Registration with the Department of Industry is the central route for enforceable trademark rights in Nepal.
Nepal does not use multi-class applications, so each goods or services class should be reviewed and filed separately.
Foreign applicants usually need home or foreign registration evidence before the Nepal filing can proceed.
Once registered, a trademark is renewable in seven-year blocks, provided renewal steps are managed on time.
Filing Routes
Choosing the right route before filing
A trademark application should not be treated as a formality. The filing route depends on who owns the brand, where it is already used or registered, and which goods or services the applicant actually provides.
Local brand filing
A Nepal entity can file for a mark that matches its approved business objects, industry registration and operating documents.
Foreign brand filing
Foreign owners should prepare notarised base registration or application evidence, power of attorney and local filing details before submission.
Class-by-class strategy
Goods and services should be mapped against the Nice Classification so protection follows the real commercial footprint of the brand.
Search and clearance
A prior search helps identify similar marks, descriptive terms, public-interest issues and possible objections before launch or filing.
Registration Path
A practical trademark sequence
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Map the mark and classes
Confirm the word mark, logo, slogan or device, then map the relevant goods or services to the correct class.
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Conduct a clearance search
Review similar marks in the relevant class and identify objections that could delay publication or registration.
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Prepare the filing file
Assemble corporate documents, power of attorney, label samples, use details and foreign registration evidence where relevant.
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File and respond to examination
The Department of Industry checks formalities and examines registrability before publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin.
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Manage opposition risk
Once published, third parties may oppose. If no opposition is filed within the relevant period, registration can proceed.
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Register, monitor and renew
After registration, the brand owner should track renewal dates, monitor confusingly similar use and keep licence or assignment records complete.
Documents
A practical filing file
The strongest applications are usually the ones where ownership, class choice and the applicant's right to use the mark are already clear.
Applicant file
- Company, firm or identity registration documents
- PAN and industry or service approval documents, where relevant
- Power of attorney for the filing representative
- Business objective review for the selected class
Trademark file
- Word mark, logo or label samples
- Goods or services description and proposed class
- Date of first use in Nepal, if the mark is already used
- Meaning, origin and non-exclusive elements of the mark
Foreign owner file
- Home or foreign registration certificate or application
- Notarised power of attorney and corporate documents
- Priority claim material, if applicable
- Evidence of local use, if already active in Nepal
Enforcement
Protecting the brand after filing
A trademark file should be maintained beyond registration. Brand owners often need quick evidence of ownership, use, confusion, market harm and authorisation when infringement or parallel use appears.
Opposition and objection response
We help assess objections, collect supporting material and respond to examiner or third-party concerns in a focused manner.
Unauthorised use and passing off
We review confusing similarity, market evidence, licence history and cease-and-desist options before choosing a complaint or settlement route.
Portfolio maintenance
We support renewal tracking, assignment or licence documentation, and expansion filings as the brand grows into new products or services.
This page is a general website overview of trademark protection in Nepal. Filing strategy should be reviewed against the actual mark, class, ownership records, business objects and any prior use or foreign registration before an application is submitted.