🇭🇰 Hong Kong · Trademark & IP
Trademark registration, patents, copyright, official IP offices, and filing costs.
Quick answer
Hong Kong trademarks are registered with the Trade Marks Registry of the Intellectual Property Department (IPD). You search the register, file under Nice classes, and after examination the mark publishes for a three-month opposition period before registration. A Hong Kong trademark lasts 10 years and is renewable; China's Madrid membership does not extend to Hong Kong, so file separately.
Trademarks, patents and designs are registered with the Intellectual Property Department (IPD). Hong Kong maintains its own IP system, separate from mainland China.
- Trademarks, patents and designs are filed with the IPD.
- Hong Kong has its own registration separate from mainland China.
- A standalone original-grant patent system operates alongside re-registration routes.
Step-by-step
- 1
Search the register
Search the Hong Kong Trade Marks Registry for conflicting or similar marks in the relevant classes before filing.
- 2
File the application
File with the Trade Marks Registry (IPD), describing the mark and classifying the goods/services under Nice.
- 3
Examination and opposition
The registry examines the application and publishes it for a three-month opposition period.
- 4
Registration and renewal
Once registered, a Hong Kong trademark lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year terms.
- 5
Cover patents, designs and copyright
Protect inventions with patents and appearance with registered designs (both via the IPD); copyright arises automatically on creation.
- 6
Enforce and file separately from China
Enforce your rights against infringers; a mainland China or Madrid registration does not cover Hong Kong, so file a separate Hong Kong application.
Checklist
- Hong Kong Trade Marks Registry search
- Application (Nice classes + mark)
- Examination + 3-month opposition
- Registration (10 years) + renewal
- Patents + registered designs (IPD)
- Automatic copyright
- Separate filing from mainland China / Madrid
- Customs recordal against counterfeits
Official authorities
- Intellectual Property Department (IPD)
Trademarks, patents and designs.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mainland China trademark cover Hong Kong?
No — Hong Kong has a separate trademark system, and neither a mainland registration nor a Madrid designation of China covers it.
How long does a Hong Kong trademark last?
Ten years from the filing date, renewable indefinitely for further 10-year periods.
Is copyright registered in Hong Kong?
No — copyright is automatic on creation of an original work; Hong Kong has no copyright registration system.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.