Skip to main content
Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Myanmar

In Myanmar you file with the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) through a licensed Myanmar agent, with a notarised power of attorney; Myanmar is not a Madrid member. Since 1 April 2023 registration is first-to-file and old deed registrations no longer confer rights. Opposition runs 60 days; 3 years of non-use risks cancellation.

Order online · Myanmar trademark registration

Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

Start your order (Myanmar selected) Run a free search first

Five questions first

Which route?Madrid is not available: file directly through a Myanmar agent. If your first application abroad is less than 6 months old, you can claim priority at the same time.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, the mark, goods or services listed by Nice class, and a power of attorney (Form TM-2) notarised in your country; priority evidence is filed with the application.Details ↓How are official fees charged?Per class: a filing fee of MMK 150,000 per class, then a registration fee of MMK 150,000 per class once accepted; renewal is MMK 300,000 per class (since April 2023). Service fees are quoted separately.Details ↓How long does it take?Statutory: 30 days to correct defects, 60 days of opposition after publication. Examination has no statutory time limit and the IPD publishes no average; the journal appears monthly.Details ↓What are the main risks?Old deed registrations confer no rights and the soft-opening refiling window has closed; an unnotarised power of attorney is not accepted; a missed 60-day opposition period; cancellation after 3 years of non-use.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Myanmar: key facts

OfficeIntellectual Property Department (IPD), Ministry of Commerce; the Registrar is the Director General of the IPD. Appeals against the Registrar's decisions go to the Intellectual Property Agency. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
Legal basisTrademark Law (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 3/2019, enacted 30 January 2019, in force since 1 April 2023 under Notification No. 82/2023); Trademark Registration Rules (Ministry of Commerce Notification No. 17/2023, 31 March 2023); official fees under Intellectual Property Agency Order No. 1/2023 (1 April 2023)
Basis of rightsFirst-to-file: where several applications cover identical or similar marks, registration goes to the earliest compliant application (section 19); a registration at the Office of Registration of Deeds under the old regime confers no rights under the new law and must be refiled (section 93)
Madrid SystemNot a member: Myanmar cannot be designated through Madrid; section 64 of the Trademark Law only reserves a procedure for future accession
Treaties and priorityWTO member since 1 January 1995; not a member of the Paris Convention, the PCT or the Hague Agreement; the law recognises priority from a first application filed in a Paris Convention or WTO member within the previous 6 months (section 31), so applicants from those countries can claim it
Foreign applicantsMust file through an agent; the agent must be a Myanmar citizen resident in Myanmar, holding a national registration card, aged 18 or over and holding an IPD training certificate; the power of attorney is Form TM-2 and, where the applicant's residence or place of business is abroad, must be notarised by a notary in that country; one notarised power of attorney can cover several marks
LanguageMyanmar or English (section 16); a certified translation must be filed if the Registrar requires it
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; goods or services are listed class by class under the Nice Classification, and filing, registration and renewal fees are charged per class; an application can be divided, and the list of goods can only be narrowed, not extended (section 21)
Registrable signsOnly visually perceptible signs: words, personal names, letters, numerals, figurative elements, colour combinations and combinations of these (section 2); sounds and other non-visual signs are excluded
Corrections and restoration (statutory)Defects must be corrected within 30 days of the examination notice, otherwise the application is deemed withdrawn (section 23); rights lost by missing a deadline can be restored on request within 60 days of the withdrawal (section 24)
Opposition period (statutory)60 days from publication (section 26); if there is no opposition, the Registrar accepts, registers and issues the certificate after the 60 days expire (section 28)
Appeals (statutory)Appeal to the Intellectual Property Agency within 60 days of publication of the Registrar's decision; appeal against the Agency's decision to the Intellectual Property Court within 90 days of receiving notice (sections 65 and 66)
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date, renewable for 10 years at a time; renew within the 6 months before expiry, or within a 6-month grace period after expiry with a late fee; a mark not renewed within the grace period is removed from the register (sections 34–36)
Non-use cancellation and invalidityAny interested person can seek cancellation if the mark is not genuinely used within 3 years of registration or its use is suspended for 3 continuous years without good reason (section 51); invalidation on relative grounds must be requested within 5 years of registration, except for bad-faith registrations (section 50)

Checked on 2026-10-11; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing: whether to claim priority

Myanmar is not a member of the Madrid System, so it cannot be designated through a Madrid international registration; applications are filed directly with the IPD by a Myanmar agent. The real choice is whether to claim priority from an earlier application filed abroad.

