A registration certificate feels like the end of the job. In practice it starts a second one: keeping the registration alive. The dates you need to track depend on the country, the type of registration and the system it sits in, and an owner who forgets them can lose a mark they paid for.
Start by recording what you have
Keep one file per registration, with:
- the registration number, the filing date and the registration date
- the country or region, and the owner as shown on the register
- the classes, and the exact list of goods and services
- the next renewal or maintenance deadline, and any grace period
- the representative, if there is one, and the official letters you have received
Many later deadlines are counted from the registration date or the filing date, so take the dates from the official register, not from memory or from the day the certificate arrived by email. With one mark in one country this is easy. With marks in ten countries there can be dozens of dates, and one column called "renewal" is not enough.
"Ten years" is not the whole answer
You will often hear that a trademark lasts ten years. That is true in many places, but it leaves open: ten years from which date, when can you renew, is there a grace period and what does it cost, do you have to show use, and is there something to do before the tenth year?
Three examples show how different the calendars are.
United States. A federal registration needs a declaration of use, or of excusable non-use, between the fifth and sixth years after registration. A combined declaration and renewal is then due between the ninth and tenth years, and the cycle repeats every ten years. Writing "renew in year ten" in the calendar misses the first deadline altogether. A missed filing can lead to cancellation or expiry.
European Union. An EU trade mark lasts ten years and can be renewed for further ten-year periods without limit. The renewal can be filed during the six months before expiry. If the date is missed, there is a further six months in which a late renewal is possible with an additional fee.
Madrid System. An international registration lasts ten years and can be renewed for further ten-year periods. Renewal can be requested during the six months before expiry, with a six-month grace period after expiry at a surcharge. If you hold a Madrid registration, keep two things apart: the international registration, and the protection in each country you named.
Do not copy one country's rules onto another. The renewal date is a country-by-country fact, and the register is the place to confirm it.
The grace period is a backup
A grace period is useful when something goes wrong. Treat the normal deadline as the real one. During the grace period there may be an extra fee, the registration can be exposed, and in some countries there is no grace period at all. If a registration has expired and the grace period has also run out, you may need to file again, and the position can then have changed: another business may have filed a similar mark in the meantime.
Other dates and events
Renewal is not the only thing that needs watching.
Use. Some countries expect proof or a declaration of use at set points, and many allow a registration to be challenged if the mark has not been used for a period. See proof of use.
Official letters. A notice that arrives after registration may carry a short deadline, far shorter than the next renewal. Read official post promptly. A late fee does not always repair a missed procedural deadline.
Ownership. When a company is sold, merged or reorganised, or a mark moves between related companies, the register should show the right owner. Keep the assignment documents, the new owner's details and the effective dates.
Address and contact details. If the office has an old address, notices can go to the wrong place. A missed notice does not cancel the deadline it carried. Some offices also send courtesy reminders, but the responsibility stays with the owner, so do not rely on them.
Changes to the brand. If you have redesigned the logo or changed the look of the name, check that you still use the mark you registered, or something close enough in law. If you changed the name, the old registration may not protect the new one.
Changes to the business. A registration covers the goods and services listed in it. If you start selling bags or running an online shop and the registration covers only clothing, the new activity may not be covered. A portfolio review before each renewal is a good time to ask whether the registration still matches the business.
Is every registration worth renewing?
Not always. Marks for old product names or abandoned projects can cost money every ten years and protect nothing. Before renewing, ask whether you use the mark, plan to use it, whether it blocks someone you care about, and what it costs. Some registrations are essential and some are not. The answer should come from the business.
Monitoring does not end at registration
A registration does not stop others from filing similar marks, and an office will not usually enforce your rights for you. Owners are normally responsible for watching the market. Monitoring tells you about new filings while there is time to respond. See trademark monitoring. If a hit needs action and the matter has to be fought in that country, we can arrange it through our partners: see trademark disputes.
A simple routine
- 12 months before a deadline: review the portfolio. Is the mark still in use, still the right one, still covering the right goods?
- 6 months before: prepare the renewal and any declaration of use. Collect evidence if needed.
- 3 months before: confirm the fees and the exact deadline.
- 1 month before: final check, then file.
- After filing: save the confirmation and record the next date.
This schedule is a suggestion, not a legal rule. The point is not to find out about a deadline when only days are left.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a trademark registration last?
Ten years is common, but the length and the renewal rules vary. EU trade marks, for example, last ten years and can be renewed without limit.
Is renewal automatic?
Do not assume so. The owner normally has to act and pay within the set period.
What if I miss the renewal date?
Some systems give a grace period with an extra fee. If that period also passes, the registration can be lost.
Do I have to prove use?
In some countries and at some stages, yes. The rules differ widely.
Does renewal cover new products?
No. A registration covers only the goods and services it lists.
Should I keep evidence of use?
Yes. It is much easier to keep records as you go than to rebuild years of history later.
Keeping the dates
If you hold registrations in several countries, we can record the dates for you, write to you well ahead of each deadline with a quote, and file the renewal. You can also ask us about monitoring. See the filing process for how the earlier steps fit together.
This article is general information and is not legal advice. Rules differ between countries and change over time; check the official source for your case.
