Design renewal fees in Canada: costs, due dates and grace period
A registered design in Canada lasts until the later of 10 years after registration and 15 years after filing. One maintenance fee falls due, five years after the registration date. Miss it and you have 6 months to put it right, with a CAD 63 late fee.
What are the design renewal due dates in Canada?
Canada protects a registered design until the later of 10 years after registration and 15 years after filing. One maintenance fee falls due, five years after registration.
The maintenance fee falls due five years after the registration date, payable to CIPO. It keeps the design in force for the rest of its term.
For example, if the registration date is 2016-03-15, the maintenance fee is due by 2021-03-15.
There is only one maintenance fee. Once it is paid the design stays in force until the end of its term, and there is no further renewal or extension.
For example, a design filed on 2015-03-15 and registered on 2016-03-15 stays protected until 2030-03-15, after which no further renewal is possible.
Canada is a member of the Hague System. A design registered nationally is renewed by paying CIPO. Where protection instead comes from an international registration designating Canada, the renewal is paid directly to WIPO's International Bureau. WIPO registers designs and does not grant them, so CIPO remains free to refuse protection under its own law.
A design registered here stays protected until the later of 10 years after registration and 15 years after filing, 15 Mar 2030 in this example. One maintenance fee falls due, on 15 Mar 2021. Miss it and you have 6 months to put it right with a CAD 63 late fee, until 15 Sep 2021 in this example.
Official design renewal fees by year in Canada
Official fees payable to CIPO, in CAD. One maintenance fee falls due, five years after registration, to keep the design alive for its full term.
| Maintenance fee | Official fee 2026 (CAD) | From 1 Jan 2027 (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Due 5 years after registration | 531.80 | 540.84 |
The renewal fees for industrial designs in Canada vary depending on whether the industrial design is a national registration or an international registration through the WIPO. For international registrations, fees also depend on the number of industrial designs in the application and whether it is a family registration.
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Missed a design renewal deadline in Canada?
A six-month grace period runs from the due date. You can still pay the maintenance fee inside it, with a late fee of CAD 63 on top. The deadline counts from the registration date, not the filing date: the fee is due five years after registration. CIPO adjusts its fees every 1 January, so check the current amount before you pay.
If the maintenance fee due on 15 Mar 2021 is missed, the design stays recoverable for 6 months, until about 15 Sep 2021 in this example.
Design renewal fees in other jurisdictions
The same schedule, deadlines and grace rules, in the jurisdictions we are asked about most.
Looking for a different jurisdiction?
Design renewal fees and deadlines in every jurisdiction we cover.
Other IP renewals in Canada
Designs aren't the only rights that lapse without renewal. Canada also protects patents and trademarks. Each on its own schedule and fee scale.
Patents
Renewal deadlines, grace periods and official fees for patents in Canada.
Trademarks
Renewal terms and official fees for trademarks in Canada.
What happens to a Canadian industrial design before it has been registered?
Renewal fees must be paid in Canada regardless of whether the industrial design is registered or not. You can find the rules for calculating the renewal due dates above in the Due Dates section.
When can I pay the renewal fee in Canada?
The renewal fee in Canada can be paid at any time before the renewal due date. Technically, all annuities can be paid at the same time, meaning that you will only have to pay one, large sum of renewal fee.
Can I renew an industrial design after I miss a renewal due date?
Yes, it is possible to renew a Canadian industrial design after its renewal due date. If you fail to pay the renewal fee before the due date, a grace period of 6 months is given wherein the renewal fees can still be settled. When entering the grace period you will incur a surcharge fee to be settled along with the renewal fee. If you wish to maintain the industrial design, both the renewal fee and the surcharge fee will have to be settled. For example, if an industrial design has a renewal due date of 2021-05-31 and the due date is missed, the industrial design will enter the grace period from 2021-06-01. After this point both the renewal fee and the surcharge fee will need to be settled by 2021-11-30. Failure to pay these fees before the surcharge due date will result in the industrial design lapsing.
How long do industrial designs last in Canada?
An industrial design will stay in force for 15 years in Canada from the filing date if successfully renewed. Failure to pay the renewal fees will result in the industrial design lapsing.
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