Trademark registration in Russia

The trademark office and official links

Trademarks in Russia are registered by the Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent).

• Trademark office: Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent)
• Law: Civil Code of the Russian Federation, Part Four (Chapter 76, §2: trademarks)
• Law: Order No. 482 of the Ministry of Economic Development of 20 July 2015 (rules for filing and examining trademark applications)
• Law: Government Decision No. 941 of 10 December 2008 on patent and other fees

Official fees in Russia

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

How to register a trademark in Russia

1. Search existing Russian and international registrations for conflicting marks.
2. Applicants based outside Russia appoint a patent attorney registered with Rospatent.
3. File one application per mark with Rospatent, in Russian, with the mark, its description and the goods and services grouped by Nice class.
4. Rospatent carries out a formal examination within one month of filing and accepts the application or refuses to accept it.
5. Information about the application is published in Rospatent's official bulletin; until a decision is taken, any person may submit written observations against registration.
6. Rospatent examines the designation on absolute and relative grounds; the applicant has three months (extendable by up to six months) to answer requests for additional materials.
7. If the decision is positive, the mark is entered in the State Register of Trademarks and a certificate is issued.

Examination, publication and opposition

• Examination: Rospatent conducts a formal examination (within one month of filing) and then a substantive examination of the designation on absolute and relative grounds. No statutory deadline for the substantive stage was verified.
• Publication: Information about filed applications is published in Rospatent's official bulletin.
• Opposition period: No formal pre-registration opposition period. After an application is published, any person may file written observations with Rospatent until the registration decision (Civil Code Art. 1493).

Protection, renewal and use

• Term: 10 years from the filing date, renewable.
• Late renewal: Renewal is requested in the last year of the term; on request, a further 6 months after expiry is allowed to file it (Civil Code Art. 1491).
• Use requirement: a registration can be challenged after 3 years of non-use.
• Rights system: first to file.

Filing from abroad

• Local agent: Persons permanently residing outside Russia and foreign legal entities must act before Rospatent through a patent attorney registered with Rospatent, unless an international treaty provides otherwise (Civil Code Art. 1247). Only Russian citizens resident in Russia can be registered patent attorneys.
• Power of attorney: The representative's authority must be confirmed by a power of attorney (Civil Code Art. 1247). Notarisation or legalisation requirements were not verified.
• Language: Russian; supporting documents in other languages need a Russian translation, which can be supplied within two months of the office's request

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

Madrid Protocol

Russia is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 1997). 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; goods and services are grouped by Nice class in the application. One application can cover several classes. Not sure which classes you need? See all 45 classes or classes by business type.

How Russia compares

• Opposition: No formal pre-registration opposition period. After an application is published, any person may file written observations with Rospatent until the registration decision (Civil Code Art. 1493). — compare all countries
• Renewal: every 10 years; grace period Renewal is requested in the last year of the term; on request, a further 6 months after expiry is allowed to file it (Civil Code Art. 1491). — compare all countries
• Foreign owners: required — rules in every country

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

Good to know in Russia

• There is no opposition stage before registration; third parties instead submit written observations to Rospatent while the application is pending.
• A mark unused for three continuous years can be cancelled in court, but the challenger must first send the owner a proposal to surrender or assign the mark and wait two months before suing (Civil Code Art. 1486).
• Applications must be filed in Russian, and only Russian citizens resident in Russia can act as registered patent attorneys.
• One application covers one mark but can list goods and services in several Nice classes; a 10-year term counts from the filing date, not the registration date.

Questions