Trademark Registration in Indonesia: Process, Cost, Timeline
Published 23 September 2026. Reading time: 9 minutes. The Indonesian Lawyer.
Trademark registration in Indonesia is filed online with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) under a first-to-file system, meaning whoever files first generally wins the mark even if another party used it first in commerce. Filing costs roughly IDR 1.8 million to 2 million per class for micro and small businesses and around IDR 2 million to 3 million for standard applicants, filed through the government's e-filing portal. The full process, from filing to certificate, typically takes 8 to 18 months if nobody opposes the mark. Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely.
Table of Contents
- Why first-to-file changes everything
- The filing process step by step
- Cost and timeline table
- Choosing the right class
- Opposition and refusal: what actually happens
- Renewal and keeping the mark alive
- A Batam example
- FAQ
Why first-to-file changes everything
Indonesia does not reward the business that used a name or logo first in the market. It rewards the applicant whose paperwork lands at DGIP first. We have had clients who traded under a name for three or four years in Jakarta or Batam, only to find a distributor, a former partner, or a stranger had already registered it. Once someone else holds the certificate, the original user has to fight an expensive cancellation action, and Indonesian courts do not automatically favor the earlier trader the way some common law countries do.
This is the single most common mistake foreign investors make: they open a PT PMA, start selling, build a following on Instagram or Shopee under a brand name, and treat the trademark as paperwork to get to later. By the time they file, someone has already taken the name, sometimes deliberately, sometimes by coincidence. File before you launch, not after.
The filing process step by step
The mechanics are consistent nationwide, whether you are filing from a Jakarta office, a Batam free trade zone company, or a villa business in Bali.
- Clearance search. Search DGIP's public database (pdki-indonesia.dgip.go.id) for identical or confusingly similar marks in your class before you spend anything. A search is not a guarantee, since pending applications not yet published won't show up, but it catches the obvious conflicts.
- Prepare the application. You need the applicant's identity documents (KTP for Indonesian individuals, passport for foreign individuals, deed of establishment and NIB for a company), a clear image of the mark, and a list of goods or services in the correct Nice class.
- File online through DGIP. Applications go through the government's e-filing system. A local trademark attorney or IP consultant usually files on the applicant's behalf using a power of attorney, which does not need to be notarized abroad in most cases.
- Formality check. DGIP reviews the application for completeness within roughly 15 business days. Missing documents or an unclear specimen get kicked back here.
- Substantive examination. An examiner checks the mark against existing registrations and against absolute grounds for refusal, such as being purely descriptive or contrary to public order. This stage is the slowest part and can run anywhere from 5 to 12 months depending on DGIP's backlog.
- Publication for opposition. If the examiner has no objection, the mark is published for two months. Third parties can file an opposition during this window if they believe the mark conflicts with their own rights.
- Certificate issued. If no opposition is filed, or an opposition is resolved in the applicant's favor, DGIP issues the certificate. Protection is backdated to the original filing date, not the certificate date.
Cost and timeline table
| Stage | Typical timeframe | Government fee (per class, approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Clearance search | 1 to 3 days | Free (public database) or small fee for a formal search report |
| Filing | Same day once documents are ready | IDR 1.8m to 2m (micro/small enterprise rate) or IDR 2m to 3m (general rate) |
| Formality check | Around 15 business days | Included in filing fee |
| Substantive examination | 5 to 12 months | Included in filing fee |
| Publication and opposition window | 2 months | None unless opposed |
| Certificate issuance | 1 to 3 months after publication closes | None |
| Total, uncontested | 8 to 18 months | |
| Renewal (every 10 years) | File within 6 months before or up to 6 months after expiry (late renewal carries a surcharge) | Similar to original filing fee, confirm current rate |
Fees vary by class count, applicant category and whether legal representation is included, so treat these as a planning range and confirm the current schedule before you budget a launch date around it.
Choosing the right class
Indonesia uses the Nice Classification, 45 classes covering goods and services, and this is where a surprising number of applications go wrong. Businesses file in the class that describes what they sell today and skip the class that covers what they will sell in two years, or they file a broad description that an examiner rejects as vague.
A coffee export business, for example, needs class 30 for the product itself but may also need class 35 if it plans to run its own retail or online store, and class 43 if it operates a cafe. Each class is a separate fee and a separate line of protection. If your PT PMA's business line in its NIB covers manufacturing, distribution and retail, your trademark filing should generally mirror that scope, not just the first item on the list. Get this wrong and a competitor can register the same name in the class you left uncovered.
Opposition and refusal: what actually happens
Two different things can stop your application, and they are handled differently. A refusal comes from the DGIP examiner during substantive examination, usually because the mark is too similar to an existing registration, is generic or descriptive of the goods themselves, or copies a well-known mark. You can respond with a written appeal or narrow the goods list, but a strong refusal on similarity grounds is hard to overturn without changing the mark.
