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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Malaysia

To register a trademark in Malaysia, file with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) or designate Malaysia through the Madrid System. Foreign applicants must appoint a registered Malaysian trademark agent; marks in Chinese or other foreign scripts need a translation and transliteration, and non-use and invalidity cases go to court, not to MyIPO.

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Trademark registration in Malaysia

Five questions first

Which route?File directly with MyIPO if you only need Malaysia or want the office's preliminary advice first; designate Malaysia through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, the mark, and goods and services under the Nice Classification; foreign-script wording needs a translation, a transliteration and the language; appoint a registered local trademark agent.Details ↓How are official fees charged?Per class: MYR 950 per class using the pre-approved list, MYR 1,100 per class with your own wording; no registration fee after acceptance. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?Statutory: a 2-month opposition period after publication, extendable by up to 2 months. Examination has no statutory time limit and no official average. Preliminary advice comes within 1 month (official guidance).Details ↓What are the main risks?A registered local agent is mandatory; a missing translation triggers an objection; copied class headings may be questioned; revocation and invalidity need court action, so opposing during publication is easier.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Malaysia: key facts

OfficeIntellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrademarks Act 2019 (Act 815) and Trademarks Regulations 2019, both in force since 27 December 2019; procedural details in MyIPO's Guidelines of Trademarks (revised version in force since 1 February 2026)
Madrid SystemMember of the Protocol since 27 December 2019; Malaysia can be designated through Madrid
Foreign applicantsApplicants with no residence or principal place of business in Malaysia must appoint a registered Malaysian trademark agent
Multi-class applicationsAllowed, with one registration per application and official fees per class; a series application can cover up to 6 marks
Registrable signsWords, devices, shapes, colours, sounds, scents, holograms, positions, motion and similar; collective marks and certification marks
Foreign-language marksWording in a non-Roman script, or in a language other than Malay or English, needs a Malay or English translation, a transliteration and the name of the language
Preliminary advice (optional)"Preliminary advice and search", charged per class; MyIPO issues the result within 1 month (official guidance)
Response to objections (statutory)Within the period stated in the provisional refusal; an extension of up to 6 months can be requested, at the Registrar's discretion
Opposition period (statutory)2 months from publication; can be extended by up to 2 more months
Term and renewalThe filing date is the date of registration; 10 years; renew within 6 months before expiry, or within 6 months after expiry with an additional fee
Non-use (statutory)If the mark is not used in good faith in Malaysia within 3 years after the notice of registration is issued, or use is suspended for 3 continuous years, an aggrieved person can apply to the court for revocation
Filing feeMYR 950 per class (pre-approved list) or MYR 1,100 per class (own wording), in force since 27 December 2019

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

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Both routes lead to protection in Malaysia. They differ in prerequisites, fee structure, access to the office's preliminary advice and when a local agent is needed.

ItemDirect filing with MyIPOMadrid designation of Malaysia
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
Official feesIn ringgit, MYR 950 or MYR 1,100 per class, paid to MyIPOBasic fee and a Malaysian individual fee (per class, in Swiss francs; see the WIPO fee calculator) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Description of goodsYou can use MyIPO's pre-approved list (terms from the 13th edition of the Nice Classification and the Madrid Goods and Services Manager), which costs MYR 150 less per classCannot go beyond the basic application; a translation may be required for foreign-language marks
Malaysian agentA registered Malaysian trademark agent must be appointed at filingNot needed at filing; to respond to a provisional refusal or request an extension, you must appoint a Malaysian agent as the address for service
Preliminary advice and expedited examinationPaid preliminary advice is available; expedited examination can be requested on statutory groundsExpedited examination applies only to national applications; preliminary advice can be requested separately before designating, also through a local agent
Start of protectionRegistered when there is no opposition or the opposition fails, with the registration date going back to the filing dateNormally protected if MyIPO issues no refusal within 18 months of receiving WIPO's notification (statutory); however, a refusal based on an opposition can be notified after the 18 months
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Malaysian designation falls with it (it can be transformed into a Malaysian national application within the prescribed period)
Best forYou only need Malaysia; you want preliminary advice first; you have no home filing to rely onYou already have a home filing and want protection in several countries

If you are also filing elsewhere in ASEAN, see Trademark registration in Singapore and Trademark registration in Indonesia. Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will recommend a route based on the search results.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

For a direct application to MyIPO, prepare the following information and documents. No evidence of use is needed at filing.

