Designs are protected in Turkey through registration with the competent office. The International Classification for Industrial Designs under the Locarno Agreement is followed in Turkey as of November 30, 1998.

Once an application for the grant of a design is filed, it is examined with respect to compliance with the formalities and patentability provided for under the design law including novelty and distinctiveness. (Novelty is defined by law as a design is considered new if, before the date of application or priority (if any), no identical design has been made available to the public anywhere in the world.)

Examination is conducted only in form by Turkish Patent and Trademark Office prior to the registration. Designs allowed for registration are published and thereby become open to opposition for a period of 3 months. However, at the request of the applicant, the publication may be postponed for up to 30 months from the filing date. If opposition by third party is justified, the design is not registered.

The registered design is protected for 5 years as of the filing date. This period may be renewed four times and the total protection period is 25 years. The renewal application may be filed during the last 6 months of the 5-year period of protection. However, it may also be renewed with fine, within 6 months from the expiration of the protection period.