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Trademarks in Singapore

  • Filing a trademark in Singapore is relatively straightforward and multi-class applications are allowed.

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  • The trademark application is filed online at the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS). The fees for filing a trademark in one class would be approximately US$600. We offer discounts for filing in additional classes.

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  • The average time taken to obtain registration of a trademark is 8 to 12 months, with the opposition period being 2 months.

 

  • During examination, IPOS may object to your trademark application for being non-distinctive, descriptive or even for being confusingly similar to another trademark (pending or registered). Sometimes, you may face objections to the list of your goods or services applied for.  

 

  • If your application faces objections (i.e. office actions or provisional refusals), you have the option of overcoming the objections a number of ways, for example by filing a response through written arguments or possibly through acquired distinctiveness or by obtaining a letter of consent or even canceling a prior mark for non-use. We would be happy to explain these approaches in detail at the relevant time. The chances of success in overcoming any objections depends on the merits of each case.

 

  • For responding to office actions or provisional refusals, we charge on fixed fees rather than hourly rates. We would be happy to provide you with a preliminary assessment and a quote upon request.

 

  • Singapore adopts a “first to use” system so if you have used your mark for a long time and obtained goodwill as a result of that use, you may be able to stop potential infringers.

 

  • Before embarking on any trademark application, we recommend you engage our services to conduct a trademark search on the Registry’s records to ascertain if your trademark is registrable and whether there are any confusingly similar marks that may block your trademark registration.

 

  • If you have a Singapore trademark and would like to expand your business overseas, you may file your trademark nationally in different countries, or to save on costs, you may file your trademark via the international registration system, relying on your Singapore trademark as a basis for registering the same mark in countries such as China, USA, Europe, Japan, Korea. To learn more about the International Registration or Madrid Protocol system, get in touch with us today!

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