Trademark Registration Malaysia — Protect Your Brand with Registered Trademark Agents

A trademark is any sign that distinguishes your goods or services from others — words, logos, slogans, shapes, colours, sounds, even scents and holograms. Registering your trademark gives you exclusive rights to use it in the jurisdiction, preventing others from copying or imitating it, and turns your brand into a valuable, transferable business asset.

The trademark registration process in Malaysia typically takes 12 to 18 months, assuming no objections or oppositions are raised. After filing, your application will go through formality examination, substantive examination, publication in the MyIPO journal (which includes a 2-month opposition period), and finally registration.

A registered trademark in Malaysia is valid for 10 years from the date of filing. You can renew it indefinitely for further 10-year periods by paying the renewal fee before expiry.

No — trademark protection is jurisdictional. A Malaysian registration only protects you in Malaysia. We strongly advise registering your trademark in every country where you currently do business or have potential business interests. Without local registration, your brand is exposed to infringement, squatting, and parallel registration by third parties in those markets. To protect your mark abroad, you can file separately in each jurisdiction or use the Madrid Protocol (international registration system) with Malaysia as your base country. We can advise on cost-effective international protection strategies.

While not legally required, a trademark clearance search is strongly recommended before filing. It helps identify existing identical or similar marks that could lead to objections or opposition, saving you time and filing costs. Our team conducts comprehensive searches via the MyIPO database and beyond.

After your application is accepted, it is published in the MyIPO journal for a 2-month opposition period. During this time, third parties may file an opposition if they believe your mark conflicts with their rights. If opposed, both parties submit evidence and arguments, and MyIPO will decide based on the merits. Our IP team handles oppositions on your behalf.

The ™ symbol indicates that you are claiming a sign as your trademark — it can be used at any time, even before registration, as a notice to others that you treat the mark as proprietary. The ® symbol, however, can only be used once your trademark is officially registered with MyIPO. Using ® on an unregistered mark in Malaysia is an offence under the Trademarks Act 2019. Once registered, the ® symbol signals legal protection and serves as a strong deterrent against infringement.

Yes. A registered trademark is a transferable business asset. You can transfer the ownership of your trademark to another party outright, or license its use to others while retaining ownership — for example, through franchising or distribution agreements. Both assignments and licences should be properly documented and recorded with MyIPO to be enforceable against third parties. Our team can draft, review, and register these agreements on your behalf.

A company name (registered with SSM, the Companies Commission of Malaysia) identifies your business as a legal entity, while a trademark protects the brand identifiers — names, logos, or signs — used in connection with your goods or services. Registering a company name does NOT give you trademark rights. Two businesses can share similar company names without conflict, but only one can own a trademark for a specific class of goods or services. To protect your brand from competitors, you need a separate trademark registration.

No — you don’t need to own a company to register a trademark in Malaysia. Trademarks can be filed in the name of an individual, a partnership, or a registered company. The applicant simply needs to be the rightful owner of the mark and intend to use it in commerce. That said, registering the trademark in your company’s name (rather than personal name) can offer cleaner asset management and tax treatment, especially if you plan to license or assign the mark later. We can advise on the best ownership structure for your situation.