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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Sweden

To register a trademark in Sweden, file with the Swedish Intellectual Property Office (PRV), apply for an EU trademark covering all member states, or designate Sweden through Madrid. The PRV examines earlier marks and registered company names ex officio; publication opens a 3-month opposition period, and foreign owners must record a Swedish agent after registration.

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Five questions first

Which route?File with the PRV if Sweden is your main market and you want to keep fees down; apply for an EU trademark to enter several EU countries; with a home application or registration, you can also designate Sweden through Madrid.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, a representation of the mark and a list of goods or services in Swedish; priority from an earlier application filed abroad must be claimed before registration at the latest.Details ↓How are official fees charged?SEK 2,700 for an online application including 1 class, plus SEK 1,000 per additional class; paper filings or self-drafted goods terms from SEK 3,900. Paid on filing and not refunded. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?PRV figures: a new application receives a registration notice or an office action within about 6 weeks; a 3-month opposition period (statutory) follows publication of the registration, and the registration becomes final only once it has passed.Details ↓What are the main risks?The PRV compares your mark with earlier marks and registered company names and refuses similar ones; self-drafted goods terms are charged at the paper rate; foreign owners must record a Swedish agent after registration.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Sweden: key facts

OfficeSwedish Intellectual Property Office (Patent- och registreringsverket, PRV). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrademarks Act (Varumärkeslag, 2010:1877), in force since 1 July 2011 and amended up to 2025:951, and the Trademarks Ordinance (Varumärkesförordning, 2011:594); official fees are set in Chapter 7 of the Ordinance
Other routesSweden has been an EU member state since 1 January 1995, so an EU trademark covers Sweden; the Madrid Protocol has applied to Sweden since 1 December 1995, and Sweden can be designated through Madrid
Examination scopeFormalities, absolute grounds (distinctiveness, descriptiveness, official emblems, etc.) and, ex officio, earlier rights: earlier marks, registered company names used in business, specially protected surnames and similar rights; where the earlier right holder gives written consent, the objection is dropped
Representation and addressNo representative is required at the application stage, but the PRV can order an applicant with no residence in Sweden to appoint an agent in Sweden for service; after registration, a foreign owner must have an agent in Sweden recorded in the trademark register
LanguageApplication documents in Swedish; the PRV can allow exceptions case by case and may require a certified Swedish translation of attachments in other languages. The online filing system has an English interface
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; official fees are charged as the first class plus each additional class; goods or services cannot be added after filing
Examination time (official statistics)A new application receives a registration notice or an office action within about 6 weeks; changes to the register and assignments take about 3–4 weeks
Opposition period (statutory)3 months from publication of the registration in the Swedish Trademark Gazette; anyone may oppose; the PRV's fee schedule lists no opposition fee
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date; renewable from 6 months before to 6 months after expiry, with a surcharge of SEK 200 per class for renewal after expiry
Non-use (statutory)Revocation can be requested if the mark is not put to genuine use in Sweden within 5 years of the registration becoming final, or if use is interrupted for 5 consecutive years; administrative revocation before the PRV costs SEK 900
PriorityCan be claimed within 6 months of an earlier application filed abroad, at the latest before registration; the PRV may order you to file a priority document, with a deadline no earlier than 3 months after the Swedish filing date
Filing feeSEK 2,700 for an online application including 1 class, SEK 1,000 per additional class; SEK 3,900 including 1 class for paper or other filings (in force since 15 March 2025)

Checked on 2026-10-15; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

A national application or an EU trademark

Trademark protection in Sweden can come from three routes: a national application to the PRV, an EU trademark application to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (one registration covering all 27 member states), or a designation of Sweden or the EU in a Madrid international application. The table compares the first two; for details of EU trademarks, see EU trademark registration.

ItemNational application (PRV)EU trademark (EUIPO)
CoverageSweden onlyAll 27 member states (including Sweden); registered and maintained only as a whole
Official feesSEK 2,700 for an online application including 1 class, SEK 1,000 per additional class; SEK 3,900 including 1 class for paper filings or self-drafted goods terms; no separate registration feeEUR 850 including 1 class, EUR 50 for the 2nd class and EUR 150 for each class from the 3rd
LanguageSwedish; the online filing system can be switched to an English interfaceFile in any of the 24 official languages and choose a second language
Earlier rightsThe PRV compares earlier marks and registered company names ex officio and issues an office action where they are similarThe EUIPO does not examine earlier rights ex officio; their owners oppose after publication
Refusal riskOnly registrability in Sweden countsA ground for refusal in any member state or any official language leads to refusal of the whole application
OppositionWithin 3 months of publication of the registration; anyone may opposeWithin 3 months of publication; owners of earlier rights in any member state can oppose
Representation of foreign applicantsNot required to file; after registration, an agent in Sweden must be appointed and recordedNot required to file; later proceedings require a professional representative in the EEA
Use requirementGenuine use in Sweden within 5 years of the registration becoming finalGenuine use in the EU within 5 years of registration, assessed across the EU as a whole
Best forSweden is your main market; a limited budget; the mark may be descriptive or face conflicts in another EU languageYou are entering several member states at once and want one registration to manage

