Germany · DPMA Filing
Your brand built the business — protect it across Germany.*
Flat fee, German-qualified attorney, DPMA and common-law clearance included. We file directly with the Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt — and the €290 base fee covers up to three Nice classes.
Last updated May 2026
Complete Package
Complete German trademark registration
Have a German-qualified attorney prepare and file your trademark with the DPMA — built to clear examination and survive the 3-month opposition window.
- DPMA register and German common-law prior-mark clearance search
- Legal advice from a German-qualified attorney (Rechtsanwalt) on your odds of registration
- Nice classification confirmed by your attorney before filing
- Attorney filing directly with the DPMA via DPMAdirektPro
- €290 base govt fee covers up to 3 Nice classes — favourable for multi-class filings
- Free second clearance search if your first mark conflicts with an earlier German or EU mark
- Live monitoring of the 3-month opposition window after publication in the Markenblatt§
- Cross-check against earlier EUTMs and Madrid designations with effect in Germany
- 1 year of post-registration attorney representation included free
Experienced attorneys, every step of the way
Trademark registration isn't a form — it's a legal proceeding. Every GTC application is prepared and filed by a US-licensed attorney, not a paralegal or chatbot.
Real applications, real registrations — across the US and other jurisdictions. Live count from our case management system.
We file directly in the US and coordinate through partner counsel for international protection via the Madrid Protocol and national routes.
Plus 50+ partner attorneys across multiple jurisdictions, so your US filing and your international rollout sit with one accountable team.
How it works
Three steps. One German attorney. Zero guesswork.
Free attorney-led knockout search
Tell us your brand name and class. One of our German-qualified attorneys runs a DPMA knockout search and tells you — in plain English — whether to file, refine, or pivot. No charge, no obligation.
We prepare and file with the DPMA
We draft your goods/services description, classify under Nice, prepare the specimen, and file directly with the DPMA. Your attorney appears on the application as counsel of record.
We handle the DPMA from filing to registration
Examination correspondence, examiner calls, deadlines, publication, opposition, and final registration — your attorney monitors and responds. You get notified at every milestone.
The full price, without the surprise
What you pay, line by line
| Line item | Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| GTC attorney service fee — first class | $550 | Covers clearance search, German-language drafting, Nice classification, DPMA filing, and standard prosecution support through to registration. |
| GTC attorney service fee — each additional class | $550 / class | Same attorney work scaled across additional Nice classes in the same application. |
| DPMA filing fee — 1 to 3 classes | €290 | Paid directly to the DPMA via DPMAdirektPro. Covers up to three Nice classes on one application. Non-refundable, even if your application is refused. |
| DPMA filing fee — each class beyond the third | €100 / class | Standard DPMA surcharge per class above the base three. |
| Express examination (optional) | €200 surcharge | Cuts the first phase of examination from 2-4 months to roughly 6 months total to registration. |
| Opposition defence (if a third party opposes) | Quoted upfront | Standard examination objections are included. Defending a Widerspruch is quoted per matter, before any work begins. |
No hidden subscriptions. No “expedited” upsells. Government fees are passed through at cost.
Why this matters
A DPMA registration is the most enforcement-friendly trademark in Europe
3 classes for the price of one
The €290 DPMA base fee covers up to three Nice classes — unlike most EU national offices which charge per class from the first. Multi-class filings are dramatically cheaper than equivalent EUTM filings for the same scope.
German courts are fast and decisive
Specialised IP chambers in Hamburg, Munich, and Düsseldorf are among Europe's most experienced. Preliminary injunctions can issue within days. Cost-shifting to the loser is the default.
Stop counterfeit imports across Europe
German Customs is one of Europe's most active border-enforcement agencies — a registered German mark is a strong basis for an EU-wide Customs Application for Action.
Complements your EUTM
A national German mark is faster and cheaper to enforce in the German courts than an EUTM, and survives any centralised EUTM invalidation. Many brands file both.
Before you file
The do's and don'ts of German trademark filing
Do
- File in up to 3 Nice classes on the base fee — the DPMA's 3-classes-in-€290 structure rewards broad coverage.
- Search both the DPMA register and the EUTM register before you file — earlier EU marks can defeat your German application under §9 MarkenG.
- Pick distinctive marks that work in German — descriptiveness must clear the German language bar at the DPMA.
- Diary the 3-month opposition window after publication in the Markenblatt.
- Consider parallel EUTM filing if you want pan-EU coverage at the same priority date.
Don't
- Don't use ® on an unregistered mark in Germany — it's an offence under §132 MarkenG and §16 UWG.
- Don't pick descriptive German words or phonetic equivalents — the DPMA examiner reads in German and is strict.
- Don't ignore earlier EUTMs or international registrations designating Germany — both can defeat your national filing.
- Don't miss the 4-month deadline to respond to a DPMA objection (Beanstandung) — the application is treated as withdrawn.
- Don't assume the DPMA accepts the English-language goods description you used at the USPTO — your attorney drafts the German specification afresh.
What gets refused, and why
Most refusals are predictable — and avoidable
Here are the most common refusal grounds at the DPMA, and how attorney-led filing prevents them.
Relative grounds — likelihood of confusion (§9 MarkenG)
An earlier identical or similar German mark, EUTM, or international registration designating Germany covers identical or similar goods. A pre-filing search across all three registers catches this before you commit.
Lacking distinctive character (§8(2)(1) MarkenG)
The mark can't identify your goods or services as coming from one undertaking. The DPMA examines distinctiveness strictly in German — your attorney drafts to clear that bar.
