Taiwan trademark registrationfor foreign applicants
Yes — a foreign company can own a Taiwan trademark. However, if it has no domicile or business establishment in Taiwan, it must appoint a local trademark agent to file and prosecute the application before TIPO. The applicant name and the goods/services must be provided in Traditional Chinese and classified under the Nice Classification. From filing, registration typically takes around 10–12 months absent objections. WISECODE handles clearance searching, filing, office-action responses, oppositions and renewals as your Taiwan local counsel.
Can a foreign company register a trademark in Taiwan?
Yes. Foreign companies routinely own Taiwan trademarks. Taiwan is a first-to-file jurisdiction, so rights generally go to the first party to file rather than the first to use — which makes early filing important for foreign brands.
Because a foreign applicant without a domicile or business establishment in Taiwan cannot file directly, appointing a local trademark agent is both a legal requirement and the practical way to manage examination, deadlines and the Chinese-language particulars.
Required documents and filing particulars
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Applicant details | Full legal name and address, in English with a Traditional Chinese transliteration |
| Local agent | Required for applicants without a Taiwan domicile or business establishment |
| Power of Attorney | Simply signed; notarization and legalization are not required |
| The mark | Clear specimen of the mark; description if stylized or in color |
| Goods / services | Listed in Traditional Chinese under the relevant Nice classes |
| Priority document | If claiming Paris Convention priority (within 6 months of the first filing) |
Timeline
Typical durations from filing, absent objections:
| Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
| Formality and classification review | ~1–2 months |
| Substantive examination | ~7–9 months |
| Office-action response (if issued) | Within the set response period |
| Publication and registration | ~2 months |
| Total (no objections) | ~10–12 months |
Costs
We provide a fixed-fee quote before filing. Total cost depends on the number of classes and the breadth of the goods/services, plus official TIPO fees per class. A clearance search is quoted separately and is strongly recommended in a first-to-file system.
Office actions and refusals
Common grounds for refusal include descriptiveness, lack of distinctiveness, and similarity to a prior mark. Marks can also raise issues around their Chinese-character form. We assess the office action, advise on prospects, and prepare arguments or amendments within the response deadline.
Opposition, invalidation and non-use cancellation
After publication, third parties may oppose a registration; existing registrations may be challenged through invalidation, and marks unused for three years may face non-use cancellation. We act for both registrants defending their rights and brand owners challenging conflicting or bad-faith marks.
Trademark squatting in Taiwan
Because Taiwan is first-to-file, a third party can pre-emptively register a foreign brand before the brand owner files. Foreign companies should file early, monitor for conflicting applications, and be ready to oppose or invalidate bad-faith marks. We help foreign brands recover or clear squatted marks and put monitoring in place.
Renewal and recordals
A Taiwan trademark registration lasts 10 years from registration and is renewable for further 10-year terms. We manage renewals and record assignments and licenses so your portfolio stays current and enforceable.
Common pitfalls for foreign applicants
- Delaying filing in a first-to-file jurisdiction — the leading cause of squatting loss.
- Filing without securing a proper Traditional Chinese version of the mark or name.
- Over-broad or mistranslated goods/services specifications.
- Missing the 6-month Paris Convention priority window.
- Assuming a US or EU registration automatically protects you in Taiwan — it does not.
How WISECODE helps
- Clearance searching before you commit to a filing
- Traditional Chinese transliteration and translation strategy
- Filing and Nice classification tailored to your real goods/services
- Office-action and refusal responses
- Opposition, invalidation and squatting enforcement
- Renewals, assignments and license recordals
- China trademark filing through our established China partner — coordinate Greater China in one place
- Fixed-fee quotes and English / Japanese reporting
Official references
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign company register a trademark in Taiwan?
Yes. Foreign companies can own Taiwan trademarks. If the applicant has no domicile or business establishment in Taiwan, it must appoint a local trademark agent to file.
Do foreign companies need a local trademark agent in Taiwan?
Yes, where the applicant has no Taiwan domicile or business establishment. Appointing a local agent is required to file and prosecute before TIPO.
How long does Taiwan trademark registration take?
Typically around 10–12 months from filing when there are no objections; office actions or oppositions extend the timeline.
What documents are required for Taiwan trademark filing?
Applicant name and address (with Traditional Chinese transliteration), a signed Power of Attorney, the mark, the goods/services in Traditional Chinese under the Nice Classification, and a priority document if claiming Paris priority.
Does my mark or name need to be in Chinese?
The applicant name and the goods/services must be provided in Traditional Chinese. For the mark itself, we advise on whether a Chinese-character version should also be filed to strengthen protection.
How do I deal with trademark squatting in Taiwan?
File early, monitor for conflicting applications, and oppose or invalidate bad-faith marks. We help foreign brands clear or recover squatted marks.
Can you also file my trademark in China?
Yes. We file China trademarks through our established China partner, so foreign brand owners can coordinate Taiwan and China trademark protection through a single point of contact.
Get a Taiwan trademark clearance
Send us your mark and goods/services and we will run a clearance check and return a fixed-fee filing plan. In a first-to-file system, acting early protects your brand.
Helpful to include:
- The mark (word and/or logo)
- Your goods/services and target Nice classes
- Any priority claim and first-filing date
- Countries where the mark is already registered
Last updated: June 2026