Freelancers and solo founders can register China trademarks as individuals. The documents are a passport scan and a signed power of attorney, and one class is often enough to start. The applicant name on the registration is the owner, which is why the filing belongs in your own name rather than a client’s.
Individuals can file
You do not need a company in China to own a Chinese trademark. A foreign individual files through a CNIPA-registered agency with a passport, the brand name or logo, and a signed power of attorney. The official fee is the same 270 RMB per class.
One class or more
For a personal brand, start with the class that matches what you sell or the services you provide. A consultant files in class 35 or 45; a designer who sells products adds the goods class. The classes guide maps the common ones. You can add classes later, so do not overbuy at the start.
Why a solo founder should care
Your name is your asset, and in China it is up for grabs until someone files it. Clients searching for you will find whichever brand owns the mark. For the price of a few hours of work, the trademark service secures it. Send us your name and what you do and we will quote the one-class or two-class plan.
What individuals actually need
Foreign individuals can file a China trademark with a passport copy and a signed power of attorney. There is no requirement to hold a company, and no requirement to have a Chinese address, because the filing is made through a CNIPA-registered agency that acts as the address of record.
Chinese nationals face one extra step: an individual applicant needs a business licence covering the goods or services being filed, which is why many solo operators file through a company instead. This is a rule about who may file, not about who owns the mark once it registers.
The practical consequence is that the applicant name on the registration is the owner. A freelancer who files personally keeps the mark if the business later becomes a company, and can assign it later. Filing in a client’s name or a friend’s company is the mistake that ends with someone else owning your brand.
Source material: CNIPA official fees and examination practice.
