A foreign brand typically prepares its mark and applicant details, selects Chinese classes and goods, checks earlier marks, appoints a qualified Chinese trademark agency where required, files with the CNIPA and follows examination and publication through to registration.
Before you start: define what you need protected
Write down the brand elements that customers will actually see: the Latin word mark, logo, Chinese name or other version. Each distinct mark may need its own application. A registration protects the mark as filed for the goods and services listed; it does not automatically cover every product line, language version or market.
Also decide who should own the right. The applicant should be the person or company that will control and use the brand. Ownership can affect later platform enrollment, licensing, group-company use and a future sale of the business.
The six steps
1. Choose the mark and confirm the owner
Check spelling, spacing and the exact logo artwork. If you intend to use a Chinese name, assess and protect that version separately; a transliteration can become the name customers recognize even when the English mark is the one on the incorporation documents.
2. Map products and services to classes
List what you sell now, what you will launch soon and which services you offer under the brand. China uses a class-based system. Select classes based on your actual business and a realistic expansion plan, not by copying a competitor's list. Our China trademark class guide explains common product groupings.
3. Search for earlier marks
Search for identical and similar marks in relevant classes and related goods. Consider English and Chinese versions, similar spelling, sound and appearance. A search helps you assess risk and revise the application before filing, but it cannot guarantee the examiner's decision or predict every objection.
4. Select the filing route
For a China-only application, direct filing is the straightforward route. A Madrid designation may suit an owner extending an existing international portfolio, but it has different eligibility, administration and dependency considerations. Compare both in our Madrid vs direct filing guide.
5. Prepare the applicant documents and file
Prepare the applicant's legal name and address, mark representation, goods/services wording and required authorization. Foreign applicants without a habitual residence or business establishment in China must appoint a trademark agency under the revised Chinese Trademark Law. The 2026 revision takes effect on 1 January 2027; check the current filing rules for the date of your application and your applicant status.
6. Track examination, publication and registration
The CNIPA examines the application and publishes an approved mark for opposition. Under the law currently scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2027, the opposition period is two months. If the application registers, the exclusive right lasts ten years from approval and may be renewed. A refusal notice can carry a strict review deadline, so read every official notice promptly.
What information should you prepare?
- The exact word mark, logo file or other mark representation.
- The applicant's name and address, consistent with official company or identity records.
- A practical list of products and services, including planned near-term launches.
- Any home registration or international registration details if you are considering Madrid.
- Any known earlier applications, supplier relationships or brand conflicts.
Document and translation requirements can depend on the applicant and filing route. An agent can confirm the current list before the papers are signed. See how our filing process works for the client-side steps.
Budget and timeline
Our published first-class filing price is $299, including the official filing fee and up to ten goods/services items. Additional classes are $299 each; items above the ten included in a class are $10 each. Related services and third-party costs are priced separately. Review the full China trademark fee breakdown before you decide.
Statutory examination and opposition periods are not a promise of completion time. Straightforward applications may move faster, while office actions, oppositions and other issues can extend the process. See the filing timeline for the current practical and statutory windows.
Official references and next step
The revised 2026 Trademark Law text published by CNIPA states that it takes effect on 1 January 2027. For the law and procedural rules applicable to a particular filing, confirm the current position before acting.
Want to check a mark before you file?
Send us the brand and the products or services you plan to offer. We will return a written China search report and a fixed quote.
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