ItemDirect filing (no priority claim)Claiming priority from an earlier application
PrerequisiteNone; use this route if you have no earlier application or it was filed more than 6 months agoFile in Myanmar within 6 months of your first application in a Paris Convention or WTO member, for goods or services identical to or included in that application (section 31)
Order of applicationsThe filing date is the day the IPD receives the complete application and the fee (section 18)Precedence follows the date of your earlier application; if two applications both claim priority, their respective priority dates are compared (section 19)
Extra stepsNoneDeclare the earlier application on Form TM-1 and attach its particulars and supporting evidence (section 17); the law sets no deadline for filing them later, so have them ready at filing
Official feesFiling fee MMK 150,000 per class, then a registration fee of MMK 150,000 per class on acceptanceSame as direct filing; the fee order lists no priority fee
RiskIf someone else files first in the gap between your earlier application and your Myanmar application, their filing can block yoursThe evidence must be filed together with the application; if your earlier application covers several classes, Myanmar allows one multi-class application, but the goods can only be narrowed, not extended
Best forYou have not filed elsewhere yet, or your earlier application is more than 6 months oldYou filed elsewhere less than 6 months ago, especially if you are worried that someone may file first in Myanmar

If you are also covering South-East Asia, compare Trademark registration in Thailand, Trademark registration in Vietnam, Trademark registration in Laos and Trademark registration in Cambodia: all four can be designated through Madrid, while Myanmar requires direct filing. In South Asia, Trademark registration in Bangladesh likewise requires direct filing. For the trade-offs between the two approaches, see Madrid Designation or Direct National Filing: Which One Fits Your Case.

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

A foreign company or individual filing with the IPD through a Myanmar agent normally prepares the following information and documents. Use of the mark is not required at filing, and no evidence of use is filed.

Applicant

  • Name and address; individuals state their nationality and country of residence, legal entities their registration number, legal form and country of incorporation (section 17)
  • The application form TM-1 can be completed in Myanmar or English (section 16)

Mark

  • A clear representation of the mark; only visually perceptible signs are registrable, such as words, personal names, letters, numerals, figurative elements, colour combinations and combinations of these (section 2)
  • If the mark contains words in a language other than Myanmar or English, the Registrar may require a certified translation

Goods or services

  • Goods or services listed class by class under the Nice Classification (section 17); one application can cover several classes, and the filing and registration fees are charged per class
  • Afterwards the list can only be narrowed or divided, never extended (section 21)

Power of attorney and priority

  • Power of attorney, Form TM-2: if the applicant's residence or place of business is outside Myanmar, a copy of the TM-2 notarised by a notary in that country must be filed; one notarised power of attorney can cover one or several marks
  • The agent must be a Myanmar citizen, and the application must state the agent's name, national registration card number and address (section 17)
  • If you claim priority from an earlier application: declare it in the application and attach the particulars and supporting evidence of that application; exhibition priority is also available for 6 months after display at an official exhibition in a Paris Convention or WTO member (sections 31 and 32)

Other signed documents are provided as the agent instructs. The filing date is the day the IPD receives an application containing the particulars required by section 17, subject to payment of the fee (section 18); official fees are paid online through the WIPO File e-filing system or by card at the IPD counters in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay, and for foreign applicants the agent pays on their behalf.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application through a Myanmar agent with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search the IPD database for similar marks and settle the classes and wording of the goods and services

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    The agent files Form TM-1 and the notarised TM-2 power of attorney through WIPO File or at a counter and pays the filing fee (MMK 150,000 per class); the filing date is the day the complete application and the fee are received

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    The examiner checks absolute and relative grounds (sections 13 and 14); if the documents are deficient, a notice is issued and the application is deemed withdrawn if not corrected within 30 days (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Publication and opposition

    Compliant applications are published in the IPD's trademark journal, which appears monthly; anyone may oppose within 60 days of publication (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Acceptance and registration fee

    If there is no opposition or the opposition fails, the Registrar accepts the application and you pay the registration fee (MMK 150,000 per class) as notified by the IPD

  6. Step 6

    Registration and certificate

    The mark is entered in the register, the certificate is issued and the registration is published; protection runs 10 years from the filing date

The Trademark Law sets no time limit for examination and the IPD publishes no official statistics on average examination time, so this page gives no estimate. The IPD has published a monthly trademark journal since May 2024 (first issue TM/2024/01, 1 May 2024), now split into applications published for opposition, registrations and acceptance or refusal decisions. Corrections, oppositions, refusals or appeals take longer.

