Protection of Graphical User Interfaces as Registered Design Rights or Design Patents in Türkiye

• Design Filing Fee:
  • Main design filing fee: TRY 1,730 (approx. EUR 35)
  • 2^nd design (first additional design): TRY 3,129.20 (approx. EUR 63)
  • 3^rd design: TRY 3,388.20 (approx. EUR 69)
  • 4^th design: TRY 3,647.20 (approx. EUR 74)
  • 5^th design: TRY 3,906.20 (approx. EUR 80)
  • 6^th design and onwards: Each additional design increases by + TRY 630 [approx. EUR 13]
  • (e.g. 6^th design: TRY 4,536.20 [approx. EUR 92], 7^th design: TRY 5,166.20 [approx. EUR 105])
• A publication fee of TRY 230 (approx. EUR 5) is charged per 8×8 cm visual unit.

• Registered designs are protected for a maximum period of 25 years, in five-year periods starting from the filing date. For each five-year term, the design owner must file a renewal request and pay the corresponding renewal fee. If the renewal is not completed before the end of the protection period, the design owner may still maintain the right by filing within a six-month grace period, subject to the payment of a surcharge.
• As of 2025, the renewal fees according to the official fee schedule published by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (“TÜRKPATENT” or “Office”) are as follows:
  • First renewal (6th–10th year): TRY 5,280 (approx. EUR 108)
  • Additional design renewal fee (per design): TRY 420 (approx. EUR 9)
  • Late renewal within grace period (single design): TRY 9,210 (approx. EUR 188)
  • Late renewal – additional design (per design): TRY 750 (approx. EUR 15)

In Türkiye, a GUI design application is typically completed within 4 to 6 months, provided that there are no deficiencies or oppositions. Following submission, the TÜRKPATENT conducts a formality examination within approximately 1–2 months; if the application is in order, it is published in the Official Design Bulletin, triggering a three-month opposition period during which third parties may file objections. If no opposition is filed, the application proceeds to registration and issuance of the design certificate, thereby concluding the process.

If a design for which protection is sought has been disclosed to the public by the designer, their successor, or a third party with the consent of either, or as a result of the misuse of a relationship with the designer or their successor, within 12 months prior to the application date or, if priority is claimed, the priority date, such disclosure shall not affect the novelty or the distinctive character of the design.

In Türkiye, the publication of a design application can be deferred for up to 30 months from the filing date. During this period, the design is not disclosed in the register or the official bulletin.

If a design application is filed directly by the applicant, no power of attorney is required; however, if the application is filed through a representative, a written power of attorney must be submitted to the TÜRKPATENT. If the power of attorney is not submitted at the time of filing, the Office generally grants a two-month period to remedy the deficiency. Notarisation is not required, but the document must be in writing and clearly indicate the representative’s authority.

In Türkiye, it is possible to claim priority in a design application; in such case, the priority document must be submitted to the TÜRKPATENT within 3 months from the filing date. The original document and, if applicable, its sworn translation are required; the use of a WIPO DAS code is not explicitly regulated in the implementing provisions. If the document is not submitted within the prescribed period or if deficiencies are not remedied, only the priority right is lost, while the application itself remains valid. The time limit to benefit from the priority right is 6 months, in accordance with the Paris Convention. Where multiple priority claims are made for the same design, the earliest priority date shall apply.

In Türkiye, all design applications, including those concerning GUIs, are primarily subject to a formalities examination. Applications are assessed solely in terms of compliance with the definition of a design, adequacy of visual representations, and procedural conformity. Substantive elements such as novelty and individual character are not examined ex officio by the TÜRKPATENT.

No. The TÜRKPATENT does not conduct any prior art searches in the context of design applications. The Office carries out only a formal and procedural examination; substantive aspects such as novelty or individual character are assessed only upon opposition or in the course of invalidation proceedings before the courts. Therefore, no automatic assessment of similarity with earlier designs is performed during the registration process.

Yes. Priority claims in design applications are examined only for formal compliance. The applicant must clearly indicate the priority claim at the time of filing, and the relevant documents must be submitted within 3 months from the filing date. The TÜRKPATENT does not conduct any substantive examination regarding the similarity of subject matter or visual correspondence between the earlier application and the new design. If the priority documentation is duly submitted within the prescribed period, the priority right is considered valid. Therefore, there is no official guidance or assessment regarding priority claims based on design patents that are visually different but arguably relate to the same subject matter.

No. Design applications are not subject to third-party opposition prior to registration. Once a design application passes the formal examination, it proceeds directly to registration and is published in the Official Bulletin thereafter. Third parties may only challenge a registered design by initiating invalidation proceedings before the courts. There is no opposition mechanism available prior to the grant of a design right.

• Turkish law does not impose any statutory limit on the number of visual representations that may be submitted within a single design application. Applicants may submit multiple views (e.g., front, back, top, bottom, left, right, and perspective) to clearly and adequately represent the design. However, the dimensions of each visual are regulated and must be at least 8×8 cm and no more than 16×16 cm.
• Although there is no formal numerical restriction, it is common practice to submit 6 or 7 views, as publication fees increase with the number of visuals. This number is generally deemed sufficient to fully depict the design from all relevant angles and is widely recommended in practice.

