To obtain national protection for the aesthetic aspects of a product, a creator must, subject to payment of the related duties, file the product’s design (two-dimensional representation) or model (three-dimensional representation) at the Intellectual Property Division, in view of its registration. To prevent potential disputes following the official publication of the registration, it is strongly advised that the application be made by the creator or, failing this, that the applicant be the owner of the copyright.

Once registered, the design or model is protected in Monaco for a period of 10 years. This period may be renewed up to four times, thereby granting its owner an exclusive right of exploitation up to fifty years.