Design renewal fees in South Africa: costs, due dates and grace period
A registered design in South Africa lasts up to 15 years from the filing date. The first renewal falls due before the end of year 3, and renewals then run every year. Miss one and you have 6 months to put it right, with a late fee of R82 for the first month and R44 for each further month.
What are the design renewal due dates in South Africa?
South Africa protects a registered design for up to 15 years from the filing date. Renewal falls due every year, 12 times in all.
The first renewal falls due before the end of year 3, payable to CIPC. It carries the design into year 4.
For example, if the filing date is 2015-03-15, the first renewal is due by 2018-03-15.
Each further renewal runs every year on the same basis, until the 15-year maximum is reached. There is no extension beyond it.
For example, protection can be kept alive until 2030-03-15, after which no further renewal is possible.
South Africa is not a member of the Hague System. There is no international design route into South Africa: a design must be registered directly with CIPC, and every renewal fee is paid to CIPC rather than to WIPO.
A design registered here can be kept alive for at most 15 years. The first renewal falls due on 15 Mar 2018, and renewals then run every year, 12 in total. Miss one and you have 6 months to put it right with a surcharge, until 15 Sep 2018 in this example.
Official design renewal fees by year in South Africa
Official fees payable to the CIPC, in ZAR, charged every year the design stays on the register, up to year 15.
| Renewal | Official fee (ZAR) | Cumulative (ZAR) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 4 | 120 | 120 |
| Year 5 | 120 | 240 |
| Year 6 | 120 | 360 |
| Year 7 | 77 | 437 |
| Year 8 | 77 | 514 |
| Year 9 | 90 | 604 |
| Year 10 | 90 | 694 |
| Year 11 | 110 | 804 |
| Year 12 | 110 | 914 |
| Year 13 | 132 | 1,046 |
| Year 14 | 132 | 1,178 |
| Year 15 | 149 | 1,327 |
| Full term, years 4 to 15 | 1,327 | |
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Missed a design renewal deadline in South Africa?
A six-month grace period runs from the due date. You can still pay inside it, with a late fee of R82 for the first month and R44 for each further month. The fees on this page apply to aesthetic designs, which last 15 years; functional designs last 10 years and pay fewer annual fees. Once the grace period closes, the design lapses.
If the renewal due on 15 Mar 2018 is missed, the design stays recoverable for 6 months, until about 15 Sep 2018 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 South Africa
Designs aren't the only rights that lapse without renewal. South Africa also protects patents and trademarks. Each on its own schedule and fee scale.
Patents
Renewal deadlines, grace periods and official fees for patents in South Africa.
Trademarks
What happens to a South African design before it has been registered?
Renewal fees must be paid in South Africa regardless of whether the 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 South Africa?
The renewal fee in South Africa 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 a registered design after I miss a renewal due date?
Yes, it is possible to renew a South African registered 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 registered design, both the renewal fee and the surcharge fee will have to be settled. For example, if a registered design has a renewal due date of 2021-05-31 and the due date is missed, the registered 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 registered design lapsing.
How long do registered designs last in South Africa?
A registered design will stay in force for 15 years in South Africa from the filing date if successfully renewed. Failure to pay the renewal fees will result in the registered design lapsing.
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