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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Switzerland

Swiss trademarks are filed with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) or through a Madrid designation of Switzerland. Switzerland is not in the EU, so EU trademarks do not cover it. The IPI examines absolute grounds only; owners of earlier marks can oppose within 3 months after the registration is published.

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Trademark registration in Switzerland

Five questions first

Which route?File directly with the IPI if you only need Switzerland or want registration quickly; designate Switzerland through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries. EU trademarks do not include Switzerland.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, an address for service in Switzerland, the mark, and a list of goods or services in German, French or Italian.Details ↓How are official fees charged?CHF 450 including 3 classes, CHF 100 less when filed online; CHF 100 for each class from the 4th. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?Published by the IPI: simple cases are examined within 6 working days, others usually within 2 months of payment. With no grounds for refusal the mark is registered, followed by a 3-month opposition period.Details ↓What are the main risks?The IPI does not check earlier marks, so a registration can still be opposed; descriptiveness is judged in German, French, Italian and English; "Swiss" and the Swiss cross are subject to indication-of-source rules.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Switzerland: key facts

OfficeSwiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI; IGE in German). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawFederal Act on the Protection of Trademarks and Indications of Source (MSchG, SR 232.11) and the Trademark Protection Ordinance (MSchV, SR 232.111); official fees are set in the IPI Fees Ordinance
Territorial scopeThe whole of Switzerland. EU trademarks do not cover Switzerland; Liechtenstein has its own trademark system and needs a separate application or a Madrid designation
Filing principleFirst to file; trademark rights arise on registration, and the 10-year term runs from the filing date
ExaminationFormalities and absolute grounds only (lack of distinctiveness, descriptiveness, misleading or unlawful signs, etc.); no comparison with earlier marks
Madrid SystemProtocol member since 1 May 1997; Switzerland can be designated through Madrid
Address for serviceApplicants without a domicile or establishment in Switzerland must give an address for service in Switzerland; the law does not require you to appoint a Swiss representative
LanguageGerman, French or Italian, at your choice; English terms are generally not accepted in the list of goods or services
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; the filing fee includes 3 classes, with a fee for each class from the 4th
Examination time (published by the IPI)Simple cases within 6 working days; others usually within 2 months of payment of the filing fee; accelerated examination guarantees registration or an examination report within 1 month
Opposition period (statutory)3 months from publication of the registration; cannot be extended
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date; renewable within the 12 months before expiry, or within 6 months after expiry for a surcharge
Non-use (statutory)After 5 consecutive years of non-use following the end of the opposition period (or of opposition proceedings), the mark can no longer be enforced and anyone can apply to the IPI for cancellation
Filing feeCHF 450 including 3 classes (in force since 1 July 2023), CHF 100 less when filed online via e-trademark; CHF 100 for each class from the 4th

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 Swiss protection. They differ in prerequisites, fee structure, address for service and dependency risk. Switzerland is not in the EU, so neither an EU trademark nor a Madrid designation of the EU covers Switzerland.

ItemDirect filing with the IPIMadrid designation of Switzerland
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
Official feesCHF 450 including 3 classes, CHF 100 less online, CHF 100 for each class from the 4th, paid to the IPIBasic fee paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), plus: if your office of origin is party to both the Madrid Agreement and the Protocol (e.g. China), only the CHF 100 complementary fee for Switzerland (and a supplementary fee for more than 3 classes), as Article 9sexies of the Protocol excludes the individual fee; from other offices of origin, the Swiss individual fee (including 3 classes, with a fee for each additional class, in Swiss francs). See the WIPO fee calculator
Address for serviceRequired from filingNot needed to file; once a provisional refusal from the IPI has to be answered, you must give a Swiss address for service or appoint a Swiss representative. If the IPI only proposes limiting the goods, you can simply agree in writing
Examination and responseThe IPI usually sets a 2-month time limit to reply, which can be extendedIf your office of origin is party to both the Madrid Agreement and the Protocol (e.g. China), the IPI must notify any provisional refusal within 12 months; from other offices of origin, within the 18 months Switzerland has declared; for refusals on absolute grounds, the time limit to reply is 5 months
Accelerated examinationAvailable for an extra CHF 400Also available, for the same accelerated examination fee
Opposition period3 months from publication of the registration in Swissreg3 months from the first day of the month after publication in the WIPO Gazette
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Swiss designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Switzerland; you want registration quickly; 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 the IPI, 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)
  • Address and contact email