The Madrid route: with a home application or registration, you can designate Sweden (party to the Madrid Protocol since 1 December 1995; it charges an individual fee, with the amount given by the WIPO fee calculator) or the EU in an international application. For a designation of Sweden, the PRV likewise examines earlier rights ex officio and must issue any refusal within 18 months of WIPO's notification; a refusal must be answered within 3 months of the notification; once the designation takes effect in Sweden and is published, anyone may oppose within 3 months.

A refused EU trademark application can be converted, under EU rules, into a national application in Sweden or any other member state where no ground for refusal exists, keeping the original filing date; the PRV charges a conversion fee of SEK 3,000 including 1 class plus SEK 1,000 per additional class. 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

Foreign companies and individuals applying to the PRV for a Swedish trademark generally prepare the following information and documents.

Applicant

  • Name (for a company, its name as shown in the company register) and address; Swedish and foreign natural persons and legal entities can all apply, and no business in Sweden is required
  • Only four items are needed to obtain a filing date: an indication that registration is requested, the applicant's details, a representation of the mark and a list of goods or services; the PRV, however, starts examination only once it has received the official fee

The mark

  • For a word mark, simply state the words; for a figurative or combined mark, upload a clear representation; the online filing system accepts common image and document formats
  • One mark per application; a mark containing Swedish national emblems, the national flag or municipal coats of arms needs special permission

Goods and services

  • List them in Swedish by Nice class, in class-number order; when filing online, choose from the terms pre-approved by the PRV wherever possible, as self-drafted terms are charged at the paper rate
  • English terms can be looked up first in the site's EU trademark classification table; the PRV follows the classification practice harmonised among EU offices, and terms can be checked in TMclass
  • After filing, goods or services can only be deleted, not added

Priority

  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months, at the latest before registration; state the applicant, the receiving office, the filing date and the application number of the earlier application as soon as possible
  • The PRV may order you to file a priority document, with a deadline no earlier than 3 months after the Swedish filing date; if it is not filed in time, priority is lost

Representation and power of attorney

  • When an agent files the application, the PRV does not require a power of attorney with it; a power of attorney must be filed for limiting the list of goods, recording an agent, assignments and similar matters, and the PRV also asks for one when it doubts the agent's authority
  • The power of attorney is signed by hand by the applicant or with an advanced or qualified electronic signature meeting the EU eIDAS standard, and filed as an original or a certified copy; other signing requirements are provided following the agent's instructions

The online filing system offers an English interface and is signed with a Swedish electronic ID; without one, you can print the confirmation page, sign it and post it to the PRV. Official fees are paid online by credit or debit card, or by bank transfer from abroad using the IBAN and BIC published by the PRV. If the application is withdrawn or refused, the fee is not refunded.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct online application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search Swedish marks, EU trademarks, international registrations designating Sweden and Swedish company names; the PRV refuses on the basis of similar earlier marks and company names

  2. Step 2

    Filing and payment

    File online; once a filing date is granted, the application appears in the Swedish trademark database; the PRV starts examination only after receiving the official fee

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    Formalities, absolute grounds and earlier rights are examined together; a new application receives a registration notice or an office action within about 6 weeks (official statistics)

  4. Step 4

    Reply to the office action

    If any: reply within the deadline set by the PRV; if no reply is filed, the application is dismissed, and it can be restored within 2 months after the deadline by completing the reply and paying a restoration fee of SEK 1,000 (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Registration and publication

    If there is no ground for refusal, the mark is entered in the register, a registration certificate is issued and the registration is published in the Swedish Trademark Gazette

  6. Step 6

    Opposition period

    Within 3 months of publication, anyone may oppose before the PRV (statutory); the registration becomes final only if no opposition is filed by the end of the period

The deadline for replying to an office action is set by the PRV in the office action; the law fixes no number of days. If an opposition is filed, the PRV can grant both parties a settlement period of at least 2 months (statutory), and the opposition decision is issued about 3 months after the written exchanges end (official statistics). A final PRV decision can be appealed to the Patent and Market Court within 2 months of the date of the decision (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

