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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Pakistan

To register a trademark in Pakistan, file with the Trade Marks Registry of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan) or designate Pakistan through the Madrid System. A direct application covers one class only; foreign applicants need an address for service in Pakistan, and examination reports must be answered within 2 months.

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Five questions first

Which route?File directly with the Trade Marks Registry if you only need Pakistan and have no home filing; designate Pakistan through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries or classes.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name, nationality and address, a notarised power of attorney, an address for service in Pakistan, the mark (with a transliteration and translation of foreign-script wording), goods or services in one class, and a use statement.Details ↓How are official fees charged?Each application covers one class: PKR 3,000 to file and PKR 9,000 on registration once accepted, so PKR 12,000 per class in total; renewal costs PKR 15,000 per class.Details ↓How long does it take?Official statistics: a first examination report in 4 months on average; with no opposition, 6 months from acceptance to the fee notice and 3 months from payment to the certificate. Estimate: over 1 year in total.Details ↓What are the main risks?Each class needs its own application; examination reports not answered within 2 months mean abandonment; the 2-month opposition period can be extended by up to 2 months; after 5 years a registration is in principle unchallengeable.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Pakistan: key facts

OfficeTrade Marks Registry of the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-Pakistan), based in Karachi with a regional office in Lahore; applications can also be filed at the head office in Islamabad, or online. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrade Marks Ordinance, 2001, as amended by the Trade Marks (Amendment) Act, 2023 (published in August 2023 and in force immediately); procedure and official fees are set by the Trade Marks Rules, 2004
Basis of rightsRights arise from registration; the application must state that the mark is in use or that you have a bona fide intention to use it
Madrid SystemParty to the Protocol since 24 May 2021; Pakistan can be designated through Madrid, and designating Pakistan counts as a declaration of intention to use
Address for serviceApplicants and opponents with no residence or place of business in Pakistan must give an address for service in Pakistan; IPO guidelines require foreign applicants to file through a Pakistani advocate or registered trademark agent
One class per applicationAn application can cover one class only; to protect the same mark in several classes, file and pay for separate applications, each of which becomes a separate registration
LanguageEnglish; marks containing non-Latin script (such as Chinese) must state the transliteration and the language; for wording in languages other than English or Urdu, IPO guidelines require a translation and transliteration in the form of an affidavit
Examination report (statutory)2 months from the Registry's written notice; extensions can be requested, up to 3 months in total; with no reply the application is treated as abandoned, and reinstatement can be requested with reasons within 2 months of abandonment
Opposition (statutory)2 months from publication in the Trade Marks Journal; the Registry can extend it on request, by up to 2 months in total
Registration (set by the rules)With no opposition, or after a successful opposition, the Registry issues a fee notice; file Form TM-11 and pay the registration fee within 1 month; the registration date is the filing date
Term and renewal (statutory)10 years from the registration date (the filing date), renewable for 10 years at a time; renew in the 6 months before expiry; if the registration is not renewed, the Registry publishes a notice in the Journal, and it can still be renewed with a surcharge within 6 months of that notice
Non-use (statutory)A mark that is not genuinely used within 5 years after the registration procedure is completed, or whose use is suspended for an uninterrupted 5 years, can be revoked unless there are proper reasons for non-use
Official feesPKR 3,000 application fee and PKR 9,000 registration fee per application (one class); renewal PKR 15,000 per class; current rates in force since 9 March 2019

Checked on 2026-10-10; 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 Pakistan. They differ in prerequisites, class and fee structure, the address-for-service requirement and dependency risk.

ItemDirect filing with the Trade Marks RegistryMadrid designation of Pakistan
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
ClassesOne class per application; several classes need separate applicationsOne international application can designate several classes
Official feesPaid in rupees to the Registry: PKR 3,000 application fee and PKR 9,000 registration fee per applicationBasic fee and a Pakistani individual fee (per class, in Swiss francs; see the WIPO fee calculator) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Address for serviceRequired at filing; foreign applicants file through a local advocate or registered trademark agentNot needed to file; required once you have to respond in Pakistan to a provisional refusal or an opposition
ExaminationAbsolute grounds are examined and earlier marks searched; examination reports must be answered within 2 monthsExamined and published to the same standard; Pakistan can notify a provisional refusal within 18 months, and a refusal based on an opposition can be notified after the 18 months
Licence recordingRecorded with the RegistryA licence recorded in the International Register has no effect in Pakistan; record it directly with the Registry
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Pakistani designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Pakistan; few classes; you have no home filing to rely onYou already have a home filing and want protection in several countries or classes

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 the Pakistani Trade Marks Registry, prepare the following information and documents.

