How Much Does an International Trademark Cost?

International trademark registration fees

Author: Ian Aldridge, Progressive Legal

On this page we provide the answer to ‘how much do international trademarks cost?’ There are different fees depending on how you register your trademark.

The costs of registering international trademarks depends on the way you choose to apply, the countries in which you want to register your trade mark, the products and services you’re covering in your trademark application and the trade mark itself.

How much do international trademarks cost?

Option 1

An international trademark can be filed in multiple countries at the same time through The Madrid System.

You can estimate the cost of registering your trademark through the Madrid System with WIPO’s Madrid Fee Calculator.

When using the Madrid System, a basic fee of 653 Swiss francs (or 903 Swiss francs for colour trademarks) applies. Any further fees depend on the countries you designate and the goods and services you want to cover, renewal fees, fees of subsequent designation and any other Madrid System transactions

Option 2

The second option you can opt to file separate trade mark applications in each country where you decide to pursue registration.

When you choose this option, you’ll need to engage local representation in each country.

Our trademark team has long standing relationships with trusted agents in many countries. Together, we ensure a strong application is put forward to the local trade marks offices.

What factors influence the cost of international trademarks?

The initial costs for international trademarks will depend on whether you decide to apply through the Madrid System or using local agents.

For either option, costs will depend on various factors including the type of trade mark you wish to protect, the goods and services you’re including in your trademark protection and the countries you wish to apply in. The more countries you choose to apply in, the higher the costs will be.

Unfortunately however, it is very common to receive objections during examination of your international trade mark application, particularly when an international trade mark application is prepared without legal assistance. Once objections are received, additional costs apply and legal representation is still required in each country that issued objections, which often leads to much higher costs than anticipated.

How to reduce the cost of international trademarks?

International trademark protection cost can be reduced by engaging a professional and ensuring your trade mark applications are carefully prepared.

The consequences for DIY-ing your trademark applications are particularly high when you’re extending your trade mark protection overseas.

For example, many trademark applications don’t instantly proceed through to acceptance and registration and instead have to deal with one or more objection(s) due to availability or registrability of a trademark. This can cause significantly higher international trademark costs.

Our trademark team can advise you of the various ways to extend your trade mark protection internationally, assist in choosing the option that’s right for you and ensure a strong international application is put forward to reduce the risk of any unforeseen costs later down the track.

Contact us today for a complimentary phone call with one of our trademark experts.

Need help with international trademark costs?

Please get in touch with us today via phone or the contact form on this page.

1800 820 083