Section 24 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Section 24 is short but strict. Sub-section (1) says fees are payable for the registration of designs, for applications, and for other matters relating to designs, in the amounts that may be prescribed. Sub-section (2) says a proceeding for which a fee is payable "shall be of no effect unless the fee has been paid". The Act itself states no amount, so any number you see must come from the Designs Rules, 2001. If you are about to file, our industrial design registration team can check which fee heads apply to your step.
Section 24(1): "such fees may be prescribed" are to be paid for registration of designs, applications for registration, and other matters relating to designs under the Act. Section 24(2): a proceeding in respect of which a fee is payable under the Act or the Rules "shall be of no effect unless the fee has been paid". The Act names no amount. The Designs Rules, 2001 fix the fees, and this article states none.
Sub-section (1): fees are as prescribed
"There shall be paid in respect of the registration of designs and applications therefor and in respect of other matters relating to designs under this Act such fees may be prescribed."
The printed words "such fees may be prescribed" lack the word "as"; the sense is "such fees as may be prescribed". It is a drafting slip, and we flag it once.
Three groups of payments are described:
- Registration of designs.
- Applications therefor, that is, applications for registration.
- Other matters relating to designs under this Act.
The third group is wide. The Act then names a prescribed fee at many points. A list from the text shows how often it appears.
| Section | Step | Fee wording in the Act |
|---|---|---|
| 5(2) | Application for registration | "the prescribed fee" |
| 11(2) | Extension of copyright for a second period of five years | "on payment of the prescribed fee" |
| 12(1) | Application for restoration of a lapsed design | "on payment of such fee as may be prescribed" |
| 13(1) | Restoration by the Controller | "any unpaid fee for extension ... together with prescribed additional fee" |
| 17(1) | Inspection of a design | "payment of the prescribed fee" |
| 17(2) | Certified copy of a registered design | "payment of such fee as may be prescribed" |
| 18 | Information as to existence of copyright | "payment of the prescribed fee" |
| 26 | Certified copies of entries in registers | "on payment of the prescribed fee" |
| 29 | Correction of a clerical error | "accompanied by the prescribed fee" |
The text of the Act gives no amount for any of these. That is why the Act says "prescribed": the Designs Rules, 2001 contain the amounts. The sibling article on rule 5 and the First Schedule cover how the Rules set and collect them. Our existing guide to the design registration fee schedule also covers the heads. We do not quote any figure here.
Sub-section (2): no fee, no effect
"A proceeding in respect of which a fee is payable under this Act or the rules made thereunder shall be of no effect unless the fee has been paid."
Read the words one by one.
- "A proceeding": any step before the Controller, such as an application, a request or a petition, for which a fee is payable.
- "Under this Act or the rules made thereunder": the fee may be fixed by the Act or by the Rules. In fact, as the table shows, the Act leaves it to the Rules.
- "Shall be of no effect": strong language. The text does not say the proceeding is merely delayed or voidable; it says it is of no effect.
- "Unless the fee has been paid": the condition is payment. The text does not say when the payment must be made or what happens if it is paid late. That is a matter for the Rules.
For a proprietor, the risk is plain. If the fee for the extension of copyright under section 11(2) is not paid, the extension application is of no effect, and the design may cease to have effect under the scheme of section 12. Our article on section 11 covers the extension, and sections 12 to 14 cover restoration.
How section 24 fits with other provisions
- Section 5(2) requires the application to be accompanied by the prescribed fee. Together with section 24(2), an application without the fee is of no effect.
- Section 13(1) requires payment of the unpaid extension fee together with a prescribed additional fee before restoration. That is an additional fee beyond the one missed.
- Section 14 and 22 carry no fee heads in the text.
- Section 47(2) lists the matters on which rules may be made; the fees heads sit there. Section 47 is covered in a later article.
What the section does not say
- It does not name any amount.
- It does not say that fees differ for different payers; the Act is silent on that. Whether the Rules vary the fee by category of applicant is for the Rules, which we do not quote here.
- It does not say how or where to pay, or the mode of payment. That is in the Rules.
- It does not provide for refund of a fee.
- It does not say what happens to a proceeding if the fee is paid short.
Illustration (invented)
Elan Bags Pvt. Ltd. files an application for a quilted tote design and, in the rush before a trade event, submits it without the prescribed fee. Under section 5(2) the application must be accompanied by the prescribed fee; under section 24(2) a proceeding for which a fee is payable is of no effect unless the fee has been paid. Elan's counsel checks the Rules, finds the fee head, pays it, and files again. The lesson: a missing fee is not a small clerical gap; the Act treats the proceeding as of no effect.
Later, Elan wants a copy of another company's registered design to compare against its own. Section 17(2) lets "any person" obtain a certified copy "on payment of such fee as may be prescribed". Again the Act sets no figure; Elan reads the Rules.
Keep proof of payment, and check the current Rules before paying; do not rely on old fee lists. For the tax treatment of the cost, see our income-tax guides.
Need help with the right fee at the right step?
Paying the wrong head or missing a payment can make a step ineffective. Our industrial design registration team tracks each stage of your design file and pays the prescribed fee for it from the current Rules.
Key takeaways
- Section 24(1): fees are payable for registration, applications and other matters relating to designs, in the amounts prescribed.
- The Act itself fixes no amount; the Designs Rules, 2001 do.
- Section 24(2): a proceeding for which a fee is payable is of no effect unless the fee is paid.
- Fee heads appear in sections 5, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 26 and 29, among others.
- Check the current Rules before you pay; this article quotes no figure.
Read next
- Design registration fee schedule: all categories
- Sections 25–29: trusts, inspection of registers, reports and correction of clerical errors
- Rule 5: fees and mode of payment
- Section 23: application of Patents Act provisions to designs
Disclaimer: Based on the Designs Act, 2000 as enacted, as consulted on 1 October 2026. Forms, fees and procedure are set by the Designs Rules, 2001 as amended from time to time. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.