On 1 April 2026, the Registrar of Trademarks in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq issued a decision extending the term of trademark protection in its jurisdiction from 10 to 15 years. The new term applies to future applications and to pending applications whose certificates had not been issued on the effective date; existing registrations keep their original term. Regional practitioners also report that the Region no longer recognises registrations obtained in Baghdad, so direct filings in Erbil are required. The change stands apart from the 10-year cycle more commonly used internationally and also differs from the 10-year term applied under Iraq’s federal system in Baghdad. Companies holding or seeking trademark rights in different parts of Iraq may therefore need to manage renewal calendars, budgets and portfolio records by reference to the relevant registration authority rather than treating Iraq as a single-term jurisdiction.
The practical effect is broader than simply adding five years of protection. Rights holders should distinguish between federal registrations and registrations administered in the Kurdistan Region, then verify the relevant expiry and renewal dates for each portfolio item. The reported change establishes the new 15-year term, but questions such as how existing registrations transition and whether any special renewal arrangements apply should still be checked against further guidance from the competent authority and the record of each registration.
