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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Singapore

To register a trademark in Singapore, you file with the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) or designate Singapore through the Madrid System. Official fees are charged per class, lower for classes worded entirely from the IPOS pre-approved list; examiners cite earlier marks themselves, and you need an address for service in Singapore.

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Five questions first

Which route?File directly with IPOS if you only need Singapore or want expedited examination; designate Singapore 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, an address for service in Singapore, the mark, goods or services taken from the IPOS pre-approved list where possible, and a statement of use or intention to use.Details ↓How are official fees charged?SGD 280 per class (wording entirely from the pre-approved list) or SGD 410 (your own wording); expedited examination adds SGD 200 or 250 per class.Details ↓How long does it take?About 9 months to registration with no objections or opposition (estimate, based on IPOS guidance); with expedited examination, the first examination result comes within 3–6 weeks.Details ↓What are the main risks?Examiners cite similar earlier marks themselves; overly broad specifications and descriptive marks draw objections; the mark can be opposed within 2 months of publication (up to 4 months).Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Singapore: key facts

OfficeIntellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), a statutory board under the Ministry of Law. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrade Marks Act 1998; procedure and official fees in the Trade Marks Rules
Registration principleFirst to file; the application must state that the mark is in use or that there is a bona fide intention to use it; no evidence of use is required before registration
Madrid SystemMember since 31 October 2000; Singapore can be designated through Madrid
Address for serviceAn address for service in Singapore is required; the law does not require you to appoint a Singapore agent
LanguageEnglish; documents not in English need an English translation. If the mark contains Chinese or other non-English wording, IPOS can ask for an English translation and transliteration
Multi-class applicationsAllowed, with fees per class; versions of the same mark that differ only in non-distinctive details (such as the same Chinese characters in simplified and traditional script) can be filed as a series in one application
Office action response (statutory)4 months from the date of the examination report, extendable on request; for applications filed on or after 26 May 2022, if you do not respond in time, the goods or services objected to are treated as withdrawn (earlier applications follow the pre-amendment rules)
Expedited examination (IPOS published timeframe)SG Trade Marks Fast: requested at filing; first examination report or notice of publication within 3–6 weeks; requests accepted again since 1 September 2026
Opposition period (statutory)2 months from publication; if the opponent files an extension request (Form HC3) within that period, up to 4 months from publication in total
Term and renewal (statutory)10 years, with the filing date as the date of registration; renewal from 6 months before expiry, late renewal up to 6 months after expiry
Non-use (statutory)The registration can be revoked if the mark is not genuinely used in Singapore within 5 years after registration is completed, or if use is suspended for 5 continuous years, without proper reasons
Filing feeSGD 280 per class (wording entirely from the pre-approved list) or SGD 410 (your own wording, in force since 1 September 2025)

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 Singapore. They differ in prerequisites, fee structure, access to expedited examination and dependency risk.

ItemDirect filing with IPOSMadrid designation of Singapore
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
Official feesPer class: SGD 280 for each class worded entirely from the pre-approved list, otherwise SGD 410, paid to IPOSBasic fee and a Singapore individual fee (per class, in Swiss francs; see the WIPO fee calculator) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO); no distinction for wording from the pre-approved list
Expedited examinationSG Trade Marks Fast can be requested at filing, for an extra fee per classNot available
Address for serviceRequired from filingNot needed at filing; required if you receive a provisional refusal and request a review
ExaminationAbsolute grounds plus a search for earlier marks; examination reports must be answered within 4 monthsThe same examination; IPOS must notify WIPO of any provisional refusal within 18 months, and you have 4 months to respond
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Singapore designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Singapore; you want expedited examination; you have no home filing to rely onYou already have a home filing and want protection in several countries

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 IPOS, prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as a power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name (for a company, its full legal name as registered, given in English)
  • Address and contact email

Address for service

  • An address in Singapore to which IPOS sends all correspondence; if you appoint an agent, the agent provides it

