The short answer
To register a trademark in China, file with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). China is a first-to-file system, so register before you enter the market. A foreign owner must use a trademark agency established under Chinese law. The registration lasts 10 years from the day the registration is approved. China adopted a revised Trademark Law on 26 June 2026, which takes effect on 1 January 2027 and cuts the opposition period from 3 months to 2 months.
Trademark deadlines in China at a glance
| Question | Answer for China |
|---|---|
| How long does a registration last? | 10 years (Article 39) |
| Which date does the term count from? | The day the registration is approved, not the filing date. Do not count from the application date |
| When must I renew? | Within the 12 months before the expiry date (Article 40) |
| Is there a grace period? | Yes. An extension of 6 months after expiry may be granted (Article 40) |
| What if I miss that? | The registered trademark is cancelled. For 1 year after that, the office does not approve an identical or similar mark (Article 50) |
| How long does each renewal last? | 10 years, counted from the day after the previous expiry date |
| Examination | The trademark office completes the review within 9 months of receiving the application (Article 28) |
| Opposition period (until 31 Dec 2026) | 3 months from the preliminary approval announcement (Article 33) |
| Opposition period (from 1 Jan 2027) | 2 months, under the revised Trademark Law (revised Article 36) |
| Opposition decision | Within 12 months of the end of the announcement period, extendable by 6 months (Article 35) |
| Second review of a rejection | Apply within 15 days of the notice (Article 34) |
| Priority period | 6 months from the first foreign filing. Submit a copy of the first application within 3 months (Article 25) |
| Non-use cancellation | Any party can apply if the mark was not used for 3 consecutive years without a justifiable reason. The office decides within 9 months (Article 49) |
| Assignment | Sign an agreement and file jointly. The assignee has exclusive rights from the date of the announcement (Article 42) |
| Change of name or address | File an application for alteration (Article 41) |
Two laws apply, depending on the date. The current Trademark Law applies to all deadlines until 31 December 2026. The revised law, adopted on 26 June 2026, takes effect on 1 January 2027. Check which law applies to your filing or opposition date.
Who can apply for a trademark in China?
Anyone can apply. China follows the first-to-file principle, so the first applicant to file generally gets the registration, even if another business used the mark first elsewhere. Register your brand, including a Chinese-language version, before you launch.
Applicants in China
Apply directly or by agency
A party may apply on its own or entrust a lawful trademark agency.
Foreign owners
Agency is compulsory
A foreigner or foreign enterprise must entrust a trademark agency established under Chinese law to apply and to handle other trademark matters in China (Article 18).
A priority claim must be filed in writing with the application, and a copy of the first foreign application must follow within 3 months. Otherwise the claim is treated as not made (Article 25).
Trademark registration in China: the steps
Search and choose classes
- Search the CNIPA register, in English and in Chinese, for identical or similar marks in the same and related classes
- Decide on the Chinese name before you file, because the Chinese-language mark is a separate application
File through a trademark agency
- Foreign owners file through a Chinese trademark agency (Article 18)
- Claim priority at filing if you applied abroad in the last 6 months
Examination
- The trademark office completes its review within 9 months of receiving the application and then issues a preliminary approval announcement (Article 28)
- If the application is rejected, you can apply for a second review within 15 days of the notice (Article 34)
Preliminary announcement and opposition
- Holders of prior rights and other parties can object within 3 months of the announcement (Article 33). From 1 January 2027 the period is 2 months
- If no objection is raised in time, the office approves the registration and issues the certificate
- If there is an objection, the office decides within 12 months of the end of the announcement period (Article 35)
Registration
- The registration is announced and the certificate issued. The 10-year term runs from the approval day (Article 39)
- If an opposition fails, exclusive rights start from the end of the 3-month announcement period (Article 36)
Fees. The official fees are set by CNIPA's fee notices and agency fees are extra. Check the current schedule before you budget.
How long does a registration last, and how does renewal work?
Article 39 sets a validity of 10 years, counted from the day the registration is approved. Each renewal lasts a further 10 years, counted from the day after the previous expiry.