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 Myanmar kyats (MMK) under Intellectual Property Agency Order No. 1/2023, in force since 1 April 2023. Filing, registration, renewal and appeal fees are charged per class; assignment and licence recordals are charged per mark; other requests are charged per request.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing fee: acceptance and examination of a trademark application (TM-1, per class)Per class150,000 MMK≈ USD 72
Paid on registration
Registration fee: recording the registration of the mark (payable on allowance, per class)Per class150,000 MMK≈ USD 72
Payable when applicable
Opposition fee (TM-8, per request)Per application150,000 MMK≈ USD 72
Reinstatement fee: request to reinstate an application after a missed time limit (TM-3, per request)Per application100,000 MMK≈ USD 48
Correction of clerical or other errors in an application (TM-4, per request)Per application50,000 MMK≈ USD 24
Limitation of the list of goods or services in an application (TM-6, per request)Per application50,000 MMK≈ USD 24
Division of an application (TM-7, per request)Per application100,000 MMK≈ USD 48
Certified copy of the registration certificate (TM-9, per request)Per application50,000 MMK≈ USD 24
Amendment of amendable particulars recorded in the register (TM-10, per request)Per application50,000 MMK≈ USD 24
Request for invalidation of a registered mark (TM-15, per request)Per application150,000 MMK≈ USD 72
Request for cancellation of a registered mark, including non-use cancellation (TM-16, per request)Per application100,000 MMK≈ USD 48
Change of representative (TM-17, per request)Per application20,000 MMK≈ USD 10
Extension of a prescribed time limit (TM-18, per request)Per application50,000 MMK≈ USD 24
Appeal to the Intellectual Property Agency (TM-19, per class)Per class500,000 MMK≈ USD 239
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (TM-11, per class, 10 years; grace-period late fee not published)Per class300,000 MMK≈ USD 143
Recordal of transfer of a mark (TM-12, per mark)Per application100,000 MMK≈ USD 48
Recordal of a licence of a registered mark (TM-13, per mark)Per application100,000 MMK≈ USD 48

Source: www.ipd.gov.mm · current fees in force since 2023-04-01 · checked on 2026-10-11 · 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.

Example: for 1 class you pay a filing fee of MMK 150,000 at filing and a registration fee of MMK 150,000 on acceptance, MMK 300,000 in total; for 3 classes, MMK 450,000 and MMK 450,000, MMK 900,000 in total. Renewal is MMK 300,000 per class, an opposition MMK 150,000 per case and an appeal to the Intellectual Property Agency MMK 500,000 per class.

Payment: applications filed through WIPO File are paid online; applications filed at the counters in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon or Mandalay are paid at a POS terminal with an MPU card or CB Pay issued by a bank in Myanmar. Foreign applicants have no Myanmar account, so the agent pays on their behalf.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Myanmar and common refusals

These are the most common problems in Myanmar examination and enforcement, and the rules specific to Myanmar that are easy to overlook.

Old deed registrations confer no rights, and the refiling window has closed

A mark registered at the Office of Registration of Deeds or actually used in Myanmar before 1 April 2023 enjoys registered trademark rights only if refiled under the new law (section 93). The IPD's transitional arrangements are over: old marks could be pre-filed through WIPO File from 1 October 2020, the second phase opened on 3 April 2023, fees and powers of attorney for pre-filed marks were due by 30 June 2023, new marks have been accepted since 26 April 2023, and claims to prior use of an old mark had to be made within 6 months from 26 April 2023. Anything filed now is treated as a new application, and the first to file wins.

The power of attorney must be notarised and the agent must be certified

If the applicant's residence or place of business is outside Myanmar, the TM-2 power of attorney must be notarised by a notary in that country or the application is not accepted; the agent must be a Myanmar citizen resident in Myanmar, holding a national registration card, aged 18 or over and holding an IPD training certificate, and Ministry of Commerce Directive No. 1/2026 further limits agents to the matters covered by their certificate. Notarisation takes time, so arrange the power of attorney before filing.

Only 60 days to oppose, and the journal is monthly

Applications that pass examination are published in the IPD's monthly trademark journal, and earlier right holders must oppose and pay the fee within 60 days of publication (section 26). If you already have a brand in Myanmar, monitor every issue; once the period is missed, the only remedy is invalidation after registration.

Cancellation after 3 years of non-use, with the burden of proof on the owner

Any interested person can seek cancellation if the mark is not genuinely used in Myanmar within 3 years of registration or its use is suspended for 3 continuous years without good reason (section 51). When the time, manner and extent of use have to be proved, the burden is on the owner; affixing the mark in Myanmar solely for export counts as use. Keep evidence of sales, advertising and other use in Myanmar after registration.

Squatting and bad-faith filings under first-to-file

Where several applications cover identical or similar marks, registration goes to the earliest application (section 19); bad faith is a ground for refusal (section 14). Invalidation on relative grounds must be requested within 5 years of registration, except for bad-faith registrations (section 50). File before you enter the Myanmar market.

Non-visual signs cannot be registered, and foreign-language marks may need a translation

Myanmar registers only visually perceptible signs (section 2), so sound marks and the like are excluded. If the mark contains words in another language, the Registrar may require a certified translation; applications may be filed in English, but a certified Myanmar translation must be supplied if the Registrar requires it (section 16).

