What is the main difference between design patent applications and utility patent applications regarding claims?

The main difference is that a design patent application may only have a single claim, while a utility patent application can contain multiple claims. As stated in the MPEP:

“Unlike a utility patent application, which can contain plural claims directed to plural inventions, a design patent application may only have a single claim.”

This limitation on claims in design patents means that multiple embodiments can only be included if they are considered patentably indistinct.

To learn more:

• design patents
• patent claims
• single claim
• multiple embodiments