For a direct application to the PRV, official fees are charged as the first class plus each additional class, paid on filing; registration itself costs nothing more. The lower electronic rate applies to online applications in which all goods terms are chosen from the PRV's pre-approved list; the higher rate applies to paper or e-mail filings and to online applications with self-drafted goods terms. The current rates are set in Chapter 7 of the Trademarks Ordinance and have applied since 15 March 2025. If the application is refused or withdrawn, the fee is not refunded.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing fee (e-service, one class included; all goods and services taken from PRV's pre-approved list)Per application2,700 SEK≈ USD 272
Additional class fee (per class beyond the first)Each additional class1,000 SEK≈ USD 101
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (every 10 years, e-service, one class included; SEK 3,900 on paper)Per application2,700 SEK≈ USD 272
Renewal fee for each additional class beyond the firstEach additional class1,000 SEK≈ USD 101
Surcharge for renewal after expiry (within 6 months after expiry, per class, on top of the renewal fee)Per class200 SEK≈ USD 20
Other
Reinstatement fee (resuming an application dismissed for failure to reply, within 2 months)Per application1,000 SEK≈ USD 101
Fee for an application for administrative revocation (e.g. revocation for non-use)Per application900 SEK≈ USD 91
Recordal of a new owner (per application or registration)Per application1,000 SEK≈ USD 101
Recordal of a licence (per licence)Per item1,000 SEK≈ USD 101
Fee for alteration of a registered trademarkPer application1,000 SEK≈ USD 101

Source: PRV Swedish Intellectual Property Office, Fees – trademarks · current fees in force since 2025-03-15 · checked on 2026-10-15 · 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 online application covering 3 classes, all with pre-approved terms, costs SEK 2,700 + 2 × SEK 1,000 = SEK 4,700 in official fees; 1 class costs SEK 2,700. The same 3 classes filed on paper, or with self-drafted goods terms, cost SEK 3,900 + 2 × SEK 1,000 = SEK 5,900.

Renewal fees are the same as filing fees: SEK 2,700 for an online renewal including 1 class, plus SEK 1,000 per additional class; a renewal made within 6 months after expiry carries a surcharge of SEK 200 per class. For a Madrid designation of Sweden, fees are paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization and the amount is given by the WIPO fee calculator.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Sweden and common refusals

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

The PRV compares earlier marks, and registered company names too

The PRV examines ex officio whether your application is similar to earlier marks valid in Sweden (Swedish marks, EU trademarks and international registrations designating Sweden), and also compares it with registered company names used in business and specially protected surnames; where it finds similarity it issues an office action, and refuses if the reply does not resolve it. Before filing, search Swedish company names as well as the trademark databases. If the earlier right holder consents in writing to the registration, the PRV no longer refuses on that basis.

Self-drafted goods terms are charged at the paper rate

An online application is charged at the electronic rate of SEK 2,700 only when all goods or services terms are chosen from the PRV's pre-approved list; if you write your own terms in the online application, the fee is the same as for a paper filing, from SEK 3,900. The PRV follows the classification practice harmonised among EU offices, so matching your goods descriptions to approved terms before filing saves fees and reduces office actions.

After registration, foreign owners must record an agent in Sweden

No representative is required at the application stage, but once an owner with no residence or place of business in Sweden obtains a registration, it must have an agent in Sweden who receives service, recorded in the trademark register. Without one, the PRV posts its documents to the address in the register, and where the address is incomplete it only serves by public notice; the risk of missing an opposition or revocation action then lies with the owner. If an agent handles the filing, the agent records the appointment.

Application documents in Swedish

Application documents and the list of goods must be in Swedish; the PRV allows exceptions only case by case, and may require a certified Swedish translation of attachments in other languages. The English interface of the online filing system is only the operating language: the goods terms should still be chosen from the PRV's approved list.

5 years of non-use allows administrative revocation, and in oppositions you can demand proof of use

If the mark is not put to genuine use in Sweden within 5 years of the registration becoming final, or if use is interrupted for 5 consecutive years, anyone can apply to the PRV for administrative revocation, with an official fee of SEK 900; if the owner does not object, the PRV revokes the registration directly, and if it does, the applicant has 1 month to ask for the case to be transferred to the Patent and Market Court. Conversely, when an opposition is based on an earlier mark registered for at least 5 years, you can require the opponent to prove genuine use of that mark during the last 5 years.

