How to Register a Trademark in China: Complete 2026 Guide

You can register a trademark in China by filing directly with CNIPA or by covering China in an international application through WIPO's Madrid System (the Madrid Protocol). If your company has no business domicile in China, CNIPA requires you to appoint a Chinese trademark agency. The government fee is about ¥270 per class for up to 10 items of goods or services. Expect smooth cases to take roughly 7 to 9 months, with a three-month opposition window after publication (two months from 1 January 2027, when the revised Trademark Law takes effect).

Who can file in China in 2026?

Current CNIPA practice is clear. A foreign owner without a business domicile in China must entrust a legally established Chinese trademark agency. A foreign national who has habitual residence in China may file directly, in person or online. If you cover China through WIPO's Madrid System, you still need a local representative to respond to any CNIPA refusal. That is the practical gatekeeper for foreign brands.

Why we lead with this rule: many guides bury it, and teams lose weeks trying to file on their own only to be bounced at the first step. If you lack a Chinese domicile, plan on appointing a Chinese trademark agency from day one. Our China trademark service covers that requirement, and our in-house attorneys run your filing, so you deal with one team and one brief.

CNIPA filing or WIPO's Madrid System, which should you choose?

Short answer: either works, but they behave differently once CNIPA examines your trademark.

• CNIPA national filing. You file directly in China for the exact goods or services you choose under China's Nice-based system. This is usually more flexible in picking the right subclasses and tailoring the specification to Chinese practice.
• China through WIPO's Madrid System. You file an international application through WIPO based on a home registration or application. It can be convenient for multi-country filings and centralized renewals. If CNIPA issues a provisional refusal, you must appoint a Chinese representative to respond in China, and the response deadline is short (more on that below).

A judgment call we make often: if China is a must-win market or your goods sit in tricky subclasses, a national CNIPA filing usually gives us finer control over the specification and evidence strategy. If you are rolling out a global portfolio in one shot, an International Trademark Application via WIPO can be efficient, with the caveat that China-specific objections often still need on-the-ground handling.

What does a China trademark cost?

CNIPA's government fee for an online application is about ¥270 per class, covering up to 10 items of goods or services in that class. Extra items carry a small additional fee per item. Professional fees are separate, and an international application that covers China is priced through WIPO instead of CNIPA. For the Total for a GTC China filing, see our pricing page or the China service page.

Step-by-Step: Filing a China Trademark With CNIPA

The steps below reflect the law in force today. The revised Trademark Law takes effect on 1 January 2027.

1) Clearance and Chinese-language strategy. Start with a search in the CNIPA database and consider a Chinese-character version of your trademark. China is first-to-file, so file early. We routinely see squatters grab a Chinese transliteration while the brand files only the Latin version. Fixing this later is slower and more expensive than filing both upfront. A quick way to start is our free trademark check. For practical search tips, see China Trademark Search: How to Use the CNIPA Database Before Filing.

2) Pick the right goods and services. China follows Nice classes but cares about granular subclasses. Two seemingly similar items can live in different subclasses, which drives both examination and enforcement. Overbroad lists invite citations. Too narrow leaves gaps. We map your current SKUs and future pipeline to the subclass grid, not a generic template. Class Assist helps you find your Nice classes; the subclass work comes next (see the section below).

3) Prepare and file. Our in-house attorneys submit the application, including a clear depiction of the trademark and a precise list of goods or services. To secure a filing date you need the trademark, the goods and services, the owner's details, and identity documents with a Chinese translation. A simply signed power of attorney is enough. If you claim priority from a home filing, the certified priority document and its translation can follow within three months. For word marks that you plan to use in both English and Chinese, consider separate filings for each version.

4) Examination. CNIPA reviews for absolute grounds and conflicts with earlier trademarks. Office actions are common for near-misses on prior trademarks or for descriptions that do not fit local subclass practice. We often resolve these with a tighter specification, a co-existence letter in limited cases, or by adding a strategically paired Chinese-language trademark.

5) Publication and opposition. If approved, the application is published for three months (two months from 1 January 2027). Anyone can oppose during this period. Monitor the Gazette and be ready with evidence. If no opposition is sustained, CNIPA registers the trademark and issues an electronic certificate.

6) Registration and e-certificates. CNIPA issues electronic registration certificates rather than paper ones. Keep the e-certificate handy for platform takedowns, court filings, and Customs recordation. Some courts or agencies outside China still ask for notarized and legalized copies, so plan a small lead time to arrange formalities where needed.

How long does it take? Smooth cases take about 7 to 9 months: CNIPA reports an average examination time of about four months, and publication adds three months. These are estimates, not statutory deadlines, and contested or refused cases go longer.

How China's Subclasses Change Your Drafting

China follows the Nice Classification, but CNIPA applies granular subclasses within each class. The subclass selection is not academic. It is often the difference between blocking a close competitor and leaving a gap they can drive through.

What that means in practice:

• Items must sit in the correct subclass. Two similar items in different subclasses may not block each other.
• Over-coverage can invite objections or needless fees. Under-coverage can let copycats register next door.
• Draft to CNIPA's accepted dictionary where possible, then add precise items to capture use in trade.

A quick apparel example. In Class 25, "clothing" splinters across several subclasses. If you sell athletic leggings, listing only "clothing" or "sportswear" may not block "yoga pants" in a neighboring subclass. We map your product line to all relevant subclasses and add the CNIPA-accepted phrasing that fences rivals in.

