Singapore Trade Marks Filing Guide

How to File a Trade Mark Application in Singapore

A trade mark is a sign used by a person in the course of business or trade to distinguish his goods or services from those of other traders. Registering a trade mark gives the owner rights to enable him to control the use of the sign.

A registered trade mark has to be capable of being represented graphically. This sign can be any letter, word, name, signature, numeral, device, brand, heading, label, ticket, shape, colour, aspect of packaging or a combination of these.

Please let us have the following information when you instruct us to register a trade mark in Singapore.

1. Full Name of Applicant

2. Business Address of Applicant

3. Nationality or Country of Incorporation of Applicant

If the Applicant is an individual, please let us have his or her nationality.

If the Applicant is a corporation, please let us have the country of incorporation of the Applicant.

Where the applicant is a US corporate entity, IPOS asks us to provide the State of Incorporation (e.g., Delaware) of the applicant. Please make sure you let us have this information.

4. Representation of Trade Mark

Please send us an electronic copy in TIFF or PDF format. The size of the image should be 480 x 480 pixels.

5. The following information on the trade mark:

• if the mark contains any unknown words, the derivation of the unknown words (or statement that the mark is purely invented)
• if the mark contains any characters or words in the trade mark which are not in English, an English translation and transliteration of the characters or words
• if the mark contains or consists of a device, a description of the device
• if a 3-dimensional shape, aspect of packaging or colour as a feature of the mark is claimed, a description of the claim

6. Goods or Services to be Protected and Classes

The list of goods and services should be set out according to the International Classification of Goods and Services.

Goods and services should be listed in consecutive numerical class order with goods/services in each class listed in alphabetical order, wherever possible.

7. Priority Details

If priority is claimed, the country and date of filing of the earlier trade mark application or registration. The priority application has to be filed no earlier than 6 months from the date of filing of the Singapore trade mark application.

A certified copy of the priority document and verified English translation should be furnished as soon as possible.

8. Miscellaneous

We are required to declare on behalf of the applicant that the mark is used in the course of trade, by the applicant or with his consent, in relation to the goods/services stated, or there is bona fide intention that it will be so used.

No forms have to be signed by an applicant in order to file and obtain a registered trade mark in Singapore.

9. Optional Items

The following are optional at the point of filing:

• the date and country of first use of mark, if any, in the world
• the date of first use of mark, if any, in Singapore
• a list of registrations and/or applications, if any, that exist for the mark in Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Questions?

If you have any questions on trade marks, please get in touch with us.