What a product looks like is an asset too. A design patent protects the shape itself; only together with trademarks and copyright does it make a complete fence.
| Item | Official fee | Our service fee |
|---|---|---|
| Design patent—filing per application | CNY 500 | Quoted case by case |
| Priority claim fee per priority claim | CNY 80 | Quoted case by case |
Official fees follow CNIPA's published schedule. After grant, annuities run for the life of the right; see the official fee guide.
The same product appearance can fall under three rights at once: a design patent protects the shape itself, copyright protects the original expression of an artistic work, and a three-dimensional trademark protects the shape insofar as it is used as a commercial sign. The three differ in how they are obtained, how long they last and what enforcement requires—the question is not “which one” but “which ones are worth doing together.”
Related: Patent filing (choosing between the invention, utility model and design routes).
If the product is going abroad, the design can be registered internationally under the Hague Agreement: one receiving office, one application, one language, one currency—designating the United States (USPTO), Japan (JPO), the European Union (EUIPO) and other jurisdictions through WIPO, with no need to file country by country.
In the other direction, for overseas companies designating China under Hague: the individual designation fee is paid in three installments—CNY 4,100 for the first, CNY 7,600 for the second and CNY 15,000 for the third. The first and second installments qualify for a reduction under China's fee reduction rules if the conditions are met (Cai Shui [2024] No. 23, 财税〔2024〕23号); the third is not eligible. The supporting documents for a fee reduction, however, assume the applicant sits within China's tax system, which does not suit overseas entities—see the fee reduction notes in the official fee guide for whether you can actually benefit.
On the filing side, our preparation is quick: photographs and drawings of the design take about 1–3 working days. Whether to go through Hague, and which jurisdictions to designate, depends on the product's target markets—just tell us your sales plans when you book a consultation.
