Intellectual property services
Industrial design registration in Qatar
Qatar’s Industrial Property Office began accepting industrial-design applications on 26 October 2025 — the first time in the country’s history. The register is new, most of what is on the market is still unregistered, and that is exactly what makes filing now worth more than filing later.
At a glance
- Register opened
- 26 Oct 2025
- Statute
- Law No. 10 of 2020
- Initial term
- 5 years
- Maximum
- 15 years
A register months old
Until 26 October 2025 there was no register in Qatar in which an industrial design could be filed. Opening it under Law No. 10 of 2020 and its implementing regulations created a right that simply was not available before — and with it a window that does not come round twice.
In a new register, most of what is on the market is unregistered. Whoever files first secures their product’s appearance before their competitors do; whoever waits may find the look of their own product registered in somebody else’s name.
What an industrial design protects
An industrial design protects appearance: shape, lines, ornamentation, colour composition and surface treatment. What a buyer sees and recognises your product by, short of a name or a logo.
It protects how a product looks, not how it works — function is the domain of patents. A single product often needs both layers: a patent for what it does, a design for what it looks like, and a trademark for the name it sells under. We set out which layers actually apply to your product, and which are not worth the spend.
Term and renewal
An industrial design is protected for five years from the filing date and may be renewed twice, to a maximum of fifteen years — a term that fits the life cycle of most consumer and industrial products.
We docket renewal dates alongside the rest of your portfolio, so protection does not expire on a product that is still selling.
Novelty is a condition, disclosure is a risk
As with a patent, an industrial design must be new. Showing the product before filing — at an exhibition, in a shop, in a social post — can defeat that condition.
If your product is already on display, tell us the date and place of first showing before any other step. If it is not out yet, the correct order is straightforward: file, then launch.
Common questions
Can I register a product design in Qatar now?
Yes. The Industrial Property Office began accepting applications on 26 October 2025 under Law No. 10 of 2020 and its implementing regulations.
What is the difference between an industrial design and a patent?
A design protects the appearance of a product; a patent protects its function or method of operation. One product may need both, and each has its own procedure and term.
My product is already on the market — is it too late?
That depends on the date and place of first disclosure, because novelty is a condition of registration. Tell us the details and we will assess your position before you spend on a filing that may not be accepted.
Related services
Shall we start?
Tell us what you need to protect and we will set out the route and the risk before a fee is spent. Initial consultations are confidential and without obligation.