Miss the reply deadline and the application is dismissed

The PRV sets the reply deadline in the office action; the law fixes no number of days, and an application with no reply by the deadline is dismissed. It can be restored within 2 months after dismissal by completing the reply and paying a restoration fee of SEK 1,000; after that you can only file again, losing the original filing date and any priority.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Swedish registration needs no periodic declarations of use, but a mark that is not used can be revoked; if renewal is missed even within the grace period, the registration is removed from the register.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
After registrationForeign owners record an agent in Sweden to receive service; changing the agent is free of chargeNone
From 5 years after the registration becomes finalKeep using the mark genuinely in Sweden and keep evidence; if it is not used, anyone can apply to the PRV for administrative revocationNone (a third party applying for administrative revocation pays SEK 900)
Within 6 months before expiry (10 years from the filing date), then every 10 yearsRenew; the PRV sends renewal information to the registered address 6 months before expiry, and an online renewal paid by card is completed the next daySEK 2,700 for an online renewal including 1 class, SEK 1,000 per additional class; paper renewal from SEK 3,900
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal in the grace periodRenewal fee plus SEK 200 per class
Any timeRecord assignments; record licences; record changes of name or address; amend the registered markAssignment SEK 1,000 per registration; licence SEK 1,000 per entry; change of name or address free of charge; amendment of the mark SEK 1,000

Once registered, you can file an application for customs action with Swedish Customs (Tullverket) under Regulation (EU) No 608/2013 through the EUIPO's IP Enforcement Portal; the application can cover Sweden only or the whole EU. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Sweden

How much does a Swedish trademark cost?

For a direct online application to the PRV, the official fee is SEK 2,700 including 1 class, plus SEK 1,000 per additional class, at the rates in force since 15 March 2025; a paper application, or an online application with self-drafted goods terms, costs SEK 3,900 for the first class. For example, an online application covering 3 classes costs SEK 4,700, and registration itself costs nothing more. Renewal fees are the same as filing fees. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does Swedish trademark registration take?

According to the PRV's published figures, a new application receives a registration notice or an office action within about 6 weeks. Without an office action, the registration is published in the Swedish Trademark Gazette, a 3-month opposition period follows, and the registration becomes final only if nobody opposes. With an office action, add the time for your reply and the PRV's further examination; if an opposition is filed, the PRV first grants both parties a settlement period of at least 2 months, and the opposition decision is issued about 3 months after the written exchanges end.

Do foreign applicants need a Swedish agent or address?

Not at the application stage: the law does not require it, although the PRV can order an applicant with no residence in Sweden to appoint an agent in Sweden for service. The online filing system has an English interface, those without a Swedish electronic ID can print the confirmation page, sign it and post it to the PRV, and the fee can be paid online by card or by bank transfer from abroad using the PRV's IBAN. After registration, however, an agent in Sweden must be recorded in the trademark register; otherwise the PRV only posts its documents to the registered address or serves them by public notice. Application documents and the list of goods must be in Swedish, so filing through an agent is the simplest option.

I already have an EU trademark. Do I also need a Swedish trademark?

An EU trademark is valid in Sweden, so there is normally no need to register the same mark again. A separate Swedish application usually makes sense for one of three reasons: a limited budget and a focus on the Swedish market only; a mark that may be descriptive or face conflicts in another EU language; or the wish to hold a registration that does not share the fate of the EU trademark as a whole. A refused EU trademark application can also be converted into a Swedish national application keeping the original filing date; see EU trademark registration.

How should the list of goods be written, and can the mark be in Chinese or another non-Latin script?

Goods and services are listed in Swedish by Nice class, ideally chosen from the terms pre-approved in the PRV's online filing system; self-drafted terms cost more in official fees and are more likely to draw an office action. The mark itself can be in Chinese or another non-Latin script: the characters are filed as a representation, and the PRV examines distinctiveness and compares the mark with earlier marks in the same way. Before filing, check that the meaning and the transliteration have no descriptive or undesirable sense in Swedish.

What if the application is refused over an earlier mark or company name?

You can argue within the deadline set by the PRV that the marks are not similar, or delete the goods that conflict with the earlier right; you can also ask the owner of the earlier mark or company name for a written declaration consenting to registration, after which the PRV no longer refuses on that basis. If the earlier mark has been registered for at least 5 years without genuine use, you can apply to the PRV for its administrative revocation. A final refusal can be appealed to the Patent and Market Court within 2 months of the date of the decision; the appeal is filed with the PRV.

Other IP rights

Patents: Swedish patents are handled by the PRV under the new Patents Act (2024:945), in force since 1 January 2025, and last up to 20 years from the filing date. PCT applications can enter the Swedish national phase (Sweden has been a PCT member since 17 May 1978), and a European patent granted by the European Patent Office can be validated in Sweden.

Designs: a registered design runs in 5-year periods from the filing date and can be renewed up to a maximum of 25 years; you can also apply for an EU design valid throughout the EU. Sweden itself is not a member of the Hague Agreement, but the EU is, so a Hague application designating the EU covers Sweden.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Denmark　·　Norway　·　Germany　·　Poland　·　European Union Intellectual Property Office

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