---
kind: "section"
citation: "35 U.S.C. § 381"
title: "35"
title_heading: "Patents"
number: "381"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/35/381"
units:
  - "Part V — The Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial Designs"
  - "Chapter 38 — International Design Applications"
---

# §381. Definitions

- (a) **In General.—** When used in this part, unless the context otherwise indicates—
  - (1) the term “treaty” means the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the [International Registration](#a-7) of Industrial Designs adopted at Geneva on July 2, 1999;
  - (2) the term “regulations”—
    - (A) when capitalized, means the Common [Regulations](#a-2) under the [treaty](#a-1); and
    - (B) when not capitalized, means the [regulations](#a-2) established by the Director under this title;
  - (3) the terms “designation”, “designating”, and “designate” refer to a request that an [international registration](#a-7) have effect in a Contracting Party to the [treaty](#a-1);
  - (4) the term “International Bureau” means the international intergovernmental organization that is recognized as the coordinating body under the [treaty](#a-1) and the [Regulations](#a-2);
  - (5) the term “effective registration date” means the date of [international registration](#a-7) determined by the [International Bureau](#a-4) under the [treaty](#a-1);
  - (6) the term “international design application” means an application for [international registration](#a-7); and
  - (7) the term “international registration” means the international registration of an industrial design filed under the [treaty](#a-1).
- (b) **Rule of Construction.—** Terms and expressions not defined in this part are to be taken in the sense indicated by the [treaty](#a-1) and the [Regulations](#a-2).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–211, title I, § 101(a), Dec. 18, 2012, 126 Stat. 1527.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the later of the date that is 1 year after Dec. 18, 2012, or the date that the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs enters into force with respect to the United States (May 13, 2015), and applicable only to certain applications filed on and after that effective date and patents issuing thereon, see section 103 of Pub. L. 112–211, set out as an Effective Date of 2012 Amendment note under section 100 of this title.