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Trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in the Taiwan region, China

To register a trademark in the Taiwan region, China, you file directly with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office": the Taiwan region is not part of the Madrid System. Applicants with no local domicile or business must appoint a qualified local agent, and within 6 months of your first application you can claim its priority.

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Trademark registration in the Taiwan region, China

Five questions first

Which route?Madrid does not cover the Taiwan region, so you file directly with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office". If your first application was filed less than 6 months ago, claim its priority at the same time.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name in English and Traditional Chinese, address, an image of the mark, specific goods or services and a power of attorney; if you claim priority, the priority document within 3 months.Details ↓How are official fees charged?A filing fee of TWD 3,000 per class, less TWD 300 per application filed online; after approval, a registration fee of TWD 2,500 per class.Details ↓How long does it take?Official statistics for 2025: first examination notice after 5.6 months on average, final decision after 7.1 months; the mark is registered once the registration fee is paid after approval.Details ↓What are the main risks?Similarity to an earlier mark and lack of distinctiveness are the most common; also watch for disclaimers of descriptive elements and the 3-month opposition period after registration is published.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in the Taiwan region: key facts

OfficeThe Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office, Ministry of Economic Affairs" (referred to here as the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office"). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawThe Taiwan region's "Trademark Act" and its "Enforcement Rules"; official fees under the "Regulations Governing Trademark Fees"
Registration principleFirst to file; use is not required at filing, but you must genuinely intend to use the mark on the goods or services claimed
Madrid SystemNot available: the Taiwan region is not part of the Madrid System and cannot be designated; file directly
Foreign applicantsApplicants with no domicile or place of business in the Taiwan region must appoint a qualified trademark agent domiciled there
Priority (statutory)Within 6 months of the first application: declare it when filing and submit the priority document within 3 months of the filing date. First applications filed on the Chinese mainland qualify under the 2010 cross-strait agreement on intellectual property protection
LanguageChinese (Traditional characters); the mark may contain Simplified characters, but the application must write them out in full Traditional form
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; fees are charged per class, with a surcharge for each item above 20 goods per class in classes 1–34
Examination time (official statistics)2025: first examination notice after 5.6 months on average; 7.1 months on average from filing to final decision
Registration fee (statutory)Payable within 2 months of service of the approval decision; the registration is published only after payment. If the deadline is missed unintentionally, twice the fee can be paid within the following 6 months
Opposition (statutory)Anyone may oppose within 3 months of publication of the registration
Term and renewal (statutory)10 years from publication of the registration; renew within the 6 months before expiry, or within 6 months after expiry at twice the renewal fee
Non-useA registration not used for 3 consecutive years without good reason can be revoked
Official feesFiling fee TWD 3,000 per class (TWD 300 less per application filed online); registration fee TWD 2,500 per class

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

Which route

Direct filing: whether to claim priority

The Taiwan region is not part of the Madrid System, so it cannot be designated in an international registration: a local agent files directly with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office". The real choice is whether to claim priority from an earlier application.

ItemDirect filing without priorityDirect filing claiming priority
PrerequisiteNone; use this if you have no earlier application, or if it was filed more than 6 months agoFiled in the Taiwan region within 6 months of your first application; same mark, with goods or services within the scope of the earlier application
Filing dateThe date you file with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office"The filing date of your first application (priority date); identical or similar applications filed by others in the Taiwan region in the meantime rank behind yours
Extra stepsNoneDeclare the date, office and number of the earlier application when filing; submit a priority document issued by that office within 3 months of the filing date
Official feesFiling fee per class; registration fee per class after approvalSame as direct filing; claiming priority carries no extra official fee
RiskAnyone who files first in the gap between your first application and your filing in the Taiwan region can block youIf priority is not declared at filing, or the document is not submitted within 3 months, the claim is treated as not made and cannot be corrected
Best forYou have not filed elsewhere yet, or your first application is more than 6 months oldYour first application was filed less than 6 months ago, especially if you are worried about pre-emptive filings in the Taiwan region

Applications first filed on the Chinese mainland can be used for priority on the same terms, under the cross-strait agreement on intellectual property protection in force since 2010.

