A compact multi-gate MOSFET model is developed for high-voltage applications. The model includes the shortchannel effects specific for thin-film MOSFETs with highly resistive drain contact. The short-channel effects are drastically reduced by the drain-resistance effect, which is consistently modeled by considering the whole potential distribution along the device. The overlap length is an important device parameter, which influences on the device characteristics for high-voltage MOSFETs in general. Modeling of the related effects is realized self-consistently for the reported compact high-voltage multi-gate MOSFET model, based on the applied complete potentialdistribution description. In particular, the modeling requirements for capturing the specific features of the capacitance response are explored in detail. It is further demonstrated that the developed model is applicable even for limiting the device-size requirements during the development of a multi-gate MOSFET generation.