Utility Model - Availability and Names

Availability and Names

Utility model applications may be prepared and filed at local patent offices in countries where utility model protection is available.

The table below is a list of countries having utility model protection under various names as at March 2008.

Country Type of Protection Maximum Term PCT route available Conversion from Patent Application
Albania utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Angola utility model no set term No No
Argentina utility model 10 years No Yes
ARIPO utility model 8 years Yes Yes
Armenia utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Aruba small patent 6 years Yes via Netherlands Yes
Australia innovation patent 8 years Not unless by division Yes
Austria utility model 10 years Yes Yes by division
Azerbaijan utility model unknown Yes Yes
Belarus utility model 8 years Yes unknown
Belgium short patent 6 years No No
Belize utility model 7 years Yes Yes
Bolivia utility model 10 years No unknown
Botswana utility model 7 years Yes unknown
Brazil utility model 15 years Yes probably
Bulgaria utility model 10 years Yes probably
Chile utility model 10 years No unknown
China utility model patent 10 years Yes unknown
Colombia utility model 10 years Yes probably by division
Costa Rica utility model 12 years Yes Yes
Czech Republic utility model 10 years Yes Yes by division
Denmark utility model 10 years Yes Yes by division
Ecuador utility model 10 years Yes Yes by division
Estonia utility model 8 years Yes Yes
Ethiopia utility model 10 years No Yes
Finland utility model 10 years Yes Yes
France utility model 6 years No Yes
Georgia utility model 8 years Yes Yes
Germany utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Ghana utility model 7 years Yes Yes
Greece utility model 7 years No Yes
Guatemala utility model 10 years No Yes
Honduras utility model 15 years Yes unknown
Hungary utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Indonesia Petty Patent/Simple Patent 10 years Yes Yes
Ireland short term patent 10 years No Yes
Italy utility model 10 years No Yes
Japan utility model 10 – 15 years Yes Yes
Kazakhstan utility model 8 years Yes Yes
Kenya utility model 10 years (From date of registration) Yes Yes
Korea (south) utility patent 15 years Yes Yes
Kuwait utility model 7 years No unknown
Kyrgyzstan utility model unknown Yes unknown
Laos petty patent 7 years No unknown
Lesotho utility model 7 years Yes Yes
Macau utility model unknown No unknown
Malaysia utility innovation 15 years Yes No
Mexico utility model 10 years Yes Yes.
Moldova utility model unknown Yes probably
Mozambique utility model unknown Yes probably
Netherlands short term patent (*) 6 years No unknown
Nicaragua utility model unknown Yes probably
OAPI utility model 8 years Yes probably not
Panama utility model 10 years No unknown
Peru utility model patent 5 years No Yes
Philippines utility model 7 years Yes Yes
Poland utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Portugal utility model no set term Yes unknown
Russia utility model 13 years Yes Yes
Sierra Leone utility model unknown Yes probably
Slovakia utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Slovenia short term patent 10 years Yes probably
South Africa functional design 10 years No No
Spain utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Taiwan utility model 10–12 years No Yes
Tajikistan utility model 9 years Yes probably
Tangier Zone utility model 10 years No unknown
Tonga utility model 7 years No No
Trinidad and Tobago utility certificate 10 years Yes unknown
Turkey utility model 10 years Yes Yes
Uganda utility certificate 7 years No Yes
Ukraine utility model 8 years Yes Yes
United Arab Emirates utility model 10 years Yes unknown
Uruguay utility model patent 10 years No Yes
Uzbekistan utility model 8 years Yes probably
Venezuela utility model 10 years No Yes
Vietnam utility model 6 years Yes Yes

(*) The Dutch short-term patent is no longer granted since June 5, 2008.

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