Trademark Academy

How long does trademark registration take?

The length of the trademark registration process varies considerably between individual countries and jurisdictions. Generally speaking, the process may take between 4 and 18 months until the trademark is registered and trademark certificate is issued. Despite the length of this process, it is important to acknowledge that the protection offered by trademark registration starts from the date of filing the application. In other words, it is the date of applying for a registered trademark that determines the legal rights of the brand in the consequent evaluation process. For example, should a competitor with a similar trademark file for a trademark application several days after you, it is your trademark (once registered) that provides the legal basis for challenging this application.

Length of trademark registration process in selected countries

The table below summarises the outcomes of our most recent assessment of the length of trademark registration process in selected countries - the US, the UK, the EU, China, Canada, Russia, Australia, Benelux, Switzerland, Norway and Republic of Korea. The provided estimates are based on the evaluation of the last 1,000 trademarks registered in these countries. Furthermore, a standard deviation figure is provided highlighting the variance in the length of the registration process.

Country

Average length (days)

Standard deviation (days)

Benelux

76

24

Switzerland

125

50

Norway

137

54

United Kingdom

141

30

European Union

150

89

Russia

165

81

Australia

279

153

China

289

74

Republic of Korea

372

108

United States

391

115

Canada

583

136