Designs Act 2003
In plain English
This Act protects design rights. It stops others from copying designs without permission.
The Designs Act 2003 protects original designs. It applies to businesses creating new designs for manufactured goods. It gives the owner exclusive rights to commercially use the design. The Act came into force on 7 April 2004. It doesn't apply to certain things, like artistic works.
Why it matters
If your business creates unique designs, this Act protects your intellectual property. It helps prevent competitors from copying your work and damaging your brand.
AI-assisted summary, grounded in the source link below. Generated 2026-05-23 via gemma3:12b.
Summary
Registered designs (5+5 years) — visual appearance of products. 2021 amendments introduced 12-month grace period.
Topics
Administered by
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A01243. Rules Mate summarises and links; we don't republish full statutory text. Always verify against the live source before acting.