Hague design fees have three parts: a WIPO basic fee of CHF 397 for the first design and CHF 50 for each additional one, a publication fee of CHF 17 per reproduction, and a designation fee for each member where you want protection, either a standard fee set by WIPO or an individual fee set by that member. According to WIPO, the average international registration cost CHF 2,098 in official fees in 2025. This guide breaks down each fee, with examples for the EU and for Latin American and African members, and the costs that do not appear in WIPO’s calculator.
Key takeaways
- All Hague fees are paid to WIPO in Swiss francs (CHF), including the fees that WIPO passes on to designated offices.
- Designation fees vary most: from CHF 42 for one design in a level one member to CHF 1,150 per design for the United States at the default rate.
- The EU charges an individual fee of EUR 62 per design, listed by WIPO as CHF 59; Mexico and OAPI also charge individual fees, and Brazil the level two standard fee.
- Renewal every five years costs a WIPO basic fee plus designation fees; for the EU, later renewals can cost less through Hague than directly at the EUIPO.
- Official fees exclude professional fees, local agents for refusals and translations of responses.
What fees make up a Hague design application?
The Hague System is WIPO’s international system for registering industrial designs: one application, in English, French or Spanish, can cover up to 100 designs of the same Locarno class in many countries. These are the main items of the Schedule of Fees in force on 1 July 2026:
| Fee | Amount (CHF) |
|---|---|
| Basic fee, first design | 397 |
| Basic fee, each additional design | 50 |
| Publication fee, per reproduction | 17 |
| Publication fee, per extra page of paper reproductions | 150 |
| Description over 100 words, per extra word | 2 |
| Standard designation fee, level one / two / three (first design) | 42 / 60 / 90 |
| Standard designation fee, level one / two / three (each additional design) | 2 / 20 / 50 |
| Individual designation fee | Set by each member |
Applicants whose only entitlement is a connection with a Least Developed Country pay 10% of WIPO’s own fees and of standard designation fees, according to the same schedule.
Standard or individual designation fee: who charges what?
The level of the standard fee reflects how much examination each office carries out. WIPO’s declarations table (August 2025) places Brazil, Morocco, Tunisia, Norway, Switzerland and Germany, among others, at level two, and Ghana, Namibia and Finland, among others, at level three; members not listed apply level one. Members that declared an individual fee set their own amount, published in WIPO’s table of individual fees (April 2026):
| Member | Individual designation fee at filing (CHF) |
|---|---|
| European Union | 59 per design |
| Mexico | First part: 98 for one design + 3 per additional (reduced: 49 + 1). Second part: 283 (reduced: 141), paid later |
| African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) | 73 single deposit; 110 multiple deposit |
| United States | 1,150 per part at the default rate (lower for small and micro entities) |
| Japan | 373 per design |
| China | 497 per application |
The EU amount comes from Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2026/715, which sets the individual designation fee at EUR 62 per design; WIPO converts it into Swiss francs.
Hague design fees in practice: two worked examples
Both examples use official fees only, at default rates, and assume all designs belong to one Locarno class.
| Item | A: 1 design, 4 reproductions, EU only | B: 3 designs, 12 reproductions, EU + Mexico + Brazil + OAPI |
|---|---|---|
| Basic fee | 397 | 497 (397 + 2 × 50) |
| Publication fee | 68 | 204 |
| EU | 59 | 177 (3 × 59) |
| Mexico, first part | – | 104 (98 + 2 × 3) |
| Brazil, level two | – | 100 (60 + 2 × 20) |
| OAPI, multiple deposit | – | 110 |
| Total at filing (CHF) | 524 | 1,192, plus Mexico’s second part later |
For comparison, one EU design filed directly at the EUIPO costs EUR 350 and three cost EUR 600 under Annex I. Hague is not the cheaper route for the EU alone; its value is reaching the EU, Mexico, Brazil and the OAPI member states with one application, one fee payment and one registration to manage.
WIPO’s Hague Yearly Review 2026 (9 July 2026) gives the wider picture: the average registration cost CHF 2,098 in 2025, about two-thirds of registrations cost less than that and only 3.5% cost more than CHF 5,000.