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

To file directly with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office", prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as the power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name in Chinese and in English: the Chinese name must be in Traditional characters; for a company, based on its registered legal name
  • Address (for a company, its registered address)
  • Applicants from the Chinese mainland: a prefix identifying the Chinese mainland is added to the name; identity or legal-entity documents are requested only when the office considers it necessary, and may then need verification by a designated body

The mark

  • A clear image of the mark; for a colour mark, a colour image
  • Name of the mark in Traditional Chinese, English or Japanese; Chinese characters in the mark, whether Simplified or Traditional, must be written out in full Traditional form
  • Wording in a foreign language: state the language and its meaning in Chinese; for a coined word, state that it has no meaning
  • Three-dimensional, colour, sound, motion and other non-traditional marks need a description of the mark

Goods and services

  • List specific goods or services class by class under the Nice Classification; catch-all wording such as "all goods in this class" is not accepted
  • Use the reference names in the online filing system where possible: if every item uses them, the filing fee drops by a further TWD 300 per class and the application can enter the "fast track"
  • Surcharges apply above 20 goods per class in classes 1–34, and above 5 items of retail services for specific goods in class 35

Power of attorney and priority

  • Power of attorney: a version in a foreign language needs a Chinese translation; companies from the Chinese mainland may have it signed by their legal representative or an authorised signatory, or affix the company seal
  • Claiming priority: give the date, office and number of the earlier application when filing, and submit the priority document within 3 months of the filing date

No evidence of use is required at filing, but you must genuinely intend to use the mark; if the office considers it necessary, it may ask for an explanation during examination.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no grounds for refusal.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search for similar marks in the trademark search system of the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office" and settle the goods and services

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    The local agent files online and obtains a filing date; if you claim priority, submit the priority document within 3 months (statutory)

  3. Step 3

    Substantive examination

    First examination notice after 5.6 months on average (official statistics, 2025)

  4. Step 4

    Response to grounds for refusal

    If any: applicants with no domicile in the Taiwan region have 2 months, extendable by 2 months (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Approval and registration fee

    Pay the registration fee within 2 months of service of the approval decision (statutory); the registration is then published

  6. Step 6

    Publication and opposition

    Anyone may oppose within 3 months of publication of the registration (statutory)

Official statistics: in 2025, applications took 7.1 months on average from filing to final decision (approval or refusal). Online applications for two-dimensional marks that use only reference names for the goods and pay the fees in full electronically can enter the "fast track", which brings the first notice earlier than in other cases; if you need the right urgently, you can also pay for accelerated examination.

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 paid in two stages: a filing fee per class when you file, reduced for online filing, and a registration fee per class after approval. The table below shows the current fees published by the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office".

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing fee (per class; up to 20 goods per class in Classes 1–34. E-filing: TWD 300 off per application, plus TWD 300 off per class if all items are taken from the system's reference list)Per class3,000 TWD≈ USD 99
Paid on registration
Registration fee (per class, 10 years in one payment; due within 2 months of the approval decision, or double within a further 6 months if the delay was unintentional)Per class2,500 TWD≈ USD 82
Payable when applicable
Excess-item surcharge: each item beyond 20 in a class (Classes 1–34)Per item200 TWD≈ USD 7
Class 35 retail services for specific goods: each item beyond 5Per item500 TWD≈ USD 16
Accelerated examination fee (per class, only if requested)Per class6,000 TWD≈ USD 197
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (per class, 10 years; double if filed within 6 months after expiry)Per class4,000 TWD≈ USD 131
Other
Assignment recordal fee (per application or registration)Per application2,000 TWD≈ USD 66
Recordal of changes (per case, e.g. name of owner or agent; change of address is free)Per application500 TWD≈ USD 16

Source: www.tipo.gov.tw · current fees in force since 2024-05-01 · checked on 2026-10-07 · USD figures are approximate, converted at the Bank of China selling rate (spot; cash rate where no spot rate is published; the central bank's USD rate for currencies it does not quote); 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 online application in 2 classes, with no more than 20 goods per class worded freely, pays a filing fee of 2 × TWD 3,000 − TWD 300 = TWD 5,700; if all goods use reference names, a further 2 × TWD 300 comes off, giving TWD 5,100. After approval, the registration fee is 2 × TWD 2,500 = TWD 5,000, so TWD 10,700 in total (TWD 10,100 with reference names). Accelerated examination adds TWD 6,000 per class.

Service fees, including the 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 the Taiwan region and common refusals

These are the most common grounds for refusal in examination in the Taiwan region, along with local rules that are easy to overlook.

Similarity to an earlier mark ("Trademark Act", Article 30(1)(10))

The most common ground for refusal. A mark similar to someone else's earlier application or registration for similar goods, and likely to cause confusion, is refused. It can still be registered with the earlier owner's consent, unless that is clearly inappropriate.

