- Check the trademark registration criteria
- Trademark application
- Trademark examination (if successful)
- Publicity (if no objection within prescribed period)
- Registration complete
Trademark application process would take about 12 months; it shall be valid for 10 years from the date of approval; the renewal process can be done 6 months within or after the expiry of existing period. Applicants who apply within six months after the expiry of the term shall be subject to an extension fee, and if they do not file for renewal after six months, the trademark will be invalid.
Step 1：Check the trademark registration criteria
Before applying for a registered trademark, learn more about the different options for doing so
- Whether your trademark meets the registration criteria
- Have you searched for similar existing trademarks?
- Do you have an appropriate classification of your trademarks?
- Would you like to seek professional assistance for your trademark application?
Because the Trademark Registry authority will not attend to applicants on any subject matter with professional advice, including the registrability of your trademark. If you encounter any difficulties in determining the registrability or other requirements of your trademark, you should consider seeking professional advice from your trademark agent/attorney.
Trademark classification
The scope of your trademark protection is determined by the goods and/or services listed in your application. According to the Nice Classification, you will need to state the exact classification number and appropriate description of the goods and/or services. Under the Nice Classification, there are 45 classes of goods and services.
The following table provides a brief overview of certain goods and services classified in their respective categories under the International Classification of Goods and Services (ICGS). If you need to find a specific category, please refer to the summary details table at the bottom of this article.
Step 2： Documents required for trademark application
- English translation of the applicant’s name and address
- Clear logo diagram of the trademark
- Items of goods and services that you want to register
- Power of Attorney for Trademark Agency
Step 3：Submit your application
Fill in the application form (TM4), pay the application fee, and proceed to the examination stage
Step 4：Registration review
Formality review
If the reviewer finds something unusual, a notice of correction will be issued and the applicant will need to make corrections within 2 months
Substantive review
At this stage, your application will be reviewed to check if it meets the registration requirements. If the basic filing requirements are met, a Notice of filing date will be given. If the trademark is registrable, it shall proceed to the publicity stage.
If it does not meet the registration requirements, you will receive an review report which state the reasons for the refusal and you will be asked to provide the necessary information or amend the application within a given period of 4 months. If the examiner instructs you to amend the application, you will need to file Form TM27 for the amendment. If you fail to respond within the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
Step 5：Trademark registration publicity
If your application is accepted, it will be published in the Trademark Journal for public review for 2 months. During this period, any interested party may object to your trademark application.
If there is no objection, you shall proceed to the registration stage.
Step 6：Trademark registration
If the trademark application process goes smoothly with no objections, or if the opposition is unsuccessful, the applicant will receive a certificate of registration from IPOS.
Step 7：Trademark registration extension
6 months before your registration expired, you can apply for a renewal of your registration to extend your trademark protection for another 10 years.
Trademark registration expense
| Discription | Expense |
| Registration of trademarks, collective marks or certification marks | A category that uses a pre-approved goods/services description database：
Each category is 240 SGD A category that does not use a pre-approved goods/services description database： Each category is 341 SGD |
| Apply for renewal and reinstatement of registration | Update of registration (before date of expiry)
Each category is 380 SGD Extension on trademark update registration Each category is 560 SGD Recover the original registration Each category is 610 SGD |
| Update on trademark application registration and modification (Not including the trademark title, addressor or addressee | Modification on specifications, class numbers or priority claims for trademark application or registration
Each category is 40 SGD Modification on other parts in relation to trademark application and registration Each category is 40 SGD Disclaimer of liability for trademark registration Each category is 35 SGD |
| Request for an extension | First and second request:
No charges required Third request and above: 50 SGD |
As you can see from the form above, while no professional services are required to file your trademark application, you may benefit from seeking professional assistance to advise on whether your trademark is registrable, determine the appropriate classification of your goods and services, and assist in similar trademark searches to avoid repetitive modification and failure of return, thereby saving filing costs.
Excellent Accounting & Management Services
Welcome to Excellent Accounting & Management Services, Singapore’s premier company registration specialist and one of the leading e-filing tax agents in Singapore. Established in late 2011, Excellent Accounting & Management Services has helped thousands of entrepreneurs fulfill their company setup, company secretarial, accounting and auditing, tax filing, statutory compliance requirements and other business requirements.
For more information, please contact yangbin@excellentacc.com or log in our company website at http://www.excellentacc.com/
Email: yangbin@excellentacc.com
Website: http://www.excellentacc.com/
