Essential Guide to Design Search in Brazil
Protecting Your Product with Brealant's Expertise

Legal Definition of a Design Search
A design search reviews the INPI Designs Register and other publicly available design disclosures to identify designs identical or substantially similar in overall visual configuration to yours.
Purpose and Function of a Design Search
Under Law No. 9,279/1996, a registrable design (desenho industrial) must be both new and original. A search assesses this before you file, since INPI's registration process involves only a formal examination unless substantive examination is separately requested.
Protecting Your Filing Strategy
Because an unsearched design can register even if it isn't truly new, a search protects the value of the registration you'll eventually rely on if challenged.
A Hassle-Free Design Search Journey with Brealant
Contact
Reach out to Brealant, your trusted design agent in Brazil, to discuss your product.
Search
We search the INPI Designs Register and relevant published sources.
Quote
Receive a service quote scoped to the number of design views and product category.
Pay
Proceed with secure payment for the selected search service.
File
We compare overall visual configuration against what's found, as an informed observer would.
Wait
We finalise the clearance report and filing recommendation.
Response
You receive your search report with a clear filing recommendation.

Clear, Simple Steps to a Confident Design Search
In Brazil, a registrable design must not be identical to, or substantially similar to, a design already publicly disclosed anywhere in the world before the filing date. A search against the INPI Designs Register and other public sources is the clearest way to check this before you file.
Safeguarding Your Filing Decision in Brazil — With Brealant by Your Side
Because Brazilian design registration doesn't involve full substantive examination at filing, an unsearched application can register even if it isn't truly new — leaving it vulnerable to being invalidated later if challenged. Brealant's search protects the value of the registration you eventually rely on.
Limitations
What a Design Search Cannot Guarantee
A search significantly reduces risk, but it has real limits worth understanding
No Absolute Guarantee
No search, however thorough, can guarantee a design won't later be challenged and found invalid.
Own Prior Disclosure
Publishing or selling your own design before filing can itself destroy novelty, subject to a limited 180-day grace period.
Unpublished Applications
Very recently filed designs may not yet be visible on the public register at the time of search.
No Full Substantive Examination at Filing
Registration generally follows a formal check only — a search doesn't replace requested examination for enforceability.
Foreign Rights
A Brazilian search does not clear your design for registration in other countries.
Brealant explains these limits clearly in every search report, so you know exactly what comfort the search gives you.
What Our Design Search Covers
A thorough Brazilian design search reviews multiple sources to protect your filing decision. Our search covers
The Designs Register
Registered and recently filed designs on the INPI Designs Register.
Published Disclosures
Other publicly available design disclosures, including prior product releases.
Overall Visual Configuration
Comparison of shape, ornamental pattern, and overall visual configuration against what's found.
Multiple Product Views
All representations you intend to file, assessed together as the overall design.
Partnering with Brealant means every relevant source is checked before you commit to filing.
Timeline for a Design Search in the Brazil

A design search typically involves
Briefing
You provide images or drawings of the product's design features.
Searching
We search the INPI Designs Register and relevant published sources.
Comparison
We assess overall visual configuration against what's found, as an informed observer would.
Reporting
You receive a clearance report with a filing recommendation.
A standard Brazilian design search and clearance report is typically completed within 3 to 7 business days, depending on the product category.
Understanding Design Search Costs Brazil — Simplified with Brealant
Search costs are modest compared to the cost of registering a design later found invalid
Official Filing Fees
Charged as a fixed professional fee, scoped to the number of design views and the product category.
Professional fees
A written comparison and filing recommendation, included in the search fee.
Brealant explains these limits clearly in every search report, so you know exactly what comfort the search gives you.

Continued Support After Your Design Search Brazil — Supported by Brealant
If the search is clear, Brealant can move straight into preparing your design application. If it reveals risk, we'll advise on how to adjust the design or filing strategy to keep your project moving forward.

Frequently Asked Questions
Is a design search required before filing in Brazil?
No, but it substantially reduces the risk of registering a design that's later found invalid if challenged.
What counts as 'new and original' for a Brazilian design?
The design must not be identical to, or substantially similar to, a design already publicly disclosed anywhere in the world before the filing (or priority) date, and must have a distinctive visual configuration compared to other objects.
Can I search a design that includes multiple product views?
Yes, Brealant reviews all representations you intend to file to check the overall design.
Does prior disclosure of my own design affect the search?
Yes — publishing or selling your own design before filing can affect novelty, though Brazil offers a 180-day grace period for the designer's own prior disclosure, so timing matters and we'll flag this.
How long does a design search take in Brazil?
A standard search and clearance report is typically completed within 3 to 7 business days, depending on the product category.
How much does a design search cost in Brazil?
Brealant quotes a fixed fee for a standard clearance report once we understand your product category and the representations you plan to file.
Does the search use the Locarno Classification?
Yes, we search using the relevant Locarno Classification categories for your product, and extend the search to related categories where useful.
Does the search look beyond Brazil at worldwide prior disclosures?
Yes, since novelty and originality are assessed against disclosures made anywhere in the world, not just in Brazil, our search isn't limited to the domestic database.
Can foreign companies request a Brazilian design search without a local presence?
Yes, requesting a search doesn't require a Brazilian address — only filing the resulting application requires a locally domiciled agent, which Brealant provides.
Should I also run a trademark search if my product's shape could function as a brand identifier?
Yes, a distinctive shape or packaging can sometimes qualify for both design and trademark protection, so it's worth checking both registers where relevant.
Blogs and Resources
Discover more insights and stay informed about the latest in intellectual property with Brealant's blog. From expert advice on trademark registration and patent protection to strategies for safeguarding your brand in a competitive market, our resources are here to empower your business. .
Explore our blog to learn how effective IP management can strengthen your brand's position and protect your innovations
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