Title 17, CopyrightsRelease 119-102
§1311 Benefit of Earlier Filing Date in Foreign Country
Title 17 › CHAPTER 13 — PROTECTION OF ORIGINAL DESIGNS › § 1311
Summary
A U.S. design application can be given the filing date of an earlier foreign application. This applies if you, your legal representative, a previous owner, or a later owner filed for the same design in a foreign country that gives similar protection to U.S. citizens or similar U.S. applications. You must file the U.S. application within 6 months of that first foreign filing to get the earlier date.
Full Legal Text
Title 17, §1311
Copyrights, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
An application for registration of a design filed in the United States by any person who has, or whose legal representative or predecessor or successor in title has, previously filed an application for registration of the same design in a foreign country which extends to designs of owners who are citizens of the United States, or to applications filed under this chapter, similar protection to that provided under this chapter shall have that same effect as if filed in the United States on the date on which the application was first filed in such foreign country, if the application in the United States is filed within 6 months after the earliest date on which any such foreign application was filed.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
17 U.S.C. § 1311
Title 17, Copyrights
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102