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording
  • Figurative or combined mark: a clear image
  • If the mark contains Chinese or other non-English wording, prepare an English translation and transliteration; IPOS may ask for them
  • The same Chinese characters in simplified and traditional script can be filed as a series of marks in one application; versions with a different font style or character order cannot

Goods and services

  • Give the class numbers and terms under the Nice Classification (13th edition from 2026)
  • Take every term in a class from the IPOS pre-approved list (Classification Database): the class costs less and is less likely to draw objections
  • Do not claim "all goods in this class", and do not list a range that clearly exceeds your business

Basis of the application

  • A statement that the mark is in use or that you have a bona fide intention to use it (no evidence of use needed)
  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months
How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct online application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search the IPOS database for similar marks and pick terms from the pre-approved list

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    File Form TM4 online and pay per class; expedited examination must be requested at the same time

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    Absolute grounds plus a search for earlier marks; any problems are raised in an examination report, to be answered within 4 months (statutory, extendable on request)

  4. Step 4

    Publication

    Published in the Trade Marks Journal for 2 months, during which others can oppose; if an opponent requests an extension, up to 4 months from publication (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Registration

    With no opposition, the registration certificate is issued; about 9 months in all (estimate, based on IPOS guidance)

With expedited examination, the first examination report or notice of publication comes within 3–6 weeks (IPOS published timeframe); the speed-up stops there, and later responses follow the normal sequence. IPOS does not publish average filing-to-registration statistics; an opposition suspends the application until it 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 class. Whether every term in a class comes from the IPOS pre-approved list decides whether that class costs SGD 280 or SGD 410: the SGD 410 rate has applied since 1 September 2025, and the SGD 280 rate has been unchanged since 26 May 2022. The table below shows the current IPOS fees.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (per class, using only pre-approved descriptions; otherwise SGD 410 per class)Per class280 SGD≈ USD 219
Payable when applicable
Application fee for a class whose specification is not fully adopted from the pre-approved list, per class (charged instead of SGD 280 for that class)Per class410 SGD≈ USD 321
Acceleration request (SG Trade Marks Fast, at filing): class fully adopted from the pre-approved list, per classPer class200 SGD≈ USD 156
Acceleration request (SG Trade Marks Fast, at filing): other classes, per classPer class250 SGD≈ USD 195
Keeping the registration
Renewal (from 6 months before expiry up to the expiry date, every 10 years), per classPer class480 SGD≈ USD 375
Late renewal (within 6 months after expiry, instead of the SGD 480 renewal fee), per classPer class700 SGD≈ USD 547
Restoration of registration (within 6 months after removal, Form TM19), per classPer class770 SGD≈ USD 602
Other
Recording a transfer of ownership (Form CM8), per trade markPer application70 SGD≈ USD 55

Source: IPOS Forms and Fees；IPOS How to Register Trade Marks (SG Trade Marks Fast) · current fees in force since 2025-09-01 · 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.

Example: an application covering 3 classes, 2 worded entirely from the pre-approved list and 1 in your own wording, costs 2 × SGD 280 + SGD 410 = SGD 970 in filing fees; with expedited examination, add 2 × SGD 200 + SGD 250 = SGD 650.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Singapore and common refusals

These are the most common problems in Singapore examination, along with Singapore-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

Examiners cite earlier marks

Singapore examiners search for similar earlier applications and registrations and raise them as objections, unlike the UK, where earlier marks are only notified, not used to refuse. You can argue the case, narrow the goods or obtain a letter of consent from the earlier owner; the consent must be to registration, not just use, and cannot be conditional.

Wording outside the pre-approved list

If even one term in a class is not taken from the IPOS pre-approved list, that class costs SGD 410 and is more likely to draw objections for unclear wording. Claims such as "all goods in this class" must be deleted, and multi-class applications whose scope clearly exceeds your actual business can also draw objections.

A missed deadline means withdrawal

Examination reports must be answered within 4 months. For applications filed on or after 26 May 2022, a missed deadline withdraws only the goods or services objected to, and the rest proceeds; within 2 months of the withdrawal you can request continued processing (Form CM13) and file the response.