Applicant

  • Name and address (for a company, its full legal name as registered, given in English), with the address as complete as possible
  • The applicant must be the bona fide owner of the mark, using it or intending to use it in trade (itself or by authorising others)

The mark

  • A clear, durable representation; word marks in a standard font (such as Arial or Times New Roman)
  • If colours are claimed, state the colour limitation; a mark with no colour limitation is treated as registered in all colours
  • Shape, colour, sound, scent, hologram, position and motion marks need a written description plus images, MP3 or MP4 files as required
  • Wording in Chinese or another foreign script: give a Malay or English translation, a transliteration and the language — for example, 吉隆坡 with the transliteration Ji Long Po and the meaning Kuala Lumpur

Goods and services

  • List specific goods or services class by class under the Nice Classification, rather than copying class headings
  • You can use wording from MyIPO's pre-approved list (13th edition of the Nice Classification, Madrid Goods and Services Manager), which carries a lower official fee
  • For a whole class or a very broad list, the examiner can ask you to show use or an intention to use

Agent and priority

  • Appoint a registered Malaysian trademark agent; signed documents such as the power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions
  • Earlier application filed abroad: file in Malaysia within 6 months of the earlier filing date, and give the priority details at filing or within 3 days after filing
  • If the examiner asks, file within 2 months a priority certificate issued by the office of the earlier application, with an English translation if it is not in English

A mark containing another person's name or likeness needs that person's consent (or, if the person has died, their representative's). A series of marks (versions of the same mark in different colours, models and so on) can be filed in one application, up to 6 marks.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Preliminary advice (optional)

    Request "preliminary advice and search"; MyIPO issues the result within 1 month (official guidance)

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    Filed through a registered Malaysian trademark agent with the fee paid; the date on which all required information is filed becomes the filing date

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    MyIPO examines absolute grounds such as distinctiveness and searches earlier marks; objections come as a provisional refusal, answered within the period stated in the notice, extendable by up to 6 months (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Publication and opposition

    After acceptance, published in the Intellectual Property Official Journal; 2-month opposition period, extendable by up to 2 months (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Registration

    If no opposition is filed by the end of the period, the mark is registered and a notice of registration is issued; the date of registration is the filing date, with no separate registration fee

The Trademarks Act sets no time limit for examination, and MyIPO publishes no official statistics on average examination time, so this page gives no estimate. Expedited examination can be requested for a fee on statutory grounds, such as national or public interest, existing infringement proceedings or registration being a condition of government funding (not available for non-traditional marks such as colour or sound marks, or for collective and certification marks). If the mark is still refused after you respond to a provisional refusal, you can request the written grounds for a fee within 2 months and appeal to the court within 1 month of receiving them (statutory).

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 in ringgit and charged per class, with no separate registration fee: MYR 950 per class if all goods or services are worded from the pre-approved list, or MYR 1,100 per class with your own wording. The table below shows the current rates set in the First Schedule to the Trademarks Regulations 2019 and published by MyIPO, in force since 27 December 2019.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing fee (per class, specification adopted from the pre-approved list, TMA2A)Per class950 MYR≈ USD 233
Payable when applicable
Filing fee (per class, specification not adopted from the pre-approved list, TMA2B; instead of the RM 950 fee)Per class1,100 MYR≈ USD 270
Series of marks: each mark from the second (up to six, TMA2C)Per item50 MYR≈ USD 12
Preliminary advice and search (per class, optional, TMA1)Per class250 MYR≈ USD 61
Request for expedited examination (per class, statutory grounds required, TMA4)Per class1,000 MYR≈ USD 246
Certificate of registration (optional, per application, TMJ4; the notification of registration is free)Per application50 MYR≈ USD 12
Keeping the registration
Renewal (every 10 years, per class, TME1)Per class1,000 MYR≈ USD 246
Late renewal (within 6 months after expiry, renewal fee and surcharge included, per class, TME2)Per class1,200 MYR≈ USD 295
Restoration and renewal (within 6 months after removal, renewal fee included, per class, TME3)Per class1,500 MYR≈ USD 368
Other
Counterstatement in opposition (per class, TMD6)Per class350 MYR≈ USD 86
Request for grounds of decision of total provisional refusal (per application, TMC3/TMC4)Per application1,000 MYR≈ USD 246
Recording an assignment or transmission (per application, TMH1)Per application300 MYR≈ USD 74
Recording a licence or sub-licence (per class, TMH2)Per class100 MYR≈ USD 25
Change of name or address of applicant or proprietor (per application, TMB4)Per application20 MYR≈ USD 5
Application to restrict importation of infringing goods (per application, TMP3; security deposit also required)Per application330 MYR≈ USD 81

