Applications are filed at the Department of Industry, Office of the Registrar of Trademarks, in Kathmandu. Online filing is not yet available.
At a glance
| Office | Department of Industry (DOI), Kathmandu |
| Online filing | Not available |
| Classification | Nice Classification, classes 1 to 34 goods, 35 to 45 services |
| Multi-class applications | Not accepted, single class only |
| Priority | Available to WTO members and Paris Convention signatories |
| Priority document deadline | 3 months from the Nepali filing date |
| Examination reply | 30 days, extendable by a further 30 days on request |
| Publication | Industrial Property Bulletin |
| Opposition period | 90 days from publication |
| Term | 7 years, renewable every 7 years |
| Renewal window | Within 3 months before expiry |
| Non-use cancellation | After 5 consecutive years of non-use from registration |
Two things that differ from the regional norm
The term is seven years, not ten, and renewals are also in seven-year cycles. A standard ten-year renewal diary will miss Nepal.
The examination reply window is 30 days, extendable by another 30 on request. This is materially shorter than most neighbouring jurisdictions, and the practical consequence is that a foreign applicant without an agent already appointed can lose most of the window simply arranging representation.
Filing
The DOI accepts single-class applications only.
Members of the WTO and Paris Convention signatories can file convention applications claiming priority. A certified copy of the priority document is required within three months of the Nepali filing date.
An application can be filed on an intent-to-use basis or by claiming prior use of the mark in Nepal.
Documents required
For a new trademark or service mark application:
- Name and address of the applicant
- Representation of the trademark
- Description of goods or services and the class under the Nice Classification
- Power of Attorney signed by the applicant
- Home Registration Certificate
- Priority document, if priority is claimed
The Home Registration Certificate requirement is worth flagging: Nepal expects evidence of the applicant’s home registration or incorporation, which is not required in several neighbouring jurisdictions and is a common cause of incomplete filings.
Examination, publication and opposition
Applications are examined on absolute and relative grounds.
Objections must be answered within 30 days of receipt, extendable by a further 30 days on request.
Once accepted, the application is published in the Industrial Property Bulletin and is open to opposition for 90 days from publication.
Renewal
Registration is valid for seven years and is renewable every seven years.
Renewal applications must be filed within three months before expiry. Late renewal is possible within six months of the expiry date, subject to a surcharge.
Use requirements: a moving position
Nepal’s position on evidence of use has been in flux, and this is the area where published material dates fastest.
The Department of Industry issued a notice in August 2025 that would have required registrants to submit evidence of use or product samples under Section 18C of the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act. That notice was subsequently revoked, and a further notice in December 2025 set out different requirements, including re-submission deadlines for incomplete applications and collection of registration certificates.
Those specific deadlines have now passed. The important point for planning purposes is the underlying one: the DOI has shown a clear intention to move towards enforcing use obligations, and further directions are likely.
Our practical advice remains what it was: commence use of your marks in Nepal and maintain evidence of that use, whether or not a notice is currently in force. Retrospective evidence is difficult to assemble, and cancellation risk is real.
For the detail of the notices and how the position developed, see our Insights piece on the recent DOI trademark notices in Nepal.
Cancellation for non-use
A cancellation petition can be filed where a mark has not been used for five consecutive years from the date of registration.
Changes and amendments
The following can be recorded:
- Assignment of trademarks, with or without goodwill
- Change of name or address of the applicant or proprietor
- Registered user agreements and licences
Amendments to registered trademarks are permitted provided they do not substantially alter the identity of the mark or the specification.
Enforcement
The following are offences under Nepali law:
- Use of the ® symbol on an unregistered trademark
- Manufacture, import or sale of counterfeit goods
Legal action can be initiated before the courts in Nepal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Nepali trademark registration last? Seven years, renewable in seven-year cycles. This differs from most of the region.
How long do I have to reply to an examination report? Thirty days, extendable by a further thirty on request. It is a short window, so having an agent already appointed matters.
Do I need to prove use in Nepal? There is no standing mandate at present, but the DOI has signalled movement in that direction. Begin use and keep evidence.
Can I file a multi-class application? No. Single class only.
What is the Home Registration Certificate? Evidence of the applicant’s registration or incorporation in its home jurisdiction. Nepal requires it, and its absence is a frequent reason applications are treated as incomplete.
Can I file online? Not currently.
Useful official resources
- Department of Industry, Nepal
- WIPO Lex — Nepal
- TMClass — goods and services terminology
Nepal practice has been moving quickly. Talk to us if you hold marks there and want a current view on your exposure.