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Trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Macao SAR, China

To register a trademark in Macao SAR, China, you file directly with the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT): mainland China registrations do not extend to Macao SAR, and the Madrid System does not apply. Each application covers one class only, at MOP 1,000 per application; registrations last 7 years from approval.

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Trademark registration in Macao SAR, China

Five questions first

Which route?Only one: file directly with the DSEDT. The Madrid System does not apply to Macao SAR, and a mainland China registration does not cover it.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name, nationality and address, the mark, and goods or services in a single class; applicants based outside Macao SAR must appoint a local representative and file an authenticated power of attorney.Details ↓How are official fees charged?MOP 1,000 per application, and each application covers one class only: 3 classes means 3 applications and MOP 3,000. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?Publication about 1–2 months after filing, approval about 6 months after publication (official guidance), about 7–8 months in total (estimate); a 2-month opposition period follows publication.Details ↓What are the main risks?One class per application, and the mark cannot be changed after registration; 3 consecutive years of non-use can lead to lapse; registrations last only 7 years, so watch the renewal deadlines.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Macao SAR: key facts

OfficeEconomic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) of the Macao SAR Government; registrations are handled by the Industrial Property Division of its Intellectual Property Department, and the decision to grant rests with the Director of the bureau. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawIndustrial Property Legal Regime (approved by Decree-Law No. 97/99/M, adapted by Law No. 27/2024); official fees set by Chief Executive Dispatch No. 57/2005
Territorial scopeMacao SAR only; registrations in mainland China or Hong Kong SAR, China do not extend to Macao SAR, so each needs its own application
Madrid SystemDoes not apply: protection obtained by designating China through Madrid does not include Macao SAR, and Macao SAR cannot be designated
One class per application (statutory)Each application covers one mark in one class; a mark for several classes needs separate applications
RepresentativeApplicants without a Macao SAR resident identity card that are not legal persons set up under Macao SAR law must appoint a representative and file a power of attorney
LanguageApplication forms in Chinese or Portuguese; wording in the mark normally in Chinese, Portuguese or English, a restriction that does not apply to applicants whose domicile or place of business is outside Macao SAR
Deficiencies (statutory)Formal examination within 1 month of receipt; deficiencies must be remedied within 2 months of notification, extendable by 1 month
Opposition (statutory)2 months from publication in the Official Gazette of the Macao SAR; the applicant has 1 month from notification to reply
Decision (statutory)The decision to grant or refuse is issued within 6 months of publication in the Gazette
Examination report (official statistics)Service pledge: 90% of unopposed applications receive an examination report within 6 months of publication; actual rate in 2025: 98.75%
Term and renewal (statutory)7 years from approval, renewable indefinitely for 7 years at a time; renew within the 6 months before expiry, or within 6 months after expiry with a surcharge
Non-use (statutory)A registration not genuinely used for 3 consecutive years without good reason can be declared lapsed; the owner must prove use
Filing feeMOP 1,000 per application (one class), in force since 15 March 2005

Checked on 2026-10-06; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Macao SAR registration vs mainland China registration

Macao SAR has only one route: a direct application to the DSEDT. Many applicants already hold a mainland China registration, so the table below compares the two. They are separate registration systems: each is applied for and maintained on its own.

ItemMacao SAR registration (DSEDT)Mainland China registration (CNIPA)
Territorial scopeMacao SAR onlyMainland China only; does not extend to Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR
LawIndustrial Property Legal Regime (Decree-Law No. 97/99/M)Trademark Law of the PRC
Madrid SystemDoes not apply; Macao SAR cannot be designated through MadridChina can be designated through Madrid, but protection does not include Hong Kong SAR or Macao SAR
Classes per applicationOne class only; several classes need separate applicationsOne application can cover several classes
Official feeMOP 1,000 per application (one class)CNY 270 per class for online filing (up to 10 items in the class; CNY 27 for each additional item)
Term7 years from approval10 years from the date the registration is approved
RepresentativeApplicants outside Macao SAR must appoint a lawyer registered with the Lawyers Association, an individual holding a Macao SAR resident identity card, or a legal person set up under Macao SAR lawForeign applicants with no habitual residence or place of business in China must appoint a trademark agency established under Chinese law
Best forBrands with shops, restaurants or retail in Macao SAR, taking part in trade fairs there or selling through Macao SARBrands manufactured or sold in mainland China; if you do business in both, register in both

For filing in mainland China, see registering a trademark in mainland China. Hong Kong SAR and the Taiwan region, China likewise cannot be designated through Madrid and need their own applications. Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will advise you based on the search results.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

Applicants based outside Macao SAR generally prepare the following information and documents for an application to the DSEDT. If you are not in Macao SAR, you must appoint a representative, who signs and files the application.

