> Source: https://chinaipmark.com/trademark-registration/ > Updated: 2026-10-09 ![](https://chinaipmark.com/wp-content/themes/souyu-ip/assets/images/hero-trademark.jpg) Trademark Registration # China trademark registration for foreign brands and sellers Last updated: October 9, 2026 Plans start at $199 per class, with the $39 CNIPA official fee shown separately. Every plan includes the search, preparation of your classes and goods list, English translation and filing through a licensed agency. Why it matters ## In China, the first to file wins the brand China follows a first-to-file system. If someone else registers your name or logo first, they can block your sales, demand payment, or file complaints against your listings. Filing early is the only reliable defense. - Required for brand registration on Chinese marketplaces - The legal basis for stopping copycats at the source - Renewable every 10 years, transferable, and enforceable in customs and courts ![Chinese city skyline at night](https://chinaipmark.com/wp-content/themes/souyu-ip/assets/images/blog-city.jpg) Plans ## Three ways to register, one transparent price The CNIPA official fee of $39 is listed separately on every quote. Essential $199 / class Filed properly, at our lowest price. - Search of CNIPA records with a written risk note - Classes and goods list prepared for you - English translation included - Filed through a licensed Chinese agency - Filing receipt and application number shared with you - Correction notices handled at no extra cost [Choose Essential](https://chinaipmark.com/contact/) Registered or Refunded $499 / class Registered, or your money back. - Everything in Standard - Full refund if CNIPA finally refuses a word mark - The $39 official fee is refunded too - Offered only for word marks that clear our search [Choose Registered or Refunded](https://chinaipmark.com/contact/) Standard $299 / class We stay with your application through examination — and watch the mark for a year after it registers. - Everything in Essential - English progress updates at every stage - 12 months of basic trademark monitoring after registration - A written re-examination assessment if the mark is refused [Choose Standard](https://chinaipmark.com/contact/) | Feature | Essential$199 / class | Standard$299 / class | Registered or Refunded$499 / class | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Search of CNIPA records with a written risk note | Included | Included | Included | | Classes and goods list prepared for you | Included | Included | Included | | English translation included | Included | Included | Included | | Filed through a licensed Chinese agency | Included | Included | Included | | Filing receipt and application number shared with you | Included | Included | Included | | Correction notices handled at no extra cost | Included | Included | Included | | English progress updates at every stage | Not included | Included | Included | | 12 months of basic trademark monitoring after registration | Quoted separately | Included | Included | | Written re-examination assessment if the mark is refused | Not included | Included | Included | | Full refund if CNIPA finally refuses a word mark, the $39 official fee included | Not included | Not included | Included | Prices are per class, for up to 10 goods or services, and include the $39 CNIPA official fee. Registered or Refunded is offered for word marks that clear our search, and covers a final refusal in whole on relative grounds where the decision is issued within 15 months of the filing date. It is not available for a repeated filing of an already-refused mark, a mark identical to an earlier registered or preliminarily approved mark, a partial refusal, figurative or logo marks, refusals on absolute grounds, or a decision issued more than 15 months after filing. Re-examination after a refusal is a separate proceeding and is quoted on its own. Fee breakdown ## What your quote actually contains Every price is the official CNIPA fee plus our service fee, shown separately. Nothing is hidden. | Item | Amount | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | One class, up to 10 goods or services | | CNIPA official e-filing fee (1 class, up to 10 items) | $39 | Paid to CNIPA, itemized on your invoice. Included in each plan price below. | | Essential plan total | $199 | $39 official fee + $160 service fee. Search, classes and goods list, translation, filing, receipt and application number. | | Standard plan total | $299 | $39 official fee + $260 service fee. Adds English progress updates at every stage, correction notices handled for you, 12 months of monitoring after registration, and a written re-examination assessment if the mark is refused. | | Registered or Refunded plan total | $499 | $39 official fee + $460 service fee. Adds a full refund if CNIPA finally refuses a word mark on relative grounds, the official fee included, where the decision is issued within 15 months of the filing date. Offered only for word marks that clear our search. | | When you need more than one class | | Additional class | same as your plan | Each extra class is charged at your plan rate — $199, $299 or $499 per class — and includes its own $39 CNIPA official fee. | | Extra goods or services above 10 (per class) | $10 / item | Includes CNIPA's charge of 27 RMB for each item beyond the first 10 in the same class, plus handling of the extra item. | | Trying more name or logo options | | Additional search (after the 3 included) | $15 / search | Each search covers one name or logo option across the relevant classes. | Timeline ## What happens after we file | Stage | Typical timing | What happens | | --- | --- | --- | | Filing | Day 0 | Licensed agency submits the application; you receive the application number. | | Formal examination | About 1 month | CNIPA checks documents and issues the filing receipt. | | Substantive examination | About 4 months | CNIPA checks for conflicts and grounds for refusal. Correction notices that ask for a document or a format fix are handled for you at no extra cost on every plan. | | Publication (opposition window) | 3 months | The mark is published for public review. Third parties can oppose it during this window. | | Registration | About 8 months total | Certificate issued when no refusal or opposition blocks the application. | | Refusal and re-examination | Only if refused — 8 to 12 months | CNIPA does not normally ask you to argue the mark before refusing it. If the mark is refused, a re-examination can be requested within 15 days of the refusal notice; it is a separate proceeding, quoted separately before we start, and Standard and Registered or Refunded include a written assessment of whether to file it. | Materials ## What you need to send us ### Foreign individuals - Color scan of your passport photo page - Brand name, or high-resolution logo image - Brief description of the mark (colors, fonts, design elements) - Signed power of attorney (template provided) ### Foreign companies - Certificate of incorporation (scanned) - Logo or wordmark in high resolution - Brief description of the mark (colors, fonts, design elements) - Power of attorney stamped or signed by the company One class covers up to 10 goods or services; each extra item adds $10, which includes the CNIPA charge of 27 RMB for that item. No notarization or embassy legalization is required for standard filings. Translation is handled by our licensed partner. After registration ## Your trademark is granted. The real work starts now. A certificate is the beginning of brand protection, not the end. These are the maintenance steps every owner should take. ### Verify your certificate - Check the owner name, address, mark and registered goods against your own records. Small errors are easier to fix right after grant. ### Keep originals and copies - You will need the certificate for customs recordal, marketplace brand registry and enforcement. Store the paper copy safely and keep a scan. ### Use ® only on registered goods - The ® symbol is protected only on the goods or services listed in your registration. Using it on unlisted products can weaken your position. ### Keep proof of use - A China trademark can be cancelled if it is not used for three consecutive years. Keep dated invoices, packaging and listing screenshots. ### Update when details change - If your company name or address changes, the trademark must be updated in the same way to stay enforceable. ### Renew before it lapses - Renew in the 12 months before expiry, with a 6-month grace period. Each renewal adds 10 years, as many times as you need. Need help with renewals, changes, transfers or monitoring? These are available as add-ons with fixed prices — see our [pricing page](https://chinaipmark.com/pricing/). FAQ ## Questions sellers ask us most How long does a China trademark take?CNIPA examines applications in about 4 months. When no refusal or opposition occurs, registration is typically completed in about 8 months from filing. Can a foreign individual register a trademark in China?Yes. Foreign individuals can register trademarks in China. They must file through a CNIPA-registered Chinese agency, which our licensed partners provide. Do I need a Chinese trademark for Temu or Shein?Marketplaces increasingly ask sellers for trademark evidence during brand registration and enforcement cases. A China trademark also lets you stop copycats from selling your branded goods inside China. What is included in the $39 official fee?The $39 (270 RMB) is the CNIPA e-filing fee for one class covering up to 10 goods or services. Each extra item above 10 is $10, which includes the CNIPA charge of 27 RMB for that item. How many trademark searches are included?Every plan includes three searches — one per name or logo option you want checked before filing. If you want more options compared, each additional search is $15, quoted up front. Can you guarantee my trademark will be approved?No one can honestly guarantee approval. Every plan starts with a search of CNIPA records and a written risk note, and any correction notice during examination is handled at no extra cost. A refusal is a decision rather than a question: the route is a re-examination filed within 15 days, quoted separately before we start, and Standard and Registered or Refunded include a written assessment of whether it is worth filing. On the Registered or Refunded plan, we refund 100% of what you paid, the $39 CNIPA official fee included, where CNIPA finally refuses a word mark in whole on relative grounds and the decision is issued within 15 months of the filing date, provided you have cooperated with any notice that needed your input, kept the mark and the goods list as filed, have not withdrawn, and claim within 30 days of the final refusal notice. Refunds are not available where the same applicant files the same already-refused mark again in the same class without changing it, where the mark is identical to a mark a third party has already registered or has had preliminarily approved for the same or similar goods, where the application is only partly refused, where the mark is a figurative or logo mark, where a word mark is refused on absolute grounds (for example because it is descriptive, lacks distinctive character, is generic or is deceptive), or where the official examination result is issued more than 15 months after the filing date. Essential and Standard do not include a refund. What happens after my trademark is registered?Your registration is valid for 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely. After grant, check the certificate details, use the ® symbol only on registered goods, keep proof of use, and update your registration when your company details change. We also offer monitoring, customs recordal, renewal and anti-squatting services to keep the brand safe after registration. When should I renew my China trademark?File the renewal within 12 months before the expiry date, with a 6-month grace period after expiry. Each renewal adds 10 years with no limit, so a well-used mark can stay protected indefinitely. Read next ## Trademark guides 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/) ![](https://chinaipmark.com/wp-content/themes/souyu-ip/assets/images/cta-handshake.jpg) ## Ready to protect your brand in China? Send us a few details about your brand and we will reply with a clear quote and checklist within 24 hours. [Get a free quote](https://chinaipmark.com/contact/) [See pricing](https://chinaipmark.com/pricing/)