A registered trademark in Pakistan is only valid for 10 years – after that, it has to be renewed, or it gets removed from the Register entirely. Here’s how renewal works, what it costs, and what happens if you miss the deadline.
Haven’t registered your trademark yet? Start with our guide to registering a trademark in Pakistan.
How Long Does a Trademark Registration Last?
Under Section 34 of the Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001, a trademark is registered for 10 years from its registration date. It can then be renewed for further 10-year periods indefinitely – there’s no cap on how many times you can renew.
How to Renew Your Trademark
Under Section 35, the request for renewal must be made, along with the prescribed renewal fee, before the current registration expires. Once approved:
- IPO-Pakistan is required to inform the proprietor before the registration’s expiry date, notifying them of the expiry and how to renew
- Renewal takes effect from the date the previous registration expired – not from the date you actually file, so there’s no gap in protection if you renew before expiry
- Except at the very first renewal, the Registrar can ask for evidence that you’re actually using the trademark in Pakistan
- The renewal (or restoration, if applicable) is published in the Trade Marks Journal
Renewal Fee
Form TM-12 (Renewal): Rs. 15,000, filed for one registration. This covers the standard 10-year renewal.
What If You Miss the Deadline?
You get a grace period. The Ordinance allows the renewal request and fee to be submitted within a further period of at least six months after expiry – but you’ll owe an additional late renewal fee (Rs. 900 under Rule 52(1)) on top of the standard Rs. 15,000.
What Happens If You Don’t Renew at All
If the registration isn’t renewed within the grace period, IPO-Pakistan removes the trademark from the Register under Section 35(6). This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gone for good – the same provision lets the Registrar restore the registration afterward, subject to conditions.
There’s also a one-year buffer under Section 36: even after removal, a trademark that lapsed for non-payment of the renewal fee is still treated as “on the Register” for the purpose of blocking someone else’s conflicting application – for one year after the removal date. This protection fails only if there was no genuine use of the mark in the two years before removal, or if no confusion would arise from another party using a similar mark.
How to Restore a Removed Trademark
If your trademark was removed for failing to renew, file Form TM-13 (Restoration) – Rs. 1,500 – requesting restoration under Section 35(6). Restoration is at the Registrar’s discretion and may come with conditions attached, and like a renewal, it’s published in the Trade Marks Journal once granted.
FAQ
Is there a limit on how many times I can renew a trademark?
No – a trademark can be renewed indefinitely, 10 years at a time, as long as you keep filing on time (or within the grace period).
Do I need to prove I’m still using my trademark to renew it?
Not at your first renewal, but IPO-Pakistan can require evidence of use in Pakistan for subsequent renewals.
Can someone else register my trademark if it lapses?
Not immediately – your lapsed mark is still treated as “on the Register” for blocking conflicting applications for one year after removal, unless there was no genuine use in the two years before removal.
Is restoration guaranteed once you request it?
No – restoration under Section 35(6) is at the Registrar’s discretion and can come with conditions, so filing Form TM-13 doesn’t automatically restore your mark.
Need help with a renewal or restoration filing? Our trademark registration service can handle it for you.