Source: MyIPO Trademark Forms and Fees · current fees in force since 2019-12-27 · checked on 2026-10-06 · 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: an application in 2 classes, both worded from the pre-approved list, costs 2 × MYR 950 = MYR 1,900 in filing fees; if one class uses your own wording, MYR 950 + MYR 1,100 = MYR 2,050. Preliminary advice costs an extra MYR 250 per class; expedited examination costs MYR 1,000 per class.

After acceptance, MyIPO issues a notice of registration with no registration fee; a formal registration certificate, if you need one, costs MYR 50 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 Malaysia and common refusals

These are the most common issues in Malaysian examination, along with Malaysia-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

A registered local trademark agent is mandatory

Applicants with no residence or principal place of business in Malaysia must handle filing, responses, renewals and other matters through a trademark agent registered with MyIPO (section 95 of the Trademarks Act). A Madrid designation needs no agent at filing, but one must be appointed to respond to a provisional refusal. Foreign parties in opposition proceedings may also be required to give security for costs.

Foreign wording needs a translation, transliteration and language

If the mark contains Chinese or another non-Roman script, or words in a language other than Malay or English, a Malay or English translation, a transliteration and the language must be given at filing; if they are missing, you receive a provisional refusal, and the application is treated as withdrawn if they are not supplied in time. If the examiner is not satisfied with the translation, a certified translation can be required.

Revocation and invalidity go to court

In Malaysia, revocation for non-use (no use within 3 years after the notice of registration is issued, or use suspended for 3 continuous years) and declarations of invalidity are decided by the court, not by MyIPO, at a markedly higher cost and over a longer period than administrative proceedings. If you spot a similar application, oppose it at MyIPO within 2 months of publication (extendable by 2 months); the official fee is MYR 950 per class.

Some signs cannot be registered

Signs listed in the Trademarks Regulations 2019 cannot be used as marks without consent, such as the name and image of the hibiscus (Bunga Raya, the national flower), the word "ASEAN" and the ASEAN emblem, images of royal and government buildings, the national coat of arms, and police and armed forces insignia; a mark consisting only of a country name is also refused.

Goods lists that are too broad

For a whole class or a very broad list of goods or services, the examiner can ask you to show use or a genuine intention to use, and can refuse the application otherwise. Copying class headings is also discouraged; list the specific goods you actually trade in, and wording from the pre-approved list also costs less.

Descriptiveness and similarity to earlier marks

Signs that directly describe the kind, quality, purpose or origin of the goods are refused on absolute grounds; marks identical or similar to earlier marks are refused on relative grounds. An earlier mark that expired without renewal is still taken into account for 12 months after expiry. Preliminary advice shows these issues in advance.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Malaysian registrations last 10 years from the filing date and are then renewed; the court can revoke a mark that has not been used in good faith within 3 years after the notice of registration is issued, or whose use is later suspended for 3 continuous years, without proper reasons.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
From 3 years after the notice of registrationKeep using the mark in good faith in Malaysia and keep evidence; otherwise an aggrieved person can apply to the court for revocationNone
Within 6 months before expiry, every 10 yearsRenewal (TME1); you can renew only some of the classesMYR 1,000 per class
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal (TME2); the registration is not removedMYR 1,200 per class (renewal fee plus surcharge)
Within 6 months after deemed removalRestoration and renewal (TME3); after that, the registration endsMYR 1,500 per class (renewal fee plus restoration fee)
Any timeRecord an assignment or a licence; change of name or addressAssignment MYR 300 each; licence MYR 100 per class; change MYR 20 each

