How to look up a UK registered design
Use the IPO's Find a registered design service with the design number or owner's name. If neither is known, use Designview. Compare the record with the exact factory proposal and save your findings before approving tooling or production. Gather the factory documents with Cambridge China Bridge.
Collect the exact product proposal
Ask the factory for photographs from different angles, drawings, its product reference and any claimed design registration number or owner's name. Ask where the proposed appearance came from and request the documents behind any claim that the factory owns it or has permission to supply it.
Keep this search tied to the proposed sample, rather than a similar catalogue photograph. Our guide to briefing a sample using a reference product helps you record the appearance you actually want the factory to develop.
Search by design number or owner
Open the GOV.UK page titled Find a registered design and follow its Start now link. The IPO search route uses a design number or the design owner's name. Copy a supplied number carefully, retaining any leading zeros, and keep the original factory document alongside your search notes.
For an owner search, start with the name on the registration document rather than assuming the factory's trading name is the owner. Try relevant spelling variations if necessary. Check the returned record against the factory's claim, and save the owner details, images, dates and status where available.
Use Designview when details are unknown
If you do not know the design number or owner's name, the IPO directs you to Designview. Follow the Designview link on the GOV.UK search page. Start with the UK search scope and use the available product-description or classification filters to explore the proposed product category.
Try alternative product names and related categories, then inspect the images in promising records. Save the search terms and filters you used, including searches that returned nothing. Treat those notes as a record of your search, and take unresolved similarities to a UK intellectual property adviser.
Compare the record with the proposed sample
Place the registered images beside the factory photographs and drawings. Note similarities and differences in outline, proportions, surface decoration and visible details. Examine every available view rather than relying on the product title or a thumbnail.
Ask a UK intellectual property adviser to assess a close match before you approve tooling or production. Provide the complete record, your comparison and the factory's supporting documents. Use our IP and tooling guide for the wider sourcing arrangements.
Record the buying decision
Keep the search date, search terms, relevant records, factory explanation and any professional advice in the product file. Record who approved the next step and which sample or drawing that approval covers. Repeat the comparison if the factory changes the appearance.
If you decide to develop an alternative, give the factory a written brief and keep the revised drawings separate from the original proposal. Our guide to UK design applications for alternative samples covers the related application topic. Cambridge China Bridge's staff in China can help collect the factory's proposal and supporting documents.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search for a UK design by number?
Open GOV.UK's Find a registered design page and follow Start now. Use the supplied design number, then compare the returned record with the exact factory proposal.
Can I search UK registered designs by owner?
Yes. The IPO search guidance identifies the owner's name as a search detail. Use the name on the registration document and check the images rather than relying on the name alone.
How do I search without a design number or owner?
Use Designview, as directed by the IPO. Explore the UK scope with available product-description or classification filters, inspect relevant images and save your search terms.
Should I approve production if nothing appears?
Do not use an empty result as your sole approval basis. Record what you searched, request the factory's supporting documents and ask a UK intellectual property adviser about unresolved concerns.