Descriptive or generic (§8(2)(2)–(3) MarkenG)
The mark describes a feature, quality, or geographical origin of the goods. The DPMA examiner reads in German — phonetic equivalents and direct translations can also fall foul of this ground.
Public policy / deceptive (§8(2)(4)–(10))
Includes deceptive marks, marks against public policy, and marks containing protected national symbols or geographical indications. We screen for these at intake.
Your Customer Success Team
A real team that owns your matter — not a ticket queue.
Every GTC client gets a dedicated Account Manager and a Senior Account Manager who learn your business and stay with you from first email to final filing — real people who pick up the phone, so you never re-explain your brand or chase a queue.
Your Account Manager
Your day-to-day point of contact — coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. No intake form, no re-explaining.
Your Senior Account Manager
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow — so nothing important slips through the cracks.
A real person, on email or a call — at every step.
“I've had the pleasure of working with Rajat for many years. He has expertly guided me through the process of registering my company in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more. His deep knowledge of trademark law across jurisdictions is impressive.”
“We had various US trademarks to submit, and the team at Modi & Zaidi handled the entire process. They are friendly, knowledgeable and punctual. We will definitely use their services again.”
“Working with Maryam & the team of Rajat Modi has been an exceptional experience. Her professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to my case have been evident throughout the process.”
“I am a regular customer of GTC. They have done more than 15 Multi-Countries Trademarks for me so far. Their service quality and turnaround time is exceptional.”
“I had infringed on the copyright of a big brand, which threatened to lose my business. However, thanks to the professional work of this team, we signed the best possible contract and saved the business.”
“Global Trademark Company is the best in the business and I've used them for a number of my applications. Highly recommended for anyone looking for reliable trademark services.”
About Germany trademark registration
German trademark protection, in plain English
A German trademark registration, granted by the Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt (DPMA) in Munich, gives you exclusive rights to use your brand name, logo, or slogan across the Federal Republic of Germany. National German registration is faster, cheaper to enforce in the German courts, and structurally different from an EU trade mark — three Nice classes are included in the base €290 government fee, making it materially cheaper than the EUIPO for multi-class filings.
What a DPMA registration actually gives you
- Exclusive use of your mark across Germany for the registered classes of goods or services.
- The legal right to use the registered trade mark symbol ® in Germany.
- A basis for German Customs (Zoll) to seize counterfeits at every German port and airport, and a strong basis for an EU-wide Customs Application for Action.
- The right to sue infringers in the specialised German IP chambers (Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Mannheim) with preliminary injunctions often issued within days.
- A basing application for international protection via the Madrid Protocol.
- A 10-year registration term, renewable indefinitely.
Why a German-qualified attorney matters
The DPMA examines applications in German. Your specification of goods and services has to be drafted in German legal language — a direct translation of the description you filed at the USPTO or UKIPO will often fail under §8 MarkenG for descriptiveness or vagueness. Non-EU/EEA applicants are required by the DPMA to appoint an authorised German representative (Inlandsvertreter) to act on their behalf. A German-qualified attorney drafts the German specification, runs a search across the DPMA register, the EUTM register, and international registrations designating Germany, and handles examination correspondence and any opposition.
How long German protection lasts
A German trademark registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed indefinitely in 10-year increments under §47 MarkenG. The mark must be put to genuine use in Germany within 5 years of registration, or it becomes vulnerable to cancellation for non-use under §49 — German courts apply this strictly.
The 3-month opposition window — what it means in practice
After your application clears examination, the DPMA publishes it in the Markenblatt. From the date of publication, holders of earlier German marks, EUTMs, or international registrations designating Germany have 3 months to file an opposition (Widerspruch). Most oppositions enter a cooling-off period during which the parties can settle by agreement; where they don't, your attorney files written submissions and represents you at any hearing before the DPMA's Markenabteilung.
Questions, answered straight
What founders ask before they file in Germany
Get started
Start your Germany trademark
Tell us about your brand and a GTC attorney will review it and email a flat-fee quote — no payment, no obligation.
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01Your request
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02Goods & services
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03Owners
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05Your details
Your request
Select every country or region you want protection in — we price each separately.
The exact word or slogan to protect — spelling, capitalization and spacing all matter.
Word only (e.g. NIKE), logo only (the swoosh), or both — this changes what we can protect.
💡 Not sure? Choose "Combined" if your brand uses both a logo and text together.
If your mark uses foreign words or non-Latin script, offices require a translation/transliteration.
Filing in 10+ countries?
Consider Madrid Protocol instead of Germany alone.
One Madrid international application filed via WIPO can register your trademark across the 130+ countries in the Madrid System — including Germany — from a single submission instead of separate national filings. We price international filings per matter and quote your exact country list.
Attorney advertising. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Use of this site does not create an attorney–client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
- * Attorney representation.
- Every German trademark application filed through GTC is filed by a German-qualified attorney (Rechtsanwalt or Patentanwalt) who appears as the representative of record before the DPMA. Non-EU/EEA-domiciled applicants are required by §96 MarkenG to appoint an authorised German representative — we provide our Cologne office.
- † DPMA filing fees.
- The DPMA charges a flat €290 base online fee covering up to three Nice classes, and €100 per class for each class beyond the third, paid directly to the DPMA via DPMAdirektPro. Government fees are passed through at cost and are non-refundable, even if your application is refused.
- § Procedural DPMA objections.
- Standard formal DPMA objections (Beanstandungen) such as classification clarifications and specification fixes are included. Substantive refusals under §§ 8 or 9 MarkenG and opposition (Widerspruch) defence are quoted upfront before any work begins.
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