- Renewal must be requested within the 12 months before the expiry date (Article 40)
- An extension of 6 months after expiry may be granted
- If no renewal is filed by the end of the extension, the registered trademark is cancelled
- The trademark office announces renewed trademarks
Count from approval, not filing. A mark filed in 2025 and approved in 2026 expires 10 years after the 2026 approval day. Put the exact approval date in your docket.
Assignment, licence, and change of name or address
Assignment
Agreement and joint filing
The assignor and assignee sign an assignment agreement and file jointly with the trademark office. The assignor must assign similar marks registered for the same goods, and identical or similar marks registered for similar goods, together. The assignee has exclusive rights from the date of the announcement (Article 42).
Name or address
Alteration
If the registrant's name, address or another registered matter changes, an application for alteration must be filed. An unauthorised alteration can lead the local authority to order corrections, and in the end revocation (Articles 41 and 49).
Licence
Contract
A registrant can license a registered mark by contract. The licensor supervises the quality of the goods (Article 43).
Obvious errors
Correction
An obvious error in application or registration documents can be corrected on application, as long as it does not touch substantive matters (Article 38).
Use it, or risk cancellation
Under Article 49 any entity or individual can apply to revoke a registered mark that has not been used for 3 consecutive years without a justifiable reason, or that has become the generic name of the goods. The trademark office decides within 9 months, extendable by 3 months.
The revised law keeps the 3-year non-use route. It also lets CNIPA act on its own initiative against marks unused for 3 consecutive years, and recognises use over the internet, such as e-commerce, digital advertising and social media, as trademark use.
What changes on 1 January 2027
- Opposition period: cut from 3 months to 2 months (revised Article 36)
- New mark types: motion marks and combinations of existing elements, including sound and colour, become registrable (revised Articles 14 and 18)
- Bad-faith filings: applications filed without intent to use that clearly exceed normal business needs must be refused, and deceptive filings are a statutory opposition ground (revised Article 19)
- Penalties: administrative fines of up to RMB 100,000 for malicious filings, and up to RMB 200,000 for agencies that file knowingly
- Lock-up rule: the 1-year bar on identical or similar marks now applies only after a voluntary surrender (revised Article 49)
Implementing regulations and examination guidelines were still expected when we checked, so confirm details in the final official text and with Chinese counsel.
How to check the status of a trademark in China
- Search the CNIPA trademark database for application status, owner, classes and expiry date. Search by name and by Chinese characters
- The preliminary approval announcement in the Trademark Gazette starts the opposition period
- Ask your agent to watch announcements for marks similar to yours
Sources used
Trademark Law of the People's Republic of China, as amended to 23 April 2019, English text on WIPO Lex, and reports on the revised law adopted on 26 June 2026 from Mayer Brown and CNIPA. Article numbers for the revised law follow those reports. Confirm with the official text.
Trademark registration in China: common questions
How long is a trademark valid in China, and from when is it counted?
Ten years, counted from the day the registration is approved (Article 39), not from the filing date.
When should I renew a Chinese trademark, and is there a grace period?
Renew within the 12 months before expiry. An extension of 6 months after expiry may be granted. After that the registration is cancelled.
How long is the opposition period in China?
Three months from the preliminary approval announcement for the current law. From 1 January 2027 it is two months under the revised Trademark Law.
How long does trademark registration take in China?
The trademark office completes its review within 9 months of receiving the application. Objections, oppositions and reviews add time.
Can a foreign company register a trademark in China?
Yes, but it must entrust a trademark agency established under Chinese law (Article 18).
Is China first-to-file?
Yes. The first applicant to file generally obtains the registration, so file before you enter the market.
How do I assign a Chinese trademark?
Sign an assignment agreement and file jointly with the trademark office. The assignee has exclusive rights from the date of the announcement.
How do I change the name or address on a Chinese trademark?
File an application for alteration with the trademark office.
Can a trademark be cancelled for non-use in China?
Yes. Any party can apply to revoke a mark not used for 3 consecutive years without a justifiable reason.
What changes in the 2027 Trademark Law?
The opposition period becomes 2 months, motion marks become registrable, bad-faith filings face tougher rules, and online use counts as trademark use.
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