Applicant

  • Name (matching your business registration documents), nationality, and domicile or business address
  • If you are not in Macao SAR, the application form is signed by your appointed representative

Representative and power of attorney

  • The representative must be a lawyer registered with the Lawyers Association, an individual holding a Macao SAR resident identity card, or a legal person set up under Macao SAR law
  • The power of attorney must be duly authenticated, confirming the signatory's identity and authority to sign; follow the representative's instructions for the exact form of authentication
  • A power of attorney not in Chinese or Portuguese needs a certified Chinese or Portuguese translation and a translation certificate (stamp duty is payable on the translation, not on the power of attorney itself)
  • Where one representative handles several applications, each file needs its own copy of the power of attorney; if no representative has been appointed, you have 1 month from notification to appoint one, or the application is rejected

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording. Figurative or combined mark: a clear image. The mark cannot be changed after registration, so finalise it before filing
  • Mark in colour: the Gazette is printed in black and white, so describe the colours in words in the application and attach a specimen showing them
  • Three-dimensional and sound marks must be identified as such in the application; a sound mark is represented as a musical phrase
  • Rare characters need a transliteration and a translation; a mark containing another person's name or likeness, official emblems or similar signs needs the relevant consent

Goods and services

  • List them under the Nice Classification; each application may cover goods or services of one class only, with continuation sheets if needed
  • You can check the wording in the goods and services classification search on the DSEDT website
  • If goods from different classes are put in one application, you will be asked to restrict it to one class

Priority

  • Within 6 months of a first application in any Paris Convention or World Trade Organization member, such as your home application; state the country or territory, date and number of that application in the form
  • The priority document can be filed within 3 months of the filing date; if the list of goods differs from the first application, replace it within 1 month of notification or priority is lost
  • If you have used the mark without registering it for no more than 6 months, you have priority to register it during those 6 months and can oppose another party's application
How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search filed marks on the DSEDT website, or request a register search (service pledge: handled within 5 working days)

  2. Step 2

    Filing and formal examination

    File online or in person and pay within 8 working days; formal examination within 1 month, deficiencies remedied within 2 months (statutory, extendable by 1 month)

  3. Step 3

    Publication

    In Series II of the Official Gazette of the Macao SAR, on the first or third Wednesday of the second month after filing (service pledge)

  4. Step 4

    Opposition period

    Anyone may file a written opposition within 2 months of publication; the applicant then has 1 month to reply (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Examination and decision

    After the opposition period, the application is examined against earlier registered marks; the decision to grant or refuse is issued within 6 months of publication (statutory)

  6. Step 6

    Registration certificate

    Issued once the 1-month appeal period after publication of the grant has passed (service pledge); about 7–8 months in total (estimate)

DSEDT guidance: where the documents are complete and there is no opposition and no ground for refusal, the mark is approved about 6 months after the application is published. Adding the 1–2 months from filing to publication gives the estimate of about 7–8 months in total. The official figures published are service-pledge rates: in 2025, 98.75% of applications received an examination report within 6 months of publication. A refusal can be appealed to the court of first instance within 1 month of publication of the refusal decision; an opposition adds considerable time.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Official fees are charged per application, and each application can cover only one class, so in practice you pay MOP 1,000 per class. The current fees were set by Chief Executive Dispatch No. 57/2005, in force since 15 March 2005, and are paid in patacas (MOP). Official fees are not refunded unless they were paid in error. The table below shows the current fees published by the DSEDT.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application (per application; one mark and one class per application)Per class1,000 MOP≈ USD 124
Keeping the registration
Renewal (within 6 months before expiry, every 7 years, per registration)Per class2,000 MOP≈ USD 247
Late renewal surcharge (within 6 months after expiry, on top of the renewal fee)Per class500 MOP≈ USD 62
Other
Recordal of assignmentPer application500 MOP≈ USD 62
Recordal of licencePer application500 MOP≈ USD 62
Extension of a time limitPer application200 MOP≈ USD 25
Search of the registerPer application200 MOP≈ USD 25

Source: www.dsedt.gov.mo · current fees in force since 2005-03-15 · checked on 2026-10-07 · USD figures are approximate, converted at the Bank of China spot selling rate (or, for currencies it does not quote, at the central bank's published USD rate); the official fee is the amount in the original currency

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

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Example: to protect the same mark in 3 classes, you file 3 applications, so official fees are 3 × MOP 1,000 = MOP 3,000; renewal after 7 years costs MOP 2,000 per registration.

A register search before filing costs MOP 200 per search; an opposition or a request for a declaration of lapse costs MOP 800 each.

Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Macao SAR and common refusals

These are the most common issues in examination in Macao SAR, along with rules specific to Macao SAR that are easy to overlook.

Mainland China registrations and Madrid designations do not cover Macao SAR

Macao SAR is a separate trademark jurisdiction. The DSEDT states plainly that mainland China registrations have no effect in Macao SAR and that you must apply under the Industrial Property Legal Regime. Protection obtained by designating China through Madrid does not include Macao SAR either, and Macao SAR cannot currently be designated through Madrid. If you have shops, trade fairs or sales in Macao SAR, file a separate application.