Applicant

  • Name, nationality and full business address (for a company, its place of incorporation and legal form)
  • For a partnership, the name and nationality of each partner

Authorisation and address for service

  • Power of attorney (Form TM-48): IPO guidelines require it to be duly stamped and notarised, signed by the applicant or, for a company, by a director, secretary or other principal officer stating their position
  • An address for service in Pakistan, where all Registry documents are sent; if you appoint an agent, this is usually the agent's address

The mark

  • A clear representation of the mark; if colour is claimed, state the colours, otherwise the mark is treated as registered for all colours
  • Wording in non-Latin script, such as Chinese: the transliteration of each word and the language; wording in languages other than English or Urdu: a translation and transliteration in the form of an affidavit, as the IPO guidelines require

Goods and services

  • Class and wording under the Nice Classification, one class per application
  • List the specific goods you actually deal in; do not simply copy the class heading

Basis of the application

  • If the mark is already used in Pakistan, state the period of use and the user; the Registry can ask for an affidavit and evidence of use. If not yet used, declare a bona fide intention to use
  • Priority from an earlier application filed in another Paris Convention country: claim it within 6 months (Form TM-2); a priority document not filed with the application must be filed within 3 months
How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no examination objections and no opposition. Steps marked "official statistics" use the average processing times published by IPO-Pakistan.

  1. Step 1

    Pre-filing search (recommended)

    You can ask the Registry for an official search (Form TM-55, PKR 1,000 per class); the published average is 15 days for the report (official statistics)

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    File Form TM-1 (Form TM-2 to claim priority) for each class separately and pay the application fee; the published average is 15 days for the acknowledgement receipt (official statistics)

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    Absolute grounds are examined and earlier marks searched; the first examination report takes 4 months on average (official statistics); objections must be answered within 2 months (statutory), extendable up to 3 months in total

  4. Step 4

    Publication and opposition

    Once accepted, the mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal and third parties can oppose within 2 months (statutory), extendable by up to 2 months in total; if opposed, file a counter-statement within 1 month (statutory) or the application is treated as abandoned

  5. Step 5

    Registration fee

    With no opposition, the Registry issues a fee notice, on average 6 months after acceptance (official statistics); file Form TM-11 and pay the registration fee within 1 month of the notice (set by the rules)

  6. Step 6

    Registration

    The certificate is issued on average 3 months after payment (official statistics); the registration date is the filing date

Estimate: based on the published average times, an application with no objections and no opposition takes more than 1 year from filing to certificate. Examination objections, hearings and oppositions all add time; an opposed application can only be registered once the opposition is decided.

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 for direct applications are charged per application, each covering one class, in Pakistani rupees, in two instalments: the application fee on filing, and the registration fee on receiving the fee notice after the opposition period. The current rates are set by the First Schedule to the Trade Marks Rules, 2004, as revised in 2019 and in force since 9 March 2019.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (Form TM-1, or TM-2 when claiming priority; one class per application), per classPer class3,000 PKR≈ USD 11
Paid on registration
Registration fee (Form TM-11, payable within 1 month of the demand notice issued after the opposition period), per classPer class9,000 PKR≈ USD 33
Keeping the registration
Renewal (Form TM-12, within 6 months before expiry, every 10 years), per classPer class15,000 PKR≈ USD 54
Late renewal surcharge (within 6 months of the Journal notice of non-renewal, payable in addition to the renewal fee), per classPer class900 PKR≈ USD 3
Restoration of a mark removed for non-renewal (Form TM-13, within 6 months of removal, renewal fee payable in addition), per classPer class3,000 PKR≈ USD 11
Other
Official search (Form TM-55), per classPer class1,000 PKR≈ USD 4
Notice of opposition (Form TM-5, within 2 months of publication), per application opposedPer application9,000 PKR≈ USD 33
Counter-statement to an opposition (Form TM-6, within 1 month of receiving the opposition), per applicationPer application1,500 PKR≈ USD 5
Recording a subsequent proprietor (Form TM-23, filed within 6 months of acquiring the mark), per mark; PKR 7,500 if filed laterPer application6,000 PKR≈ USD 22

Source: IPO-Pakistan, Trademark Fee & Forms (First Schedule, Trade Marks Rules 2004, as substituted by Commerce Division notification of March 2019) · current fees in force since 2019-03-09 · checked on 2026-10-10 · 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: a foreign company filing the same mark in classes 9 and 35 must file two applications and pays 2 × PKR 3,000 = PKR 6,000 in application fees; once accepted with no opposition, 2 × PKR 9,000 = PKR 18,000 in registration fees; PKR 24,000 in total.

Official search: PKR 1,000 per class; opposition: PKR 9,000 per case; counter-statement: PKR 1,500 per case.

Service fees, including the Pakistani local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Pakistan and common refusals

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

One class per application

A direct application in Pakistan can cover only one class. To protect the same mark in several classes you file as many applications, and pay as many application and registration fees, as there are classes; each class becomes a separate registration, and renewal is also charged per class. If you need many classes, compare the cost of a Madrid designation covering several classes at once.

Only 2 months to answer an examination report

If the Registry objects in writing or accepts the application subject to conditions, you must amend the application, file submissions or request a hearing within 2 months, or the application is treated as abandoned. Extensions can be requested, up to 3 months in total; once abandoned, you can ask for reinstatement within 2 months, giving proper reasons, at the Registry's discretion.

Religious sentiment and bad faith

Signs likely to hurt the religious sentiments of any class or section of people in Pakistan, and signs contrary to law or morality, cannot be registered; applications made in bad faith are also refused. If a registration is revoked or declared invalid for bad faith, the applicant cannot apply for the same or a similar mark for 2 years.

