Changes to the Register Regarding Designs

The name or address of the applicant, holder or the representative of the design may change (e.g., due to a company name change, marriage, or divorce) without the holder of the name (natural or legal person) changing, i.e., without the legal entity changing.

Name changes are subject to a fee and must be supported by relevant documents (extracts from the commercial register, marriage certificates, etc.). A request for this type of change costs €100.

The announcement of a change in representation is free of charge and does not require supporting documents – for example, adding a new representative or removing an existing one. A representative is required to submit proof of power of representation. For professional representatives (patent attorneys, attorneys-at-law, or notaries), referencing the granted authorization is sufficient.

Would you like to transfer a registered design to another person or company (change of legal entity)? Any party involved may submit the request for change – an informal letter is sufficient. A fee applies for each request – if multiple designs are involved, the fee is multiplied accordingly.

The documents you need depend on the reason for the transfer:

• Purchase, gift, or other legal transfer: submit either corresponding written statements from both parties (or their authorized representatives) – or a deed of transfer or purchase agreement that clearly shows both parties’ agreement regarding the transfer of rights. The signatures of the parties or their representatives do not need to be certified – submitting an uncertified copy of the aforementioned documents is sufficient 
• Insolvency: for transfers in the course of insolvency proceedings, the document appointing the insolvency administrator must be submitted, and, if applicable, proof of the court’s approval of the transfer must also be provided
• Transfer of rights by other means (e.g., inheritance, merger, division, or conversion): in such cases, an original document must be submitted – such as a devolution certificate with confirmation of legal force or extracts from the commercial register or other relevant registers (usually including historical data) that demonstrate the legal succession. Domestic documents may be submitted as uncertified copies. Foreign documents require notarization or certification by a court, depending on the country of issuance – a copy is sufficient here as well.

The application costs €147 per design concerned.

A complete or partial renunciation of a design right may only be requested by the registered holder of the design (or their representative).

The online application must either be signed electronically (eID card/mobile signature) or a corresponding confirmatory document with a handwritten signature must be uploaded. For companies, ensure that it is officially signed.

The (partial) renunciation is free of charge and irrevocable.

If an official deadline is extendable, an extension may be requested.

In the application process, a request for further processing may be filed after a deadline has been missed. The request must be filed within two months of the notice of rejection being served, and the omitted action must be completed. No justification is required.

The fee for such a request is €156.

Anyone who misses a deadline due to an unforeseen or unavoidable event and suffers a legal disadvantage as a direct result is entitled to reinstatement of that deadline. This is possible within two months after the obstacle ceases to exist, but no later than twelve months after the deadline has expired. A statement of reasons and evidence of the circumstances must be provided. At the same time as the request is filed, the action that should have been taken within the missed deadline must be completed.
An application for reinstatement costs € 288.

In ongoing proceedings or in relation to existing national design rights, responses to official correspondence may be submitted – either along with additional documents or simply on one’s own initiative, e.g., the withdrawal of an application or an opposition.

The pleadings and documents must be uploaded as PDF files in uncertified form. Summaries or explanatory notes may also be provided in a comment field.

If you haven’t found a suitable form for your request, select the “other” option in the drop-down menu to submit your request.
Supported file formats: pdf, jpeg, wav, mp3, and mp4.

However, any applicable fees will not be automatically charged in this case. You are required to pay them manually.

Corrections may be requested for obvious errors in official documents and any resulting inaccuracies, including typographical errors, errors in the preparation of official documents, and other oversights that are not the result of an official decision. The correction is free of charge.