How much does renewal cost?
International registrations last five years and are renewed in five-year periods, up to the maximum each member allows: 25 years for the EU, Mexico and Brazil and 15 years for OAPI, according to WIPO’s declarations table. At renewal you pay a WIPO basic fee of CHF 200 plus CHF 17 per additional design, standard designation fees of CHF 21 plus CHF 1 per additional design, and individual fees where they apply: CHF 59 per design for the EU, CHF 168 per design for OAPI and CHF 290 per design for Mexico at the default rate. If you miss the deadline, you can still renew within six months, with a surcharge of 50% of the basic fee, according to WIPO’s Hague FAQs.
The comparison with the EUIPO is worth making. Directly, an EU design’s renewal fee rises from EUR 150 to EUR 700 per design by the fourth renewal (Annex I). Through Hague, the EU’s individual renewal fee stays at EUR 62 per design in every period, although the WIPO basic fee is added. For long-lived designs, that difference adds up.
What this means for your business
- Budget by member, not by application: designation fees drive the total.
- Group designs by Locarno class; each extra class means another basic fee.
- Count reproductions carefully. Each one costs CHF 17, but too few views can lead to refusals.
- Check entitlement first: in Latin America, only companies connected with Mexico, Brazil and a few other members can file.
- Run WIPO’s fee calculator before filing, because individual fees change.
If you want a Hague budget built design by design, our international design registration team can prepare it alongside the EUIPO and national options.
The costs WIPO’s calculator does not show
- Refusals. Any designated office can refuse protection; the response follows local procedure and often requires a local representative, at local cost.
- Translations. You file in English, French or Spanish, but responses to an office may need to be in its language.
- Mexico’s second part, payable later, and any reduced rates you may lose if the applicant does not qualify.
- Priority documents and certified copies, which some offices require.
- Professional fees for preparing reproductions, checking unity of design rules and managing deadlines.
- Exchange-rate exposure: everything is paid in Swiss francs, and WIPO notes that individual fees can change with exchange rates, so it advises paying renewal fees no earlier than three months before expiry.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Hague international design application cost?
The WIPO basic fee is CHF 397 for one design plus CHF 50 for each additional design, the publication fee is CHF 17 per reproduction, and each designated member adds a standard or individual designation fee. One design with four views designating only the EU costs CHF 524. WIPO reports an average of CHF 2,098 per registration in 2025.
What is the EU designation fee under the Hague System?
EUR 62 per design, set in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2026/715 and listed by WIPO as CHF 59 in its April 2026 table. The same amount applies at each renewal. You also pay WIPO’s basic and publication fees, so for the EU alone a direct EUIPO filing at EUR 350 is usually cheaper.
Are there hidden costs in a Hague application?
Yes. WIPO’s fees cover filing and registration, not what happens if an office objects. Refusals are handled under local law, often through a local representative and in the local language. Mexico’s second part is paid later, and professional fees for preparing reproductions and managing the file are separate.
Can IP Global Guard prepare a Hague fee budget and filing?
Yes. We calculate official fees by member, prepare and coordinate the international application before WIPO, directly where our professionals are entitled to act and otherwise through qualified representatives, and coordinate local correspondents for any refusal across Europe, Latin America and Africa, with one point of contact.
Get a design budget from IP Global Guard
A Hague filing is cost-effective when the designations, classes and reproductions are planned together. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, plans and manages design filings with one strategy and one billing relationship across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa.
Send us the designs, the number of views and the countries you want to cover. We will return a budget with official fees by route and coordinate the filing. Request a Hague fee estimate.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects official fees on its publication date.
Sources
- WIPO, Hague System Schedule of Fees (in force on 1 July 2026)
- WIPO, Individual fees under the Hague Agreement (April 2026)
- WIPO, Declarations by contracting parties (August 2025)
- WIPO, Hague Yearly Review 2026: executive summary (9 July 2026)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2026/715 on European Union designs, Annex I (30 March 2026)
- WIPO, Hague System frequently asked questions
- WIPO, Hague fee calculator