One class per application, and no changes after registration

Each application covers one mark in one class, so several classes mean several applications, each paid for and renewed separately. The mark must stay as registered: any change to its elements requires a new registration (simple changes, such as proportions or materials, that do not affect its identity are allowed). Settle the image and the goods list for each class before filing.

A 7-year term counted from approval

A Macao SAR registration lasts 7 years, shorter than the 10 years in mainland China and Hong Kong SAR, and counts from the date of approval, not the filing date. Renew within the 6 months before expiry; within 6 months after expiry you can still renew with a MOP 500 surcharge. After that the registration lapses and, according to the DSEDT, you must file again. Separate applications are approved on different dates, so record each renewal date.

A local representative is mandatory, with an authenticated power of attorney

Applicants outside Macao SAR must act through a lawyer registered with the Lawyers Association, an individual holding a Macao SAR resident identity card, or a legal person set up under Macao SAR law. The power of attorney must be duly authenticated, and one not in Chinese or Portuguese needs a certified translation. If no representative is appointed within 1 month of notification, the application is rejected.

Earlier marks and descriptive elements

After the opposition period, the examiner compares your application with registered marks for identical or similar goods and checks for confusion in wording and pronunciation across Chinese, Portuguese and English. Elements indicating the kind, quality, purpose or origin of the goods cannot be claimed exclusively: the DSEDT's examples are the words for "bank" and "bakery" in names such as "XX Bank" or "XX Bakery". A refusal can cover only some of the goods.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Macao SAR does not require periodic declarations of use, but a mark that is not used can be declared lapsed, and a registration not renewed within the grace period lapses.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
From 3 years after approvalKeep using the mark genuinely and keep evidence; after 3 consecutive years of non-use, a third party can request a declaration of lapse, and you must prove useNone (third-party lapse request: MOP 800)
Within the 6 months before expiry, then every 7 yearsRenewal, filed separately for each registrationMOP 2,000 (per registration)
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewalRenewal fee plus a MOP 500 surcharge: MOP 2,500 in total
Any timeRecord assignments and licences; changes of name or addressAssignment or licence: MOP 500 each; change of name or address: free

Use that is started or resumed in the 3 months before a lapse request, after you learn that the request may be filed, is disregarded. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Macao SAR

How much does a Macao SAR trademark cost?

Official fees are MOP 1,000 per application (in force since 15 March 2005). Each application covers one class only, so 3 classes means 3 applications and MOP 3,000. Renewal costs MOP 2,000 per registration. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Macao SAR take?

According to DSEDT guidance, a complete application with no opposition is approved about 6 months after publication. Publication usually comes in the second month after filing, so the whole process takes about 7–8 months (estimate). By law, the decision must be issued within 6 months of publication in the Gazette, and in 2025, 98.75% of applications received an examination report within 6 months of publication. Oppositions take longer.

Does my mainland China registration or a Madrid designation of China cover Macao SAR?

No. The DSEDT explains that the mainland and Macao SAR have different trademark systems: under the principle of territoriality, a mark is protected in Macao SAR only once it has been applied for, examined and registered under Macao SAR's Industrial Property Legal Regime. Protection obtained by designating China through Madrid does not include Macao SAR, and Macao SAR is not a separate member of the Madrid System.

For mainland China, see registering a trademark in mainland China; for Hong Kong SAR, see trademark registration in Hong Kong SAR.

Can one Macao SAR application cover several classes?

No. By law, each application covers one mark in one class. To protect a mark in 3 classes you file 3 applications, each with its own MOP 1,000 fee, and each resulting registration is renewed separately. If goods from different classes are put in one application, you will be asked to restrict it to one class.

Do I need a local representative in Macao SAR?

Yes, unless you hold a Macao SAR resident identity card or are a legal person set up under Macao SAR law. The representative must be a lawyer registered with the Lawyers Association, an individual holding a Macao SAR resident identity card, or a legal person set up under Macao SAR law. The power of attorney must be duly authenticated, and one not in Chinese or Portuguese needs a certified translation.

How long does a Macao SAR trademark last, and how is it renewed?

7 years from approval, renewable indefinitely for 7 years at a time. Renew within the 6 months before expiry; the official fee is MOP 2,000 per registration. Within 6 months after expiry you can still renew with a MOP 500 surcharge. After that the registration lapses and you must file again.

Other IP rights

Patents: invention patents last 20 years and utility model patents 10 years, both from the filing date. Invention patents filed with or granted by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) can be extended to Macao SAR; the extension must be requested within 3 months of CNIPA publishing the grant, and this deadline cannot be extended. For invention patents filed directly in Macao SAR, the examination report is prepared by CNIPA.

Designs: protected in Macao SAR as "designs and models" for up to 25 years from the filing date, with fees paid every 5 years; they must be registered separately in Macao SAR.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Mainland China · Hong Kong SAR · Taiwan region

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