Application procedure

The average processing time for trademark applications at our office is currently about 5 months.

If no bars to the registration of the application are found, the trademark is granted registration. The NBPR makes a decision to register and publishes the registration in the Trademark Gazette.

If there are, however, bars to the registration, or deficiencies in the application, we inform the applicant for a domestic trademark by sending them an office action. The applicant is given 4-8 weeks to respond. If the office action concerns fees or formal deficiencies, the time to respond may be even shorter, but not less than four weeks. For international registrations the time to respond is twelve weeks.

If the applicant responds within the time limit but is not able to remove the bars to registration, the office may issue yet another office action, if necessary. This is done only if the applicant’s response is expected to give additional information that is essential for making a decision in the case.

It is always recommended that the applicant responds to an official action. If the applicant does not respond within the time limit, the application is dismissed. This means that the application will no longer be processed and the registrability of the mark is left undecided.

If the applicant is unable to remove the bars to registration, the application is rejected.