• Under Turkish law, GUI designs involving sequences or animations can be protected within a single design application, but only by submitting a series of static images showing each stage of the animation or interaction. Video files, GIFs, or other dynamic formats are not permitted in design filings.
• Each image must represent a distinct moment or phase of the GUI, and all images must clearly relate to the same design concept. This allows the animation or sequence to be illustrated indirectly through ordered visual representations. The TÜRKPATENT accepts such submissions as long as they form a coherent whole.

• Under Turkish design law, there is no explicit provision in the legislation that permits or regulates the use of written disclaimers in design applications. The scope of protection is primarily determined based on the submitted visual representations, and only short descriptive texts may be included to support these visuals. Such descriptions are limited to explanatory content and do not affect the scope of legal protection.
• Nevertheless, in practice, applicants may indicate that certain elements of the design are not intended to be protected by using visual techniques expressly recognized under Turkish law, such as broken or dotted lines in line drawings, or shading and blurring in photographic images. However, the use of textual annotations to disclaim protection is not formally regulated, and there is no binding guidance confirming whether such written statements would affect the legal scope of protection.
• As a result, instead of written disclaimers, it is generally accepted and recommended to use visual techniques (e.g., differentiated line styles) to indicate unclaimed parts of the design. This approach is also applicable to GUI design applications.

• Under Turkish law, visual representations in design applications—including GUI designs—may consist of drawings, graphics, images, or photographs, provided they are suitable for reproduction and clearly depict the design features. Visuals must be presented on a white background, with dimensions between 8×8 cm and 16×16 cm, and must be clear, distinct, and reproducible.
• Elements of the design that are not claimed for protection may be excluded by using dotted or broken lines in line drawings, or through blurring or shading in photographic submissions. However, the regulation does not provide specific rules allowing for multiple types of dashed lines to carry different meanings. Therefore, while various dashed line types may be used in practice, their interpretative value is not formally recognized unless clearly explained by the applicant. For clarity, it is advisable to explicitly indicate in the application which elements are excluded from protection.

• In Turkish law, graphical user interfaces (GUIs) may, in certain cases, be protected not only through design registration but also under other intellectual property rights. If the visual presentation of a GUI possesses aesthetic character and originality, it may be protected under the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works No. 5846; such copyright protection arises automatically upon creation and does not require registration. Additionally, fixed elements of the GUI (e.g., icons or screen layouts) may be eligible for trademark registration if they are distinctive.
• Furthermore, in cases where unregistered GUIs are imitated or their commercial appearance is unfairly exploited, unfair competition provisions may apply. Accordingly, GUIs in Türkiye can benefit from a multi-layered protection regime, not only under design law but also through copyright, trademark law, and unfair competition rules.

Design rights may coexist with other intellectual property rights, and such rights can offer parallel protection. Copyright, trademark protection, and unfair competition laws provide independent protection that is subject to different conditions and durations than design registration. However, where the scope of protection overlaps, the more extensive or effective right is determined based on the specific circumstances of the case.

• One of the most common challenges faced by applicants seeking protection for GUI designs is the inadequacy of visual representations and the inability to clearly distinguish between technical functionality and aesthetic features. Submitting low-resolution, blurred, or insufficiently descriptive images may lead to rejection of the application or a narrow interpretation of the scope of protection.
• Additionally, applications that focus solely on the technical function of the GUI may struggle to meet the novelty and individual character requirements. Applicants may also encounter uncertainty regarding the scope of protection if they fail to clearly separate unprotected elements or do not use appropriate disclaimer techniques, such as broken lines or shading. Therefore, it is essential that GUI design applications feature clear, high-quality visuals, an emphasis on aesthetic aspects, and the use of proper graphical techniques.

• To ensure effective protection of GUI designs, applicants should present the design using high-resolution and clear visuals that fully and accurately reflect all visual aspects of the GUI. Elements that are not intended to be protected should be distinctly identified in the representations using clearly defined visual techniques such as broken lines, shading, or blurring. The application should focus on the aesthetic and original features of the design, rather than solely on its technical function.
• In the case of animated GUIs, sequential and consistent images should be used to demonstrate transitions, as video submissions are not accepted in Türkiye. Additionally, if the design has already been disclosed to the public, applicants must file the application within the twelve-month grace period. Finally, a multi-layered intellectual property strategy should be considered, including possible trademark registration for distinctive static elements and copyright protection for original visual features.

• Türkiye has been a contracting party to the 1999 (Geneva) Act of the Hague Agreement since January 1, 2005 and accepts international design applications under this system. GUI designs, like other design types, can be designated for protection in Türkiye through the Hague route. However, any design intended to be protected in Türkiye must comply with the provisions of the Industrial Property Code No. 6769 and relevant secondary legislation. Therefore, even if a GUI is registered through an international application, it must satisfy Türkiye’s national formal and substantive requirements in order to be accepted and enforceable.
• In particular, aspects such as the quality of visual representations, the limitations on accompanying explanatory text, the use of disclaimer techniques, and the depiction of animations must conform to Turkish legal standards. Otherwise, the application may be rejected or the scope of protection may be narrowly construed. Furthermore, Türkiye imposes additional national requirements such as the appointment of a local representative and the payment of national official fees. Accordingly, applicants should carefully assess whether their Hague filing meets Turkish requirements and, if necessary, make adjustments at the national level.

There are currently no announced legal reforms specifically addressing the protection of GUIs as design rights in Türkiye. However, given the alignment of Turkish design law with EU legislation, and the increasing relevance of GUI registrations, future updates - particularly in administrative practice or guidance - may emerge in the medium term.