USPTO Seeks Comments on International Design Application Paperwork
Published Date: 11/9/2026
Notice
Summary
The USPTO is asking for public feedback on updating the paperwork for international design applications under the Hague Agreement. This affects designers and businesses wanting to protect their designs in multiple countries with one application. Comments are open until January 8, 2027, with no new fees announced, just smoother processing ahead!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
You must pay USPTO/WIPO filing and petition fees
If you file an international design application, you will pay specific filing and petition fees. For example, the first-part U.S. designation fee when transmitted by WIPO is CHF 1,150 (shown as $1,405.36) for an undiscounted entity and CHF 460 (shown as $562.14) for a small entity; the USPTO direct issue fee is $1,300 (undiscounted), $520 (small entity), or $260 (micro entity). Petition fees include $2,260 to excuse a failure to act (delay ≤ 2 years) for an undiscounted entity and $3,000 for a delay > 2 years; other listed petitions (e.g., convert to design application, review filing date) also carry fixed fees.
Design drawing production costs average $2,000
Producing design drawings typically costs about $200 per sheet and applicants submit on average 10 sheets, so the USPTO estimates an average drawing cost of $2,000 per application. The USPTO estimates these drawing costs total about $8,020,000 across the expected filings.
Time burden monetized at $550/hour totals significant cost
The USPTO estimates each response takes between 0.25 and 6 hours, with total annual respondent burden of 25,393 hours. Using an average billing rate of $550 per hour, the USPTO estimates the total annual hourly cost burden to respondents is $13,966,150.
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