Free search: can your mark be registered in Myanmar?

Each account gets 1 free preliminary search a day: sign in, enter the mark and goods, and the report goes to your account and email.

Free search
After registration

Keeping the registration

A Myanmar registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely; 3 years of non-use after registration can lead to cancellation.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
Every 10 years, within the 6 months before expiryFile a renewal request (Form TM-11) for a further 10 years; within the 6-month grace period after expiry you can still renew with a late fee, and a mark not renewed within the grace period is removed from the register (sections 35 and 36)MMK 300,000 per class (the late fee is not stated in the fee order)
At any timeRecording an assignment (Form TM-12): an assignment not recorded with the Registrar has no effect (section 44)MMK 100,000 per mark
At any timeRecording a licence (Form TM-13): an unrecorded licence has no effect (section 49); cancellation of the recordal uses Form TM-14MMK 100,000 per mark
When a non-use cancellation request is receivedFile evidence of use in Myanmar; the burden of proof is on the owner, and affixing the mark solely for export counts as use (section 51)MMK 100,000, paid by the requesting party

A right holder with reasonable grounds to suspect that counterfeit goods are being imported can ask the Customs Department to suspend release; Customs responds within 30 days and the measure is valid for 6 months (sections 68 and 69). A certified copy of the registration certificate is admissible as evidence before the Intellectual Property Court (section 96).

FAQ

Trademark registration in Myanmar

How much does a trademark registration in Myanmar cost?

Official fees are charged per class and have applied since 1 April 2023: a filing fee of MMK 150,000 per class, then a registration fee of MMK 150,000 per class on acceptance, MMK 300,000 in total for one class; renewal is MMK 300,000 per class and an opposition MMK 150,000 per case. Notarisation of the power of attorney is arranged in your own country. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.

How long does trademark registration in Myanmar take?

The law fixes only some periods: 30 days to correct defects after an examination notice, 60 days of opposition from publication and 60 days to appeal. There is no statutory time limit for substantive examination, and the IPD publishes no average examination time. Since May 2024 the IPD has published a monthly trademark journal with separate sections for published applications and registrations.

Can a foreign company file in Myanmar itself? Must the power of attorney be notarised?

No. Foreign applicants must file through a Myanmar agent, who must be a Myanmar citizen holding an IPD training certificate. The power of attorney is Form TM-2; if the applicant's residence or place of business is outside Myanmar, a copy notarised by a notary in that country must be filed. One notarised power of attorney can cover several marks, and a later change of agent uses Form TM-17 (official fee MMK 20,000).

I registered my mark at the Myanmar Office of Registration of Deeds. Is it still valid?

Since the Trademark Law 2019 came into force, a deed registration by itself no longer confers registered trademark rights; the owner must refile under the new law (section 93). The IPD's pre-filing and prior-use windows for old marks closed in 2023, so a mark can now only be filed as a new application, with its filing date compared with others' under the first-to-file rule.

Can one Madrid application cover Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam?

Myanmar cannot be included. Myanmar is not a Madrid member, so it must be filed directly through a Myanmar agent; Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are all members of the Madrid Protocol and can be designated in a single international application, see Trademark registration in Thailand and Trademark registration in Vietnam.

What if someone has squatted my trademark in Myanmar?

First establish the stage of the other party's application: within 60 days of publication, file an opposition (Form TM-8, MMK 150,000); if already registered, request invalidation on relative grounds within 5 years of registration, with no 5-year limit for bad-faith registrations (Form TM-15, MMK 150,000); if the registration has not been used for 3 years, request cancellation (Form TM-16, MMK 100,000). Decisions of the Registrar can be appealed to the Intellectual Property Agency within 60 days.

Other IP rights

Patents: invention patent and utility model applications under the Patent Law (Law No. 7/2019) have been accepted since 31 October 2024; invention patents last 20 years from the filing date and utility models 10 years, both subject to annual fees. Myanmar is not a PCT member, so applications must be filed directly.

Industrial designs: applications under the Industrial Design Law (Law No. 2/2019) have been accepted since 1 February 2024; protection lasts 5 years from the filing date and can be renewed twice for 5 years each. Myanmar is not a member of the Hague Agreement.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Thailand　·　Vietnam　·　Laos　·　Cambodia　·　India

Ready to file?

Order online · Myanmar trademark registration

Enter the mark, classes and applicant; an agent quotes after you submit. Once you accept the quote you pay online and can follow progress in your account.

Start your order (Myanmar selected) Run a free search first

Questions first?

Leave your question and an agent will reply.
Have a question? Tell us…
Please enter your name (without web addresses)
Please enter a valid email address
Please enter a valid phone number
Please describe your inquiry (no HTML code or link markup, and at most one web address)
Verification pending or too many submissions, please try again later

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.

Terms of Use · Privacy Policy