Design Registration in Turkey: Procedure, Requirements & Strategy
- Evren Fırat Göklü
- Dec 13, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 18, 2025
In the global market, the visual appeal of a product is often as valuable as its function. For industries such as fashion, furniture, packaging, lighting, and confectionery, the aesthetic design is the primary driver of consumer choice.
Turkey, being a major manufacturing and export hub (particularly in textiles and furniture), is a critical jurisdiction for design protection. Under the Industrial Property Code No. 6769 ("Code 6769"), protecting the unique appearance of products is essential to prevent imitation and secure market share.
At Goklu Law & IP Firm, we manage industrial design portfolios for international clients and IP firms, ensuring strict compliance with TURKPATENT regulations and the Locarno Classification system.
What is an Industrial Design? (Scope of Protection)
According to Article 55 of the Code 6769, a design is the appearance of the whole or a part of a product resulting from the features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colours, shape, texture, or materials of the product or its ornamentation.
Please note that the design registration protects only the visual appearance, not the technical function or operating principle of the product. For example, the appearance of:
Furniture: Armchairs, tables, lighting fixtures.
Textile & Fashion: Fabric patterns, garment forms, footwear.
Packaging: Bottles, boxes, containers.
Graphic Design: GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces), logos, typographic typefaces, web designs.
Foodstuff: Unique shapes of chocolate, biscuits, and confectionery.
Required Documents for Design Registration
We require the following information and documents to initiate a filing (No hard copies required):
Visual Representations (The Views)
The scope of protection is defined strictly by the visuals submitted. Therefore, high-quality images are mandatory.
High-resolution JPG format.
Background must be plain, neutral, and preferably white. No shadows or other objects should be visible.
Various angles (front, side, top, perspective, etc.) may be provided to fully disclose the design features.
TURKPATENT accepts specific pixel dimensions for accurate publication:
945 x 945 pixels (8x8 cm)
945 x 1890 pixels (8x16 cm)
1890 x 945 pixels (16x8 cm)
1890 x 1890 pixels (16x16 cm)
Product Name & Classification (Locarno)
The common name of the product (e.g., "Armchair", "Vase", "Packaging Box") must be provided to us. Based on this, we determine the correct Locarno Classification (Class and Sub-class) to prevent classification irregularities.
Applicant and Designer Details
Applicant (Rights Holder):
For Corporations: Full legal name, address, nationality, and email.
For Individuals: Full name, address, nationality, gender, and email.
Designer(s): Designers must always be real persons. Full name, address, nationality, and gender are required.
Statement of Right (Relationship)
If the Applicant and the Designer are different entities (e.g., a company owning a design created by an employee), the Code 6769 requires a declaration of how the right was transferred (e.g., Employment Relationship, Contractual Assignment, or Shareholding).
No physical assignment deed or contract needs to be submitted to the TURKPATENT. A simple declaration of the relationship type in our instruction is sufficient.
Special Requests (Confidentiality and Deferment of Publication)
The designer’s name can be kept confidential upon request.
Especially for fast-moving sectors like fashion, applicants may request a deferment of publication for up to 30 months. During this period, the design remains confidential and is not published in the Bulletin. However, during the deferment period, the design is protected under the "Unregistered Design" status. For more details, please refer to our article: "Unregistered Design Protection in Turkey."
No Power of Attorney Required: For design applications, no Power of Attorney (PoA) is required.
Cost Efficiency: Multiple Design Applications
One of the greatest advantages of the Turkish design system is the "Multiple Design Application" mechanism. Multiple designs can be included in a single application, provided they belong to the same Locarno Class.
This allows for significant cost savings. Instead of paying a full filing fee for each design, you pay one basic fee and a significantly reduced fee for each additional design. This is ideal for collections (e.g., a furniture collection or a season of textile patterns).
Procedure & Timeline
The registration process follows these steps:
Formal & Novelty Examination: TURKPATENT examiners check formal requirements and conduct a novelty search (worldwide novelty).
Publication & Opposition: If accepted, the design is published in the Official Design Bulletin. The publication period is 3 months. Third parties may file oppositions during this period.
Registration: If no oppositions are filed (or if they are rejected), the Design Registration Certificate is issued electronically.
A smooth registration process takes approximately 6 to 8 months. For details on opposition proceedings in design applications, please refer to our article: "Oppositions, Responses, and Appeal Processes in Turkish Design Applications."
Term of Protection
A registered industrial design is protected for 5 years from the date of filing. This protection can be renewed for 5-year periods, up to a maximum of 25 years.
Official Fees
There are two official fees for design registration, and both must be paid before filing:
Official Application Fee: Varies depending on whether it is a single or multiple application. (Additional designs in a multiple design application enjoy reduced fees).
Official Publication Fee: Calculated based on the size (8x8 cm vs. 8x16 cm) and the number of visuals submitted.
To protect your unique designs in Turkey and for a detailed fee schedule, please contact us at info@goklulaw.com.
Key Contact:
Founding Partner | Attorney at Law | Trademark & Patent Attorney
