an intention to join the Hague System in the near term.

How do you protect an industrial design in Nepal without the Hague System?

Because Nepal sits outside the Hague System, you protect a design by filing an application directly with the Department of Industry under the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965. The DoI examines the application for novelty and registrability, and if it passes, the design is published in the Industrial Property Bulletin. There is a 90-day opposition window during which third parties can object. If no opposition is filed — or if an opposition is resolved in your favour — the DoI issues a registration certificate. The entire process typically takes 12 to 14 months for an unopposed application, though a particularly smooth case can finish in 6 to 8 months.

Step-by-step: filing a design application in Nepal

Here is the complete process for securing industrial design protection in Nepal, from the initial search to the registration certificate. Each step matters — skipping the search or getting the documents wrong is a common cause of delay.

1. Search existing designs. Before you commit time and money, check the DoI's design register for conflicting prior designs. IP Sewa's team can assist with this through our industrial design service.
2. Prepare your application. You'll need the application form, drawings or photographs of the design from multiple angles, a brief description, and — if you're a company — a board resolution authorising the filing.
3. Execute a Power of Attorney. If a representative is filing for you, a notarised Power of Attorney signed by the applicant and attested by two witnesses is mandatory. Foreign applicants must file through a Nepal-based agent.
4. File with the Department of Industry. Submit the complete application to the DoI. The department issues an acknowledgment with a filing number and date — this is your priority date under Nepal's first-to-file system.
5. DoI examination. The DoI examines the design for novelty and checks whether it meets the statutory definition of an industrial design under the Act. If the examiner raises an objection, you'll have an opportunity to respond.
6. Publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin. Once the design passes examination, the DoI publishes it. Publication opens the 90-day opposition window.
7. Opposition period (90 days). Any interested party can file an opposition. If one is filed, the DoI conducts an inquiry and issues a decision. If unopposed, the process moves to registration.
8. Registration and certificate. Once the opposition period closes without objection, you pay the registration fee and the DoI issues the registration certificate. Your design is now protected for an initial 5-year term.

What documents do you need to file an industrial design in Nepal?

The DoI requires a specific set of documents for a design application. Missing even one will delay your filing date — and in a first-to-file system, that delay can be costly. You'll need the completed application form, detailed drawings or photographs showing every angle of the design, a written description of the design's novel features, a notarised Power of Attorney if filing through a representative, a board resolution if the applicant is a company, and — for foreign applicants — a notarised copy of any home-country design registration certificate, translated into English. If you're claiming priority from an earlier foreign filing, you must also submit a certified copy of that application within the prescribed period.

How long does design protection last in Nepal, and how do you renew it?

An industrial design registration in Nepal is valid for an initial term of 5 years from the registration date. You can renew it for two further 5-year terms, giving a maximum total protection of 15 years. Renewal must be filed within 35 days of the expiry date. If you miss that window, the DoI allows a 6-month grace period with a late fee. If the design is not renewed by the end of the grace period, the registration is automatically cancelled and the design falls into the public domain in Nepal. This is shorter than many Hague System member countries, where design terms can reach 25 years depending on local law.

What are the legal foundations for design protection in Nepal?

Industrial design protection in Nepal rests entirely on the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965 (PDTA), a single statute that covers all three industrial property rights. The Act defines an industrial design as the shape, configuration, pattern, or ornament applied to an article — essentially, how a product looks. The Nepal Law Commission maintains the consolidated text. Nepal is also a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the TRIPS Agreement, both of which set minimum standards for design protection. However, neither treaty creates a direct filing route — that's what the Hague System does, and Nepal has not yet joined it. The DoI is the sole authority for examining, publishing, and registering designs under the PDTA.

Common mistakes when protecting designs in Nepal — and how to avoid them

A mistake we see often is assuming a design registered abroad automatically has protection in Nepal. It doesn't — Nepal is outside the Hague System and doesn't recognise foreign design registrations without a separate DoI filing. Another common error is filing drawings that are unclear or incomplete. The DoI examines the visual representation closely, and if the examiner can't understand the design from the submitted images, you'll get an objection that adds months to the timeline. A third mistake is waiting too long. In a first-to-file jurisdiction, even a few weeks' delay can let someone else file first and claim priority. If you're launching a product with a distinctive look in the Nepali market, file the design application before you go public — disclosure before filing can destroy novelty in some cases. Our team can help you prepare a complete, examination-ready design application through our industrial design registration service.

A realistic example: furniture designer in Patan

Imagine a furniture studio in Patan that creates a chair with a distinctive carved backrest pattern — something traditional in inspiration but wholly new in execution. The studio wants to sell the chair in Nepal and also export it to Europe and Japan. Because Nepal isn't in the Hague System, the studio can't file one international application that covers all three markets. Instead, it must file a design application with the DoI in Kathmandu for Nepal protection, and — separately — either file a Hague System application designating the EU and Japan (since both are Hague members), or file directly with each foreign office. The DoI application follows the full domestic process: examination, publication, 90-day opposition, and registration for an initial 5-year term. The Hague application proceeds in parallel through WIPO. It's two separate workflows, two sets of fees, and two renewal calendars — but that's the reality until Nepal joins the Hague System. The studio's best move is to start the Nepal filing early and coordinate the international filing with a WIPO-trained agent abroad. For the Nepal side, reach out to our team and we'll help you prepare the DoI application.

In short, the Hague System is a powerful tool for designers who need protection across multiple countries — but it doesn't reach Nepal. Designers and businesses who want enforceable rights here must file directly with the Department of Industry under the PDTA. The process is well-established, the requirements are clear, and the 5-year renewable term gives you up to 15 years of protection. Until Nepal accedes to the Geneva Act, the direct-filing route is the only game in town — and getting it right the first time saves you months of delay.

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Need to protect an industrial design in Nepal? Start by checking the DoI's design register for conflicts — search existing designs now. Ready to file? Our team handles the full application process, from document preparation to DoI follow-up. Get in touch for a personalised consultation, or explore our industrial design registration service to see how we help designers secure their rights in Nepal.