AEO/AIO Quick Answer
Quick Answer / Summary
Trademark registration in Nepal is the legal process of registering a distinctive brand identifier, such as a business name, product name, service name, logo or combined name-and-logo mark, with the Department of Industry.
Registration gives the owner legal title to the trademark for approved goods or services and helps prevent unauthorized copying, confusing use and brand misuse.
Separate applications are required when protection is sought in different classes of goods or services. A registered trademark is valid for seven years and may be renewed repeatedly for further seven-year periods.
Key Service Highlights
Trademark search
Reviewing identical and similar marks, spelling variations, visual similarity and class-related conflicts before filing.
Class selection
Identifying the goods and services classes that match the client's present and planned commercial activities.
Application drafting
Preparing applicant details, mark description, goods/services wording, specimens, authorization and supporting documents.
DOI filing and follow-up
Submitting the application and coordinating formalities, examination, queries, publication and certificate steps.
Opposition and objections
Preparing replies, evidence and legal arguments where a mark faces examination concerns or third-party opposition.
Portfolio management
Renewal, ownership transfer, permitted use/licensing, record changes and enforcement strategy.
Who This Service Is For
Types of Trademarks and Brand Elements
| Type | What It Protects | Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Word mark | The words, letters or name itself, without limiting protection to one visual design. | Business name, product name, app name or service brand. |
| Logo or device mark | A visual symbol, emblem, graphic or stylized device. | A distinctive logo used on products, websites, packaging or signage. |
| Combined mark | A name together with a specific logo, font, arrangement or design. | Brand name and logo filed as one visual specimen. |
| Product trademark | A mark used to distinguish goods. | Clothing, food, cosmetics, furniture, electronics or manufactured products. |
| Service trademark | A mark used to distinguish services. | Legal, technology, education, hospitality, finance or consulting services. |
| Collective mark | A mark used by members of an association or group under applicable rules. | Trade association, cooperative or member-based quality identity. |
Should the name and logo be filed separately?
For many businesses, separate filings for the word mark and logo can provide broader and more flexible protection, but they also increase the number of applications and cost. The correct strategy depends on distinctiveness, budget, class coverage and how the brand will be used.
Company name registration is not the same
Registering a company or firm name allows an entity to operate under that legal name, but it does not automatically provide trademark title for every product or service.
Trademark Registration Process in Nepal
- 1
Brand and ownership review
Confirm the correct applicant, business entity, mark format, actual use and future commercial plan.
- 2
Class selection
Identify the appropriate classes and draft precise goods/services descriptions. Different classes require separate applications.
- 3
Trademark search
Check identical and similar names, logos, phonetic variations and relevant Industrial Property Bulletin records.
- 4
Document preparation
Prepare the application, four mark specimens, registration/tax records, authorization and foreign-priority documents if applicable.
- 5
Application filing
Submit the application and government fee to the Department of Industry and obtain filing evidence.
- 6
Formalities examination
The Department reviews the form, required documents, specimen and filing requirements.
- 7
Substantive examination
The mark is reviewed for conflicts, distinctiveness, prohibited elements, public interest and other legal concerns.
- 8
Bulletin publication
An accepted mark is published in the Industrial Property Bulletin for third-party claims or opposition.
- 9
Opposition handling
Where an objection or opposition is filed, the parties may submit replies, evidence and legal arguments.
- 10
Registration and certificate
After the applicable publication stage and payment of the registration fee, the Department issues the trademark certificate.
The exact publication, opposition and complaint deadline must be checked against the applicable Department notice, current trademark guidelines and procedural stage.
Documents Required
| Applicant Type | Typical Documents |
|---|---|
| Domestic business / company | Completed application; company, firm or industry registration/operating permit; PAN/VAT or tax registration evidence; four trademark specimens; fee receipt; power of attorney if represented. |
| Individual proprietor | Completed application; identity and business-registration documents where applicable; tax evidence; four specimens; fee receipt; authorization if a representative files. |
| Service business | Company or firm registration certificate, relevant operating licence where required, tax evidence and mark specimens showing the service connection. |
| Manufacturer / product business | Industry registration or operating permit, tax evidence, mark specimens and documents connecting the applicant with the goods. |
| Foreign applicant | Domestic filing documents as applicable, certified copy of valid foreign trademark registration or filing evidence, priority documents where claimed, power of attorney and Nepal correspondence address. |
Use a clean, high-resolution version of the exact mark to be protected. The mark, owner details and goods/services should remain consistent across the application and supporting records.
Trademark Registration Cost and Government Fee Explanation
The total cost depends on the number of marks, number of classes, search scope, applicant type, document certification, examination objections, opposition proceedings and professional legal fees.
| Cost Component | How It Is Calculated / Publishing Guidance |
|---|---|
| Application fee | The Department of Industry citizen charter published in 2026 lists NPR 1,000 per trademark application. Verify the current amount immediately before filing. |
| Class-wise cost | Separate applications are required for different classes, so government and professional costs increase with class coverage. |
| Search / information fee | An official record-search or information fee may apply. Confirm the current Department schedule before quoting. |
| Registration certificate fee | Payable after acceptance/publication under the prevailing schedule. Do not publish an unverified fixed amount. |
| Renewal and recordal fees | Separate fees apply for renewal, duplicate certificate, amendment, assignment, licensing/permission, complaint or opposition. |
| Professional fee | Depends on search depth, mark complexity, class drafting, documents, follow-up, foreign papers, objections and disputes. |
Wakil Nepal provides a written fee estimate after reviewing the mark, applicant, classes and documents. Any official amount shown publicly should be checked against the latest Department of Industry schedule before publication or filing.
Timeline
Trademark registration is not instant. An unopposed application may take approximately 8 to 14 months in normal practice, but this is not a statutory guarantee. Objections, opposition, foreign documents or classification issues can take longer.
| Stage | Indicative Expectation |
|---|---|
| Initial filing and data capture | Days to weeks, depending on document completeness and filing channel. |
| Formal and substantive examination | Several weeks or longer, depending on workload and queries. |
| Bulletin publication | Depends on the Department publication cycle and current office practice. |
| Opposition / claims | Adds the applicable notice period and any hearing or evidence timetable. |
| Certificate issuance | After successful completion of publication, payment and administrative steps. |
Post-Registration Requirements
Foreign Trademark and International Brand Note
A trademark registered outside Nepal does not automatically obtain protection in Nepal. A foreign owner should file a Nepal application through the Department of Industry and provide the required certified foreign documents, authorization and Nepal correspondence address.
Nepal is a party to the Paris Convention. An applicant seeking convention priority should generally file in Nepal within six months of the first application in a Paris Convention member country and submit the required priority evidence within the applicable procedure.
As of July 2026, Nepal is not listed among the members of WIPO's Madrid System. A Madrid international designation cannot currently replace a national trademark application in Nepal.
Common Trademark Registration Mistakes
Why Choose Wakil Nepal
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Frequently Asked Questions
Author / Reviewed By
Prepared by
Wakil Nepal Legal Content Team
Legally reviewed by
Advocate, Nepal Bar Council licence details to be confirmed before publishing
Final website copy should be approved by a Nepal-qualified intellectual property lawyer before publication, especially for fees, deadlines and Department practice.
Last Updated Date
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Review every six months, and immediately after any new intellectual-property law, fee notice, Department circular, IMIS change or procedural guideline.
Final CTA
Protect Your Brand Before Someone Else Files It
Wakil Nepal assists with trademark search, class selection, domestic and foreign applications, Department of Industry filing, publication follow-up, opposition, registration, renewal, assignment and infringement matters.