Lack of distinctiveness and disclaimers (Article 29)

Marks made up only of descriptions of the quality, purpose, origin or similar features of the goods cannot be registered. If a mark contains a non-distinctive element that could make the scope of rights unclear, you must disclaim exclusive rights in that element, or the mark is refused.

Specific descriptions of goods

Catch-all wording such as "all goods in this class" does not even secure a filing date, and freely worded items slow examination down. Use the reference names in the online filing system where possible: they reduce the fee and qualify the application for the "fast track".

Registration fee within 2 months of approval

Approval is not registration: the mark is registered and published only once the registration fee is paid within 2 months of service of the approval decision. If you miss this unintentionally, you can pay twice the fee within the next 6 months, unless this would affect rights acquired by others in the meantime.

Opposition only after registration

There is no publication for opposition before registration in the Taiwan region. Anyone can oppose within 3 months of publication of the registration, so search before filing and watch the first three months after registration.

Bad-faith filings and revocation for non-use

If a distributor, manufacturer or other business partner knew your mark through your dealings and filed it first, you can rely on this to block the registration or have it cancelled. Conversely, a registration not used for 3 consecutive years without good reason can be revoked at anyone's request.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A registration in the Taiwan region needs no periodic proof of use, but the registration fee must be paid on time after approval and the registration renewed every 10 years; 3 consecutive years of non-use can lead to revocation.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee (per class)
Within 2 months of service of the approval decisionPay the registration fee (10 years, paid in one go); the registration is then publishedTWD 2,500
Within 6 months after that deadlineLate payment of the registration fee, if the delay was unintentionalTwice the fee: TWD 5,000
From 6 months before expiry to the expiry dateRenew the registration, for 10 years each timeTWD 4,000
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewalTwice the fee: TWD 8,000
Any timeRecord assignments and licences; record changes such as a change of nameAssignment or licence: TWD 2,000 per request; change: TWD 500 per request

Once the mark is registered, the owner can provide a security deposit and ask customs in the Taiwan region to detain suspected infringing imports or exports; e-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in the Taiwan region

How much does a trademark cost in the Taiwan region?

Official fees are paid in two stages: TWD 3,000 per class at filing, less TWD 300 per application filed online (and a further TWD 300 per class if all goods use reference names), then a registration fee of TWD 2,500 per class after approval. In classes 1–34, each item above 20 per class adds TWD 200. Service fees, including the local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration take in the Taiwan region?

According to 2025 figures published by the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office", the first examination notice takes 5.6 months on average, and the whole process 7.1 months from filing to final decision. The mark is registered once the registration fee is paid within 2 months of approval; responding to grounds for refusal takes longer.

Can a foreign company register a trademark in the Taiwan region?

Yes. Applicants with no domicile or place of business in the Taiwan region must appoint a qualified trademark agent domiciled there. The applicant's name is given in Chinese (Traditional characters) and in English, and a power of attorney in a foreign language needs a Chinese translation.

Can I designate the Taiwan region through the Madrid System?

No. The Taiwan region is not part of the Madrid System, so you must file directly with the Taiwan region's "Intellectual Property Office". If you filed your first application less than 6 months ago, you can claim its priority.

Can I claim priority from an earlier application?

Yes, within 6 months of your first application. Declare the claim when filing and submit the priority document within 3 months of the filing date; otherwise the claim is treated as not made. Applications first filed on the Chinese mainland qualify under the cross-strait agreement on intellectual property protection signed in 2010.

Can my mark be in English or Simplified Chinese?

Yes. For wording in a foreign language, state the language and its meaning in Chinese ("no meaning" for a coined word). The mark may contain Simplified characters, but the application must write them out in full Traditional form. Protection follows the registered representation: if you will use Traditional characters in the Taiwan region, file the mark in that form, or file Simplified and Traditional versions separately.

Other IP rights

Patents: the Taiwan region has three types of patent: invention, utility model and design. Invention patents last 20 years from the filing date, and substantive examination must be requested within 3 years of filing; utility model patents last 10 years. A first patent application filed on the Chinese mainland can also support a priority claim under the cross-strait agreement.

Designs: protected as design patents for 15 years from the filing date; derivative designs expire together with the original design.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Chinese mainland · Hong Kong SAR · Macao SAR · Japan · Republic of Korea

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