> Source: https://chinaipmark.com/blog/how-to-check-brand-trademarked-china/ > Updated: 2026-10-10 Guide # How to Check If Your Brand Is Trademarked in China (Free Search Guide) August 13, 2026 Updated October 10, 2026 By ChinaIPMark ![tm-search](https://chinaipmark.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img-tm-search-1024x576.jpg) China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) offers a free public trademark search. Checking your brand before you file is fast, and it can save you from a refusal or a fight with a squatter. ## Why you should search first China grants rights to whoever files first. If an identical or confusingly similar mark already exists in your class, your application will likely be refused, and the official fee is not refunded. A 15-minute search is cheap insurance. ## Where to search CNIPA operates the official database at sbj.cnipa.gov.cn. You can search by brand name, applicant, or class. The interface is in Chinese, which is why many foreign brands prefer a professional search with an English report. Here is the catch: the CNIPA tool checks exact text, not sound or meaning. A mark spelled differently but pronounced the same can still block you, and so can a similar logo. That is what a [professional search](https://chinaipmark.com/trademark-registration/) adds. ## What the results mean - **Registered:** the mark is protected in that class. If it is identical or very similar to yours, expect a refusal or an expensive dispute. - **Pending:** the mark is under examination. A pending mark can still block your application in a first-to-file system. - **Dead or abandoned:** the mark may be available, but check the status carefully before relying on it. ## When to get professional help Searching is easy; interpreting is not. Class selection, goods lists, and similarity judgment need experience. If your brand is important to you, get a search of CNIPA records and a written risk note before filing. Every plan includes one. If your question is whether a specific name is still free, our guide to [checking trademark availability in China](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/check-trademark-availability-china/) covers the search, the classes and how to read the results. ## About this guide Written by the ChinaIPMark team in Changsha, China. We help overseas brands register China trademarks and design patents, and all official filings are prepared and submitted by CNIPA-registered partner agencies. **Sources:** This guide references [CNIPA](https://english.cnipa.gov.cn/) official fee schedules and examination guidance, and [WIPO](https://www.wipo.int/) materials where an international route applies. Figures are current as of the update date shown above. **Disclaimer:** This guide is general information, not legal advice. Filing outcomes are never guaranteed. See our [Terms of Service](https://chinaipmark.com/terms/) and [Privacy Policy](https://chinaipmark.com/privacy-policy/). ## Related guides - [Should You File a Defensive China Trademark?](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/defensive-trademark-china/) - [Protect Your Logo in China Manufacturing](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/protect-logo-china-manufacturing/) - [Do EU or US Trademarks Protect You in China?](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/overseas-trademark-china-protection/) - [China Trademark for Cosmetics and Skincare Brands](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/china-trademark-cosmetics-brands/) - [How to Claim Trademark Priority in China](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/how-to-claim-trademark-priority-china/) ## Services - [China trademark registration](https://chinaipmark.com/trademark-registration/) - [China design patent](https://chinaipmark.com/design-patent/) - [Pricing](https://chinaipmark.com/pricing/) ## Get a quote Tell us about your brand and receive a clear quote within 24 hours. [Contact us](https://chinaipmark.com/contact/) Read next ## Keep reading October 16, 2026 ### [Should You File a Defensive China Trademark?](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/defensive-trademark-china/) A defensive filing holds a class or a lookalike you are not using. Worth it in crowded classes,… [Read guide](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/defensive-trademark-china/) October 16, 2026 ### [Protect Your Logo in China Manufacturing](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/protect-logo-china-manufacturing/) A logo needs its own application. File the word mark first, then the visual asset. What CNIPA needs,… [Read guide](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/protect-logo-china-manufacturing/) October 16, 2026 ### [Do EU or US Trademarks Protect You in China?](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/overseas-trademark-china-protection/) A US, EU, UK or Australian registration has no legal effect in China. What your overseas mark can… [Read guide](https://chinaipmark.com/blog/overseas-trademark-china-protection/)