From our files: a baby-care brand filed "bibs" through WIPO's Madrid System using a generic item that CNIPA placed in a narrower subclass. A local competitor registered "feeding bibs" in the adjacent subclass and then complained to an e-commerce platform. We refiled nationally with proper subclass coverage and closed that gap. The WIPO route was fine, but the wording was not built for China.

China Through WIPO's Madrid System: What to Expect

Covering China through WIPO's Madrid System centralizes filing and renewals, but CNIPA examines the trademark under Chinese law. Two practical points matter most:

• Provisional refusals arrive through WIPO, but the response must be filed in China by a local representative. The deadline is 15 days from receipt of the refusal, with no extension. Track the WIPO notice and appoint your representative in China quickly.
• The goods and services of your home trademark may not align with China's subclass structure. We sometimes amend descriptions to fit local practice, where permitted, or pursue a parallel national filing to secure coverage that the international application's wording cannot easily reach.

What we do for international applications that cover China:

• Prepare early. Our in-house attorneys are ready to respond when you file the international application.
• Monitor delivery. We track WIPO notifications and local delivery so the 15-day clock is never a surprise.
• Draft locally. We translate, tailor arguments to CNIPA practice, and amend the goods and services if needed within the subclass rules.

For refusal strategy, we break down common CNIPA objections and fixes in our guide to CNIPA examination refusals.

Opposition and Publication Monitoring

Current law provides a three-month opposition window after publication. The revised Trademark Law, adopted on 26 June 2026, takes effect on 1 January 2027 and shortens the window to two months. Plan around the three-month window for now, move your watch and deadlines to two months for 2027, and keep proof-of-use and distinctiveness materials ready.

We recommend continuous watch services so you see conflicting filings when they hit publication, not months later. Our in-house attorneys often file targeted oppositions against squatters or bad-faith clones within days of publication. For ongoing surveillance and enforcement, see Trademark Monitoring and Enforcement: Protecting Your Brand After Registration.

Non-Use Cancellation: Why Evidence of Use Matters

A China registration can be canceled if it is not used for three consecutive years without a legitimate reason. That makes evidence a day-one task, not a renewal chore. Keep dated invoices, shipping records to China, distributor agreements, local e-commerce listings, ads, and event materials. Cloud-store them by trademark and class.

A matter we handled: a consumer electronics client faced a non-use attack in year four. Their formal distributor had poor recordkeeping, but the brand's Tmall listings and courier receipts bridged the gap. We won on a curated set of invoices, screenshots with capture dates, and logistics documents tied to SKU codes.

Renewals and Maintenance

China registrations run for 10 years from registration and can be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year terms. File renewal in the 12 months before expiry. A six-month grace period is available with a surcharge. File in the standard window where you can, and keep the grace period as a backstop. The renewal is issued as an electronic certificate like the original.

For a deeper renewal checklist and timing tips, see China Trademark Renewal: CNIPA Deadlines, Costs, and Maintaining Protection.

After Registration: Record With China Customs

After you receive the e-certificate, record the trademark with China Customs. This helps block infringing exports bearing your brand. A practical recordation package includes the trademark details, product photos, known counterfeit channels, authorized manufacturers and distributors, and contact information for rapid verification. Customs can detain suspicious shipments and contact you to confirm authenticity. Brands that export from China, or that see counterfeits coming out of China, should treat Customs recordation as standard.

Law Reform Watch: What Is Proposed vs What Is Binding Now

• Binding now. Three-month opposition window after publication. 10-year terms, indefinite renewals, six-month grace on surcharge. Non-use cancellation after three consecutive years of non-use. Electronic certificates.
• Adopted, in force from 1 January 2027. The revised Trademark Law of 26 June 2026, which shortens the opposition period to two months and makes motion marks registrable. Update your internal deadlines for that date.

Our stance: plan your filings against current law and build slack for a possible opposition-period change. If the window is shortened, publication watching becomes even more time-critical.

Frequent Pitfalls We Fix for New China Filers

• Filing only an English-language trademark. File a Chinese-character trademark or a controlled transliteration early, so you own what consumers will use.
• Treating subclasses as an afterthought. The wrong subclass can weaken enforcement or trigger avoidable citations.
• Missing refusal deadlines on international applications. WIPO notices move fast, and a local China representative must respond within 15 days.
• Waiting to file in a first-to-file system. Prior users without filings lose more often than they win.
• Expecting paper certificates. CNIPA issues e-certificates. Plan notarization or legalization routes from the digital original when needed.

A short war story: a wearable-tech brand filed only the Latin version through WIPO's Madrid System. A squatter registered the Chinese name and hit marketplaces first. We cleaned it up with an opposition and a later invalidation, but it cost 12 months and lost sales. Filing both versions at the start would have avoided the detour.

How We Can Help

You get our experienced attorneys managing your China filing in-house, plus clear calls on subclassing, Chinese-language trademark strategy, and opposition or refusal posture. GTC is an attorney-led firm founded in 2016. We run trademark portfolios in the countries and regions where you trade and handle China work daily. If China is on your roadmap, we can file, monitor publication, and line up Customs recordation once the e-certificate lands.

Ready to file, or to map classes and a Chinese-language version of your trademark? Start My China Filing.