How to Register Local Trademark in Nepal ?

Local trademark registration is the legal process by which a business entity based in Nepal secures exclusive rights over a brand name, logo, or symbol under Nepalese law. Once registered, the applicant holds the sole legal right to use that mark for the specified goods or services, and can take action against unauthorized use by others.

Local trademark registration in Nepal is governed by the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act, 1965 (2022) (“PDTA”). Additionally, Nepal is a signatory to several international treaties relevant to trademark protection, including the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1883), the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO Convention).

The Department of Industry (DOI) is the competent authority responsible for trademark registration in Nepal. In addition to its administrative function of registering trademarks, the DOI also exercises quasi-judicial powers, allowing it to adjudicate disputes concerning the protection and enforcement of trademark rights.

The process for local trademark registration in Nepal is as follows:

Step 1 : Submission of the registration applicaiton before DOI
Step 2 : Preliminary Examination (DOI will examine if the trademark is similar to already existed trademark)
Step 3 : Publication of Trademark at Intellectual Bulleting at DOI for the Purpose of Opposition
Step 4 : Registration of Trademark (in case opposition is not received)

The following are the documents required for local trademark registration;

The registration process typically takes between 6 to 8 months, provided no opposition petition is filed against the application.

Under Section 18(1) of the PDTA, the DOI may reject an application for trademark registration on the following grounds:

1. The trademark is already registered in the name of another person.

2. The trademark is likely to damage the goodwill of an existing trademark.

3. The trademark is likely to harm the reputation of any person or institution.

4. The trademark is contrary to public conduct or morality, or undermines the national interest.

 A trademark is valid for 7 years from the date of registration. The renewal application should be filed within 35 days from the date of expiry. If the renewal deadline is missed, the trademark may still be renewed within 6 months from the date of expiry. Upon renewal, the trademark remains valid for a further 7 years, and it may be renewed repeatedly for successive 7-year periods

Trademark registration in Nepal follows the Nice Classification, an internationally recognized system used by trademark offices in over 150 countries to organize goods and services into 45 classes, 34 for goods (like chemicals, cosmetics, or clothing) and 11 for services (like advertising or legal services).

A trademark is protected only within the class it is registered under, so businesses offering multiple types of products or services may need to register under more than one class. Since classes generally cannot be added after filing, and each class requires a separate application and government fee, it's important to identify the correct classification at the outset.

Local trademark registration in Nepal involves the following government fees, payable per class:

Date of Publication: 26 August 2026

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