Trademark application in Singapore involves various steps that will lead to such a trademark being well-registered and protected. Steps on how to apply for a trademark in Singapore include:
1. Pre-Application: Search for Existing Trademarks
- Before lodging your application for your trademark, you should conduct a search for any existing trademarks so as to ensure your proposed trademark is unique and does not conflict with any existing trademarks.
- You can conduct a similar or identical name search in the IPOS intellectual property using the e-Trademark Search tool of Singapore
- This permits to avoid probable rejection due to a conflict with an earlier mark.
2. Prepare Trademark Application
- Your trademark must have been reduced to a logo, word, phrase, symbol, or a combination of the said elements
- The following shall be required from the application:
- Applicant’s Particulars: Name, Address, and Contact
- Representation: The exact design or words to be registered as a trademark
- Goods or Services Classification: You Must state the class of goods or services your trademark is proposed to cover under the Nice Classification
3. Filing an application At IPOS
- You can make an online application on the website of IPOS through the portal called IP2SG.
- To begin with, ensure that all the particular are correctly filled.
- The filing fee is also vary depending on the class the application falls into. For a smooth registration of a trademark using the electronic filing system, it will cost about SGD 240 per class of goods or services.
4. Examination Process
- Upon a filing, IPOS will conduct your application for examination. The following examination process is provided:
- Formality check: IPOS checks whether all the information and documents are available.
- Substantive examination: IPOS conducts an examination for uniqueness of the mark and whether its registration would not conflict with earlier filed or pending marks
- If there are objections, IPOS will give an Office Action that requires additional information or amendment
5. Trademark Publication
- After the trademark has undergone search and examination and has been cleared, it shall be published in the Trademarks Journal.
- This publication carries on for a period of 2 months, and any third party may oppose your application for trademark registration.
- In case there is no opposition against the applicant, then the application shall proceed further on.
6. Registration of Trademark
- When nobody has opposed this within the publication time, or objections were filed and orders went in your favour, then the trademark shall be registered.
- You will get a Certificate of Registration that is effective from the filing date for 10 years.
- You will be able to restore the trademark after 10-year periods from its registration in order to keep protection.
Key Points to Consider:
- The whole process of filing a trademark application takes about 6 to 9 months, in case there are no objections or any complication arises.
- Registration gives the owner the exclusive right to use the mark in conjunction with the goods and services for which the mark is registered in Singapore.
These steps have successfully guided you in filing and registering your trademark in Singapore.