In Paraguay a design or industrial model should be registered to be protected by the rights that govern them. As a general rule, to be able to be registered, the design or model must be “new” or “original”. In general, “new” means that there is not knowledge that there has previously existed an identical or very similar design or model.

When a design or model is registered a certificate of registration is issued. As of that moment the term of protection is five years, with the possibility of continuing the renewal of term for up to 15 years. The fact that it enjoys a shorter protection does not imply that it is of smaller importance than the inventions, but that it is a logical characteristic, since the objects “fashionable” have a shorter life from the technological or industrial point of view.