The registered owner or an authorised licensee can apply to MyIPO to restrict imports of infringing goods at a specified time and place: the official fee is MYR 330 per application, security must be deposited within 3 working days of approval, and the approval is valid for 60 days. E-commerce brand protection and complaints usually rely on a registered trademark, so keep MyIPO's notice of registration.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Malaysia

How much does a Malaysian trademark cost?

Official fees are charged per class: MYR 950 per class if all goods or services are worded from MyIPO's pre-approved list, or MYR 1,100 per class with your own wording; in a series application, each mark from the second onwards costs MYR 50 more. There is no registration fee after acceptance; a formal certificate, if you need one, costs MYR 50 each. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration take in Malaysia?

The Trademarks Act sets no time limit for examination and MyIPO publishes no average examination time, so this page gives no estimate. The only statutory period is the 2-month opposition period after publication (extendable by up to 2 months); without opposition, the mark is registered when it ends. To know in advance whether the mark can be registered, you can pay for preliminary advice, which MyIPO issues within 1 month.

Can a foreign company file in Malaysia without a local agent?

No. Applicants with no residence or principal place of business in Malaysia must appoint a registered Malaysian trademark agent; with a Madrid designation of Malaysia, an agent must also be appointed to respond to a provisional refusal.

How do I file a mark in Chinese characters or another foreign script?

It can be filed. At filing, give a Malay or English translation of the foreign wording, a transliteration (such as Hanyu Pinyin for Chinese) and the language, for example 吉隆坡 with the transliteration Ji Long Po and the meaning Kuala Lumpur. If the examiner is not satisfied with the translation, a certified translation can be required.

What is MyIPO's preliminary advice, and is it worth it?

It is MyIPO's "preliminary advice and search": you pay per class (MYR 250 per class), the examiner gives an opinion on registrability on absolute and relative grounds within 1 month, and neither the request nor the result is published. After a positive opinion, file promptly; if the later application is then refused on absolute grounds, or because of an earlier mark already on file at the time of the advice, withdrawing it within 2 months gets the filing fee refunded. It is not available for non-traditional marks such as colour or sound marks, or for collective and certification marks.

What if someone has filed my mark in Malaysia first?

Check what stage the other application has reached. If it has been published and is still within the 2-month opposition period (extendable by 2 months), oppose it at MyIPO; the official fee is MYR 950 per class. If it is already registered, you must apply to the court for a declaration of invalidity, or for revocation if it has not been used in good faith within 3 years after the notice of registration was issued, or its use has since been suspended for 3 continuous years. Malaysia protects well-known marks, and a well-known mark not registered in Malaysia can also be the basis of an opposition.

Other IP rights

Patents: Malaysian invention patents last 20 years from the filing date; utility innovation certificates last 10 years and can be renewed twice, for 5 years each time, on proof of use. Malaysia has been a PCT member since 16 August 2006, so PCT applications can enter the Malaysian national phase.

Designs: registered industrial designs are protected for 5 years from the filing date and can be renewed 4 times, for up to 25 years. Malaysia is not a member of the Hague Agreement, so you apply separately to MyIPO.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

IP news: Malaysia

Other countries and territories in the region

Singapore · Indonesia · Thailand · Vietnam · Philippines · Cambodia

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Notice: the services described on this page are carried out by locally licensed partner firms; J&C is your point of contact and coordinates and delivers the work. Fees shown are estimates; official fees are those actually charged by the office and the final quote is confirmed by an agent. Examination times are set by each office and the outcome depends on official examination; we make no promise as to results. By submitting an order you agree that the information needed for the work is shared with the relevant partner firm (which may be outside your country). This page is general information, not legal advice.

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