Trademark registration in Italy

The trademark office and official links

Trademarks in Italy are registered by the Italian Patent and Trademark Office (Ufficio Italiano Brevetti e Marchi), Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (UIBM).

• Trademark office: Italian Patent and Trademark Office (Ufficio Italiano Brevetti e Marchi), Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (UIBM)
• Law: Industrial Property Code (Legislative Decree No. 30 of 10 February 2005, as amended up to Law No. 102 of 24 July 2023)
• Law: Decree No. 33 of 13 January 2010 - Regulations implementing the Industrial Property Code

Official fees in Italy

The office does not publish an up-to-date fee schedule we could verify. Ask firms that cover Italy for a quote that shows official and professional fees separately — post a request or compare packages.

How to register a trademark in Italy

1. Search existing Italian, EU and international registrations for earlier conflicting marks.
2. File the application with UIBM, directly or through an authorised trademark attorney or lawyer (representation is optional under Article 201 of the Industrial Property Code).
3. UIBM examines registrability under the Industrial Property Code, including distinctiveness and lawfulness of the sign (Article 170).
4. Applications found registrable are published, opening a three-month opposition period for holders of earlier rights.
5. If no opposition is filed, or it is rejected, the mark is registered; protection runs from the filing date.

Examination, publication and opposition

• Examination: UIBM examines whether the sign can be registered under Articles 7-10, 13 and parts of Article 14 of the Industrial Property Code (Article 170); conflicts with earlier marks are raised by owners through opposition. No official examination time was found.
• Publication: Official Bulletin of trademarks (Bollettino ufficiale), published by UIBM
• Opposition period: 3 months (peremptory) from publication of the application; for international registrations, from the first day of the month after publication in the WIPO Gazette

Protection, renewal and use

• Term: 10 years from the filing date, renewable.
• Use requirement: a registration can be challenged after 5 years of non-use.
• Rights system: first to file.

Filing from abroad

• Local agent: Under Article 201 of the Industrial Property Code, no one is required to be represented by an authorised agent; an agent may be appointed by power of attorney or letter of engagement, and lawyers registered with the bar may also act. Any requirement for foreign applicants to elect a domicile in Italy was not verified.
• Power of attorney: An agent is appointed by a separate authenticated deed (power of attorney) or a letter of engagement, subject to the prescribed fee; one appointment may cover several applications and must be referenced in later filings (Article 201).

Firms on TrademarksHub that cover Italy can act as your local agent — see firms.

Madrid Protocol

Italy is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 2000). You can designate it in an international application filed through your home office, or file a national application directly. A local firm can advise which route is cheaper for your classes and timeline.

Trademark classes

Nice Classification (45 classes). Not sure which classes you need? See all 45 classes or classes by business type.

How Italy compares

• Opposition: 3 months (peremptory) from publication of the application; for international registrations, from the first day of the month after publication in the WIPO Gazette — compare all countries
• Renewal: every 10 years — compare all countries
• Foreign owners: not required — rules in every country

Guides: registering in any country · costs by country · Madrid

Good to know in Italy

• Italy is an EU member state, so it is also covered by EU trade marks registered at EUIPO, as an alternative or complement to a national registration.
• The opposition deadline of three months is peremptory and cannot be extended (Article 176).
• Opposition can be filed by owners of earlier marks or applications, exclusive licensees, persons protected under Article 8 (names, portraits, well-known signs) and those entitled to protect designations of origin or geographical indications (Article 177).
• Marks containing geographical names for agricultural or agrifood products are checked with a binding opinion of the Ministry of Agriculture for possible evocation of protected geographical indications (Article 170).

Questions