After 5 years a registration is in principle unchallengeable

Once registered for 5 years, a registration is taken to be valid in all respects in legal proceedings, except where it was obtained by fraud or breaches the prohibitions on grounds such as morality, religion or law. If someone else files your mark, oppose it within the 2-month opposition period or seek a declaration of invalidity as early as possible; after 5 years it is very hard to overturn.

Foreign-script marks need transliteration and translation

Marks containing non-Latin script, such as Chinese, must state the transliteration of each word and the language when filed; for wording in languages other than English or Urdu, IPO guidelines require a translation and transliteration in the form of an affidavit. Wording whose meaning directly describes the kind, quality, purpose or origin of the goods is also refused.

A late registration fee means abandonment

After the opposition period, file Form TM-11 and pay the registration fee within 1 month of the fee notice; if you do not pay in time, the application is treated as abandoned. If registration has not been completed within 12 months of filing because of the applicant's default, the Registry can also send a notice, and the application is treated as abandoned if it is still not completed within the time allowed.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Pakistan does not require periodic declarations of use, but at the second and later renewals the Registry can ask for evidence of use in Pakistan; a mark not used for 5 consecutive years can be revoked.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
From 5 years after the registration procedure is completedKeep using the mark genuinely in Pakistan and keep evidence; if it is not used within those 5 years, or use is suspended for an uninterrupted 5 years, an interested party can apply for revocationNone
In the 6 months before expiry, then every 10 yearsRenewal (Form TM-12); the Registry sends a reminder between 6 months and 1 month before expiryPKR 15,000 per class
Within 6 months after the Registry publishes a notice of non-renewal following expiryRenewal with a surcharge (Form TM-12)PKR 15,000 renewal fee + PKR 900 surcharge per class
Within 6 months after removal from the registerApplication for restoration and renewal (Form TM-13), at the Registry's discretionPKR 3,000 restoration fee per class + renewal fee
At any timeRecording an assignment (Form TM-23); change of name (Form TM-33) or address (Form TM-34)Assignment: PKR 6,000 per case within 6 months of acquiring the rights, PKR 7,500 after that; change of name PKR 1,500 for the first case, change of address PKR 600 for the first entry

The registered owner can give written notice to the intellectual property enforcement authorities or customs asking for expected imports of infringing goods to be treated as prohibited goods.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Pakistan

How much does a Pakistani trademark cost?

A direct application covers one class: the application fee is PKR 3,000 and, once accepted with no opposition, the registration fee is PKR 9,000, so PKR 12,000 per class in total. For example, protecting a mark in 2 classes means filing two applications, with official fees of PKR 24,000 in all. Registrations are renewed every 10 years at PKR 15,000 per class. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.

How long does trademark registration in Pakistan take?

IPO-Pakistan's published average processing times: about 4 months to the first examination report; with no opposition, about 6 months from acceptance to the fee notice (including the 2-month opposition period); and about 3 months from payment to the certificate. Estimate: an application with no objections and no opposition takes more than 1 year from filing to certificate; objections or an opposition add time.

Do foreign applicants need a local agent in Pakistan?

Yes. Applicants with no residence or place of business in Pakistan must give an address for service in Pakistan, and IPO-Pakistan's filing guidelines require foreign applicants to file through a Pakistani advocate or registered trademark agent, with a power of attorney (Form TM-48) stamped and notarised as required. With a Madrid designation, no local agent is needed to file; you appoint one when you have to respond to a provisional refusal or an opposition.

Can one application cover several classes in Pakistan?

Not for direct filings. Pakistan applies a one-class-per-application rule: to protect the same mark in several classes you file one application per class, each paid, registered and renewed separately. With a Madrid designation of Pakistan, one international application can cover several classes, and the individual fee is charged per class.

How long is the opposition period in Pakistan? Can it be extended?

2 months from publication in the Trade Marks Journal. The Registry can extend it on request, by up to 2 months in total. Once opposed, the applicant must file a counter-statement within 1 month (extendable, up to 2 months in total), or the application is treated as abandoned.

How do I file a mark that is not in English or Urdu?

You can file it, but for non-Latin script such as Chinese you must state the transliteration of each word and the language, and the IPO guidelines also require a translation and transliteration in the form of an affidavit; the meaning is examined for descriptiveness in the same way. If you target the Pakistani market, you can also file an English or Latin-script version, bearing in mind that each version and each class needs its own application.

Other IP rights

Patents: under the Patents Ordinance, 2000, a patent lasts 20 years from the filing date, subject to annual fees; Pakistan is not a member of the PCT, so you cannot enter through the PCT and must apply directly to the Patent Office of Pakistan.

Industrial designs: under the Registered Designs Ordinance, 2000, a registered design is protected for 10 years from the registration date, extendable twice by 10 years each; Pakistan is not a member of the Hague Agreement, so applications must be filed directly.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

India　·　Bangladesh　·　United Arab Emirates　·　Saudi Arabia　·　Sri Lanka

Ready to file?

Order online · Pakistan 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 (Pakistan selected) Get a trademark search report first

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