Address for service

  • An address for service in Switzerland; if you appoint a representative, the representative provides it
  • If it is missing, the IPI first asks for it in writing; if it is not supplied in time, the application is refused

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording
  • Figurative or combined mark: a clear image; if you claim colour, state the colours
  • Figurative marks with a white or red cross: you can add a colour statement (for example, that the cross will not appear in white on a red background or in other colours confusable with the Swiss cross) so that it is not regarded as confusable with the Swiss cross

Goods and services

  • List them by Nice class in German, French or Italian; each item must be specific enough to be classified
  • Terms from the Nice class headings can be used, but cover only goods or services that actually fall within the term
  • English terms are generally not accepted, except words that have entered everyday usage (such as Router)

Basis of the application

  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months; the IPI may ask for the priority document, and English documents are accepted

After registration the mark cannot be changed and the list of goods or services cannot be extended, only narrowed; settle the classes and wording before filing.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct online application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    The IPI does not compare earlier marks, so searching for similar marks is up to you; also settle the classes and the German, French or Italian wording

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    File online via e-trademark, receive an application number and pay the filing fee and any class fees as notified by the IPI

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    Simple cases within 6 working days, others usually within 2 months of payment (published by the IPI); formalities and absolute grounds only

  4. Step 4

    Response to objections

    If needed: within the time limit set by the IPI, usually 2 months, extendable

  5. Step 5

    Registration and publication

    With no grounds for refusal the mark is registered and published in Swissreg, and the IPI confirms the registration

  6. Step 6

    Opposition period

    Within 3 months of publication, owners of earlier marks can oppose with the IPI (statutory, cannot be extended); a successful opposition cancels the registration in whole or in part

With accelerated examination, the mark is registered or you receive an examination report within 1 month of paying the filing and accelerated examination fees, and the remaining steps are completed within 2 months (published by the IPI). Opposed cases take considerably 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 for a direct application are charged per application (including the first 3 classes) plus each class from the 4th; filing online via e-trademark saves CHF 100. The current filing fee has applied since 1 July 2023. The table below shows the current fees published by the IPI.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Filing fee (per application, first three classes included; CHF 100 off when filed online via e-trademark)Per application450 CHF≈ USD 543
Class surcharge (per class from the fourth class; due when more than three classes are claimed)Each class from the fourth100 CHF≈ USD 121
Payable when applicable
Expedited examination fee (registration or objection within one month)Per application400 CHF≈ USD 482
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (every 10 years, regardless of the number of classes)Per application550 CHF≈ USD 663
Surcharge for renewal after expiry (within 6 months after expiry, on top of the renewal fee)Per application50 CHF≈ USD 60
Other
Further processing fee (after missing a time limit set by the IPI)Per application100 CHF≈ USD 121

Source: IPI Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, Trade mark costs and fees · current fees in force since 2024-07-01 · checked on 2026-10-07 · 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.

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Example: an online application via e-trademark covering 5 classes costs CHF 450 − 100 + 2 × 100 = CHF 550 in official fees at filing; up to 3 classes, it costs CHF 350.

Accelerated examination costs an extra CHF 400. For a Madrid designation of Switzerland, official fees are paid to WIPO; see the WIPO fee calculator for the amount.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Switzerland and common refusals

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

Registration first, opposition later: the IPI does not check earlier marks

Switzerland works differently from most countries: the IPI does not search for or compare earlier marks. If there are no absolute grounds, the mark is registered, and owners of earlier marks can oppose only within 3 months after the registration is published. A registration does not mean there is no conflict: a successful opposition cancels it in whole or in part, so searching before filing matters even more.

"Swiss" in a mark: easy to register, strict to use

The IPI refuses only geographical indications that are clearly misleading, for example a mark saying "Swiss" for goods limited to another country of origin; the list of goods does not have to be limited to Swiss origin. But when you actually use "Swiss", "Switzerland", "Swiss made" or similar wording in Switzerland, the goods must meet the statutory origin criteria (for industrial products, for example, at least 60% of the manufacturing costs must be incurred in Switzerland). Otherwise the use is unlawful, and intentional misuse can lead to criminal liability.

The Swiss coat of arms and the Swiss cross

The Swiss coat of arms (the cross in a shield) is reserved for the Confederation; signs containing it or confusable with it are refused. The Swiss cross and the Swiss flag as such lack distinctiveness, but a cross clearly different from the usual depiction can be registered; using the Swiss cross on goods is limited to goods of Swiss origin. If the cross in your figurative mark has nothing to do with Switzerland, you can state that it will not appear in white on a red background or in similar colours.

