Managing Trade Marks

If you have submitted a trade mark application, or already obtained your trade mark registration, learn more on how you can conveniently track and manage your trade mark application or registration.

Monitor Your Application

After submitting a trade mark application to us, find out how you can monitor the application as it proceeds through the examination process.

Monitor Your Singapore Application

1. Subscribe to eAlerts in IPOS Digital Hub to Monitor Changes to your Trade Mark Application Details [Applicable for Singapore Trade Mark Applications]

The following types of updates are available through the eAlert facility in IPOS Digital Hub

Amendments and/or corrections
Changes due to assignment, licence or security interest
Changes in IP / Class status
Changes in case statuses of proceedings before the Hearings & Mediation Group
Renewals and renewal reminders

2. Look Out for Alerts on New Correspondences in your IPOS Digital Hub / IPOS Go Mobile Inbox

If you have filed trade mark-related forms online via IPOS Digital Hub,

New correspondences issued by IPOS regarding your trade mark application / registration will be sent electronically to your IPOS Digital Hub inbox. At the same time, an email alert regarding the new correspondences in your IPOS Digital Hub inbox will be sent to the email address that you have used to register your IPOS Digital Hub account with us.

You can keep track of new correspondences issued by IPOS by:

Adding emails from IPOS Digital Hub to your safe sender list, and checking your email inbox (including spam/junk mail folders) to avoid missing out on email updates. If your email address is no longer in use, you should log in to your IPOS Digital Hub account, and update your email address by clicking on the “Edit Profile” button. Otherwise, you will not be able to receive the email alerts timely.
Logging in to your IPOS Digital Hub account regularly to check the latest correspondences issued by IPOS.
For IPOS Digital Hub Business Account Users, you are encouraged to ensure that General Administrator access role has been assigned to you to receive all correspondence issued by IPOS.

If you have filed trade mark-related forms online via the IPOS Go Mobile App,

New correspondences issued by IPOS regarding your trade mark application / registration will be sent electronically to your Inbox within the IPOS Go Mobile App.
You can look out for alerts on IPOS Go Mobile App regarding new correspondences received in your Inbox within the Mobile App.
To reply to the correspondences by IPOS, please log in to your IPOS Digital Hub account via your laptop or desktop computers.

3. Update the Details of the Applicant, Proprietor, Representative or Agent for Your Trade Mark Applications

To ensure that the correspondences issued by IPOS is directed to the correct party, you should update the details regarding the applicant, proprietor, representative or agent of the trade mark application or registration when there are changes. Refer here for more information.

Monitor Your International Application

If you have submitted an international application via Form MM2(E) to IPOS, your application will be forwarded to the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) after IPOS certifies that the application is in order. WIPO will send all communications concerning this international application and the resulting international registration to the applicant’s e-mail address indicated in the Form MM2(E) application form. Where a representative is appointed, the communications will instead only be sent to the e-mail address of the representative.

For holders of international applications / international registrations, you can also track the status of your international application or international registration online via the “realtime search” function available on the WIPO Madrid Monitor. More details are also available on WIPO’s website.

Guard Against Unsolicited IP Services

Unsolicited IP services are increasingly being offered to IP rights holders by private companies, and recipients of such unsolicited notices are often requested to pay hefty amounts in exchange for the registration or renewal of their IP on record. Find out more about how you can identify unsolicited notices and guard against such services here.

Renew or Restore Your Trade Mark

Form TM19 should be submitted for a renewal or restoration of a trade mark registration.

The diagram below illustrates the timeline for the renewal or restoration of a trade mark registered in Singapore.

tm-renewal

Renewal

A registered trade mark is protected for a period of 10 years from the date of filing. A Singapore-registered trade mark can be renewed once every 10 years. Each time, it can only be renewed starting from 6 months before the expiry date of the registered trade mark through the filing of Form TM19 with the relevant fee.

Late Renewal

If a trade mark registration is not renewed by its expiry date, the mark status will be updated as “Expired (Late Renewal Possible)”. At this stage, late renewal of the trade mark registration is still possible for a period of 6 months starting from the expiry date of the mark through the filing of Form TM19 with the relevant fee. However, please note that the relevant fee for late renewal of a trade mark registration would be higher than a renewal filed within 6 months before the trade mark expiry date.

Restoration

If no renewal has been made within 6 months after the trade mark expiry date, the mark status will be updated as “Removed (Restoration Possible)”. At this stage, the restoration of the mark is still possible within a final period of 6 months. Form TM19 should be filed for the restoration of a trade mark registration and the relevant fee would be higher than for a late renewal.

After the renewal or restoration of a trade mark registration, the expiry date of the trade mark will be updated on our Trade Marks Register.

For more information on the trade mark renewal, please refer to the Trade Marks Work Manual Chapter on Renewal.

Possible modes of filing for Form TM19:

Via the IPOS Go Mobile App
Via our e-services portal, IPOS Digital Hub.

General Note(s) on Trade Mark Renewal and Restoration:

Please note that a request for extension of time to renew or restore a trade mark registration is not allowed under Rule 77(6)(e) and (f) of the Trade Marks Rules.

Enforce Your Singapore Trade Mark

Proper and Continuous Use of Your Trade Mark

As a trade mark owner, it is important for you to use your mark properly and continuously.

You should reinforce the identity of your trade mark by actively applying it with its associated type of goods and/or services and on mediums such as packaging, websites, marketing materials and trade documents.

You should also be aware that a registered trade mark may face the risk of being revoked if it has not been put to genuine continuous use in Singapore within an uninterrupted period of 5 years after it is registered.

Trade Mark Infringement

If you become aware that another party is using a mark which is identical or similar to your trade mark, and in relation to identical or similar goods and/or services with respect to your trade mark, you should act promptly against the infringing party.

For more information on the different routes of handling such a dispute, click here. You may also wish to consider making an appointment to consult our IP Legal Clinic for preliminary advice from a professional lawyer for better decision-making for your case.

IP Clinics

Make an appointment with us to find out more about IP strategies and options for businesses

Trade Mark FAQs

Refer to commonly asked questions

Managing Trade Marks