The Chinese registration process has five stages and one number that matters: your filing date. Everything after that is examination, publication and paperwork. Below is the sequence with the durations we actually see, plus what each stage can add if something goes wrong.
The five stages
| Stage | Typical duration | What happens | What you receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Pre-filing search | 1–2 working days | Search of the CNIPA register in your classes and sub-classes | Written read-out: closest citations, risk rating, class recommendation |
| 2. Filing | same day to 2 days | Application lodged electronically with the power of attorney | Application number and filing date |
| 3. Formal examination | 1–2 weeks | CNIPA checks the documents, specimen and goods wording | Acceptance notice (受理通知书) |
| 4. Substantive examination | 3–5 weeks | Examiner compares the mark against earlier registrations | Approval, partial refusal or full refusal |
| 5. Publication & registration | 3 months | Open to opposition; certificate issues at the close | Registration certificate, valid 10 years |
Total for a clean single-class application: three to four months. That is the number to plan around, and it is fast by international standards — the Chinese register moves quicker than the USPTO or EUIPO for unopposed cases.
What we do at each stage
- Search. We search the exact mark, close variants, the Chinese transliteration and the pinyin, because an examiner compares all three. You get the citations that came up, whether each is live or dead, and what we would do about them.
- Filing. Class and goods selection, specimen preparation, POA, and the applicant name checked character by character against your registration document.
- Examination. We monitor the file instead of waiting for a notice to arrive and translate. If an office action lands, you hear from us with a recommended response, not just the notice.
- Publication. We watch for oppositions in your classes, including from marks filed after yours.
- Registration. Certificate, docketing, and the renewal date put in a calendar that outlives staff turnover.
What adds time
| Event | Added time | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| Formal office action (documents, specimen, goods wording) | 2–6 weeks | Correction work; the filing date is preserved |
| Substantive refusal | 4–9 months if reviewed | Review fee plus legal work; partial refusals can be divided |
| Third-party opposition | 12–18 months | The registration is suspended while the case runs |
| Opposition filed against you during publication | 12–18 months | Same, and the mark is not enforceable in the meantime |
The 15-day response window on a refusal notice is the single most expensive deadline in the process. Miss it and the application is deemed withdrawn — there is no late filing, and the official fee is gone.
After the certificate
A Chinese registration lasts ten years and renews indefinitely at RMB 500 per class. Two obligations keep it alive:
- Use it. Under Article 49, anyone can apply to cancel a mark that has not been used for three consecutive years. Keep dated invoices, listings, advertising contracts and customs declarations.
- Keep the record accurate. A change of company name or address that is never recorded at CNIPA creates a mismatch that complicates renewals, assignments and enforcement.
Registration is also the entry ticket to the cheaper enforcement routes: customs recordal (free to file), platform brand registries, and opposition against later copycat filings.
Why "guaranteed approval" is a red flag
No agency can guarantee a Chinese registration. Examination is discretionary, and a third party can oppose. What can be guaranteed is the process: a search that finds the conflicts, a goods list that will not be objected to, and a response prepared inside the deadline. Treat any quote that promises a certificate as a warning about how the rest of the file will be handled.
Frequently asked
How long does a Chinese trademark take in 2026?
Three to four months for a clean application: about a week to the acceptance notice, three to five weeks of substantive examination, then a three-month publication period that runs to the certificate. A refusal, an office action or an opposition each add months rather than weeks.
Is there a way to speed up examination?
Not by paying. CNIPA runs a limited priority channel for specific statutory situations, but there is no purchasable fast track. Anyone selling 'accelerated examination' for a normal application is describing the standard queue.
What is the acceptance notice and does it give me any rights?
It confirms CNIPA received and formally accepted the application. It gives you a filing date — which matters under first-to-file — but no exclusive right. You may use the ™ symbol from that point; ® only after registration.
What happens during the three-month publication period?
The application is open to third-party opposition. Most pass quietly. If someone opposes, you have a defined window to respond and the case moves to CNIPA's opposition procedure, which typically takes 12–18 months to resolve.
When can I start selling in China?
Immediately — registration is not a precondition for selling. What it changes is your ability to stop someone else. That is why filing before launch, not after, is the sequence that protects the brand.
Check where your mark would stand today
Send the brand name and the classes you care about. We run a free CNIPA search and come back within 48 hours with the closest citations, a risk rating and a fixed fee — the same read-out we use before every filing.