An opposition comes from a third party during the two-month publication period, typically a competitor or a rights holder who believes your mark conflicts with theirs. If nobody files, the case moves straight to certification. If someone does file, both sides submit evidence and DGIP's Commission of Appeals or, in later stages, the Commercial Court, decides. Opposition cases can add 6 to 12 months and legal fees on top of the original timeline, which is another reason to run a proper clearance search before filing rather than after.
The costliest mistake: launching a brand, spending on signage, packaging and marketing, and only filing the trademark application once the business is already visible. If someone files first, whether by coincidence or bad faith, you may have to rebrand entirely or pay to buy back rights to your own name. File the application before the public launch, not after.
Renewal and keeping the mark alive
A trademark certificate is valid for 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed for further 10-year terms with no limit. Renewal must be filed within the six months before expiry, or up to six months after with a late penalty. Miss that final window and the registration lapses, at which point anyone, including a competitor, can file for the same mark from scratch.
There is also a use requirement worth knowing about: a registered mark can be vulnerable to a non-use cancellation action if it has not been used in commerce in Indonesia for three consecutive years. Keep basic proof of use, invoices, packaging, dated screenshots of your online store, in case the mark is ever challenged.
A Batam example
Batam is a useful case because it sits inside a free trade zone with its own import and manufacturing incentives, which means brand activity there often moves faster than the trademark paperwork behind it. A manufacturer setting up in the Batam Centre or Kabil industrial areas will typically clear customs, hire staff and start shipping product samples to buyers in Singapore and beyond within a few months of incorporation. The trademark, filed at the same time, is still sitting in substantive examination at DGIP in Jakarta a year later, since IP filings run through the national office regardless of where the business physically operates.
What we advise Batam-based manufacturing and trading clients to do is file the trademark application the same week the PT PMA's NIB is issued, not after the first shipment goes out. Packaging, product labels and any distribution agreements with Singaporean or Malaysian buyers should reference the application number as pending, which gives you a documented priority date if a dispute arises before certification comes through. The same logic applies whether the business is based in Batam, Surabaya, Medan or anywhere else: the trademark clock should start on day one of the company, not day one of sales.
FAQ
How long does trademark registration take in Indonesia?
An uncontested application typically takes 8 to 18 months from filing to certificate, covering formality check, substantive examination and the two-month publication period. Applications that face an opposition or a refusal that needs to be appealed can take considerably longer, sometimes two to three years, so build the longer timeline into any brand launch plan.
How much does it cost to register a trademark in Indonesia?
Government filing fees run roughly IDR 1.8 million to 2 million per class for micro and small enterprises and IDR 2 million to 3 million per class for general applicants, subject to change, so confirm the current schedule before filing. Add legal or agent fees for search, drafting and filing on top, and multiply by the number of classes your goods and services fall under.
Can a foreigner register a trademark in Indonesia?
Yes. Foreign individuals and foreign companies can both file directly with DGIP, though most foreign applicants file through a registered Indonesian trademark agent using a power of attorney, since the process, forms and correspondence are conducted in Indonesian. There is no requirement to have a local company or KITAS to hold a trademark registration.
What happens if someone else registers my brand name first?
Because Indonesia is a first-to-file jurisdiction, the first valid application generally wins regardless of who used the mark earlier in commerce. The original user can file a cancellation action based on bad faith or prior well-known mark status, but this requires evidence and litigation before the Commercial Court, and outcomes are not guaranteed. Filing early avoids this entirely.
Do I need to register my trademark in every Indonesian city separately?
No. A single registration with DGIP protects the mark across the whole of Indonesia, whether the business operates in Jakarta, Batam, Surabaya, Makassar or any other city. There is no separate provincial or municipal trademark system to register in on top of the national filing.
How long does a registered trademark last, and can it be renewed?
A trademark certificate is valid for 10 years from the filing date. It can be renewed for further 10-year periods indefinitely, provided the renewal is filed within six months before expiry or up to six months after with a late fee. Missing that window entirely causes the registration to lapse and become available to other applicants.
What is the difference between a trademark refusal and an opposition?
A refusal is issued by the DGIP examiner during substantive examination, based on similarity to an existing mark, descriptiveness, or other legal grounds, and can be appealed in writing. An opposition is filed by a third party during the two-month public gazette period after examination and is resolved through a separate appeals process, sometimes escalating to the Commercial Court if unresolved.
If you are about to launch a brand, ship your first product, or already suspect someone else has filed your name, it is worth getting the search and filing done properly the first time. Send us the details on WhatsApp at +62 877-9626-0478 or through our contact page, and we will tell you exactly where your mark stands before you spend another rupiah on branding. The first consultation is free.
For businesses still setting up their legal structure in Indonesia, see our guides on PT PMA company registration and how to set up a PT PMA in Indonesia, or browse our full range of legal services.