Descriptiveness is judged in four languages

The IPI assesses whether a mark describes the goods or services in German, French, Italian and English; a mark that directly describes the goods in any of them (such as HYDRO COSMETIQUE for cosmetics) is refused. Adding a distinctive element can make the mark registrable as a whole.

No Swiss address for service

Applicants without a domicile in Switzerland must give a Swiss address for service. If a direct application lacks one, the IPI first asks for it in writing and refuses the application if it is not supplied in time; for a Madrid designation of Switzerland, one is also required once a provisional refusal has to be answered.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Swiss registration needs no periodic declarations of use, but a mark that is not used can be cancelled, and a registration not renewed in time is deleted.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
From 5 years after the opposition period endsKeep using the mark genuinely in Switzerland and keep evidence; after 5 consecutive years of non-use, anyone can apply to the IPI for cancellationNone (a third party applying for cancellation pays CHF 800)
Within 12 months before expiry, then every 10 yearsRenewCHF 550, regardless of the number of classes
Within 6 months after expiryLate renewal, so the registration is not deletedRenewal fee plus CHF 50
After missing a time limit set by the IPIRequest further processing within 2 months of becoming aware of it, and at the latest within 6 months after the time limit expired, completing the missing step (not available for statutory periods such as the opposition or renewal periods)CHF 100
Any timeRecord changes of name, address or representative; record assignments (signed documents required)Changes of name, address or representative: free

Once registered, you can file an application for assistance with the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), asking customs to detain suspected infringing goods at import or export; the BAZG charges a fee for processing the application. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Switzerland

How much does a Swiss trademark cost?

For a direct application to the IPI, the filing fee is CHF 450 including 3 classes, CHF 100 less when filed online via e-trademark; each class from the 4th costs CHF 100. These fees have applied since 1 July 2023. Filed online, up to 3 classes cost CHF 350 and 5 classes CHF 550. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does Swiss trademark registration take?

According to the IPI's published time limits, applications that look straightforward are examined within 6 working days and others usually within 2 months of payment of the filing fee; with no grounds for refusal, the mark is registered. With accelerated examination (an extra CHF 400), the mark is registered or you receive an examination report within 1 month. Registration is followed by a 3-month opposition period.

I already have an EU trademark. Do I still need a Swiss trademark?

Yes. Switzerland is not an EU member state: an EU trademark is valid only in the EU member states and does not cover Switzerland, and neither does a Madrid designation of the EU. For protection in Switzerland, file directly with the IPI or designate Switzerland through Madrid. For the EU side, see EU trademark registration.

Do I need a Swiss address to apply for a Swiss trademark?

You need an address for service in Switzerland to receive documents from the IPI; the law does not require you to appoint a Swiss representative. If you file through an agent, the agent provides the address for service. For a Madrid designation of Switzerland, none is needed to file; you give one only when a provisional refusal has to be answered.

Can my mark include "Swiss" or the Swiss cross?

You can apply: the IPI refuses only clearly misleading geographical indications and does not require the goods to be limited to Swiss origin. But when the mark is actually used in Switzerland, goods bearing these words or the Swiss cross must meet the statutory origin criteria; otherwise the use is unlawful. The Swiss coat of arms is reserved for the Confederation and cannot be used as a trademark.

Does a Swiss trademark cover Liechtenstein?

No. Liechtenstein has its own trademark law, administered by its Office of Economic Affairs (Amt für Volkswirtschaft); you can file there separately or designate Liechtenstein through Madrid (a Protocol member since 17 March 1998). Patents are different: under a treaty between the two countries, Swiss patents are also valid in Liechtenstein.

Other IP rights

Patents: Swiss patents are granted by the IPI and last up to 20 years from the filing date; they are also valid in Liechtenstein. The IPI currently does not examine novelty or inventive step; under the revised Patents Act, in force from 1 January 2027, applicants can request a full substantive examination including novelty and inventive step. You can also enter the Swiss national phase of a PCT application, or validate in Switzerland a European patent granted by the European Patent Office.

Designs: registered designs are protected for 5 years from the filing date, renewable 4 times up to a maximum of 25 years; Switzerland can also be designated through the Hague Agreement.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Germany · Italy · United Kingdom · Norway · Serbia

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