Descriptive or non-distinctive marks (section 7)

Signs that directly describe the quality, purpose or origin of the goods are refused. Chinese wording is examined by its meaning too: in an example from the IPOS Trade Marks Work Manual, a Chinese mark meaning "Korea" for noodles was refused as indicating origin. A distinctive device or invented wording lowers this risk.

No address for service in Singapore

The address for service must be in Singapore. Direct applications need one from filing; Madrid designations of Singapore need one once you receive a provisional refusal and request a review.

Get a trademark search report: can your mark be registered in Singapore?

Sign in, enter the mark and goods and submit a preliminary search; charged per search, with the report delivered to your account and email.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Singapore does not require periodic declarations of use, but an unused mark can be revoked, and a registration whose renewal deadline is missed is removed from the register.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
From 5 years after registration is completedKeep using the mark genuinely in Singapore and keep evidence; after 5 years of non-use, others can apply for revocationNone
Within 6 months before expiry, then every 10 yearsRenewal (Form TM19)SGD 480 per class
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal (Form TM19)SGD 700 per class
Within 6 months after removalApply for restoration (Form TM19); the Registrar decides whether to restoreSGD 770 per class
Any timeRecord an assignment (Form CM8); change of name or address (Form CM2)Assignment SGD 70 per trade mark number; changes free

The registered owner (or a licensee entitled to do so) can give the Director-General of Customs written notice about expected imports or exports of infringing goods and ask for them to be seized; the notice is valid until the 59th day after it is filed. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Singapore

How much does a Singapore trademark cost?

Official fees for direct applications are charged per class: SGD 280 for a class worded entirely from the IPOS pre-approved list, otherwise SGD 410 (since 1 September 2025). For example, 2 classes from the pre-approved list and 1 in your own wording cost SGD 970. Expedited examination adds SGD 200 or 250 per class. 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 Singapore?

According to IPOS guidance, about 9 months with no objections and no opposition; IPOS does not publish average processing statistics. If you request expedited examination (SG Trade Marks Fast) at filing, the first examination report or notice of publication comes within 3–6 weeks, followed by 2 months of publication.

IPOS stopped accepting expedited examination requests on 4 January 2026 and reopened them on 1 September 2026; see Singapore reopens patent and trademark fast tracks on 1 September.

What is the IPOS pre-approved list, and do I have to use it?

The pre-approved list is the set of goods and services terms already accepted in the IPOS Classification Database. It is not compulsory, but a class worded entirely from the list costs SGD 280 instead of SGD 410, and its wording will not draw objections for being unclear. If the list has no suitable term, you can use your own wording; that class is then charged SGD 410.

Do foreign applicants need a Singapore address or a local agent?

You need an address for service in Singapore to receive documents from IPOS; the law does not require you to appoint a Singapore agent. If you file through an agent, the agent provides the address for service.

The examination report cites a similar mark. Can I still register?

Possibly. Within 4 months you can argue in writing, delete or narrow the goods, or obtain the earlier owner's consent to registration; you can also request a hearing. If the cited mark has been registered for 5 years and is still not used in Singapore, you can also consider applying to revoke it. For applications filed on or after 26 May 2022, if you do not respond in time, the goods or services objected to are treated as withdrawn.

Can I register a mark in Chinese characters or another non-English script?

Yes, you can file it directly. IPOS examines what the wording means to decide whether it describes the goods, and can ask for an English translation and transliteration. The same Chinese characters in simplified and traditional script can be filed as a series of marks in one application; versions with a different font style or character order cannot.

Other IP rights

Patents: Singapore patents are granted by IPOS and last 20 years from the filing date; PCT applications can enter the Singapore national phase (PCT member since 23 February 1995).

Designs: registered designs are protected for 5 years from the filing date and can be extended twice by 5 years each, normally up to 15 years in total; Singapore can also be designated through the Hague Agreement (since 17 April 2005).

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

IP news: Singapore

Other countries and territories in the region

Malaysia　·　Indonesia　·　Thailand　·　Vietnam　·　Philippines　·　India

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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 (Singapore selected) Get a trademark search report first

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