Documents You Need to File a Trademark in Nepal

Trademark filing documents in Nepal fall into two sets. Nepali applicants submit an application form, notarised Power of Attorney, company board resolution for firms, trademark label, and industry or tax certificates. Foreign applicants add a notarised home registration certificate. The Department of Industry (DoI) processes everything under the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965.

Key Takeaways

• Nepal is first-to-file, so complete documents submitted early win the right.
• Core filing documents: application form, notarised Power of Attorney, board resolution, trademark label.
• Foreign applicants must add a notarised home registration certificate in English.
• One application covers one NICE class; multiple classes need multiple filings.
• The DoI publishes accepted marks in the Industrial Property Bulletin with a 90-day opposition window.
• Registration lasts 7 years and is renewable indefinitely in 7-year terms.
• IP Sewa's team prepares and files every document at the DoI on your behalf.

What documents does a Nepali applicant need to file a trademark?

A Nepali business or individual files five core documents with the Department of Industry. You need the application form, a notarised Power of Attorney, the company board resolution if you are a firm, a trademark label, and your industry certificate with the latest tax clearance letter. The application form follows Schedule 1(c) of the Act.

Here is the full domestic checklist at a glance:

The notarised Power of Attorney is the document most people get wrong. It must be signed by the applicant, sealed, and attested by two witnesses. If you are unsure how to notarise it correctly, see the notarisation requirements for IP filing in Nepal.

What extra documents do foreign applicants need?

Foreign applicants file the same core set, plus one more document. You must attach a notarised or certified copy of your home registration certificate for the same trademark, translated into English. Nepal is not in the Madrid System, so a foreign registration does not automatically protect you here. A direct national filing is required.

If you claim priority from an earlier foreign application under the Paris Convention, you also submit a notarised copy of that filing receipt or application in English. The priority claim must match the trademark and the goods or services you are filing in Nepal. Our team handles foreign filings through a local agent as the law requires.

Why does the DoI require each document?

Every document serves a purpose in examination. The DoI uses the application form to record the mark, the class, and the owner. The Power of Attorney proves the person filing has authority. The board resolution confirms a company actually decided to register the brand. The label is what gets examined and later published in the Industrial Property Bulletin.

The industry certificate and tax clearance letter establish that you are a genuine, active Nepali business. Foreign applicants use the home registration certificate to show the mark already exists elsewhere. That helps the DoI assess distinctiveness. Without the full set, your application stalls at the counter before examination even begins.

Which NICE classes apply to your filing?

Nepal follows the NICE Classification of 45 classes. One trademark application covers one class only. If your brand spans goods and services, you file separate applications with separate documents and fees for each class. The DoI will not bundle two classes into one form.

Not sure which class covers your goods or services? Use the free NICE class finder to map your products to the correct class number before you prepare documents.

How do you file the documents step by step?

Filing is a sequence, not a single drop-off. Each step builds on the one before it, and skipping a step is the fastest way to a refused application. Here is the order our team follows for every client.

1. Search first. Run a clearance search for your mark in the correct class using our trademark database. If a conflicting mark exists, change your name before you spend money on documents.
2. Prepare the documents. Draft the application form, sign and notarise the Power of Attorney, pass the board resolution, and prepare a clean trademark label.
3. File at the DoI. Submit the full set to the Department of Industry. You receive an acknowledgment and application number.
4. Respond to examination. If the DoI examiner raises an objection, you get a chance to answer. Missing the deadline abandons the application.
5. Publication and opposition. Accepted marks are published in the Industrial Property Bulletin. Anyone has 90 days to oppose.
6. Pay the registration fee and receive the certificate. If unopposed, the DoI issues your registration certificate. The term is 7 years from registration.

For the complete process, see how to register a trademark in Nepal. If you would rather hand the whole thing to a team, our trademark registration service prepares and files every document for you.

How long after filing do you get the certificate?

Plan for 12–14 months from filing to certificate when the application is unopposed. In the smoothest straightforward cases, a mark can register in about 6–8 months. Opposition adds time, because the DoI runs a hearing process before it issues anything. The 90-day publication window is the biggest variable.

What does it cost to file the documents?

Trademark filing costs have two parts: government fees and professional fees. Government fees are set per class, so a brand spanning three classes pays three application fees and three registration fees. Foreign applicants pay higher government fees than Nepali applicants. Professional fees cover document drafting, notarisation coordination, and prosecution.

We never quote a fee without seeing your mark and class. Use the fee calculator for an estimate, or contact our team for a current figure. A clearance search before filing can save you from paying twice for a mark that gets refused.

What is the legal basis for these documents?

The Patent, Design and Trademark Act 1965 governs every trademark filing in Nepal. Sec. 17 requires the application in the prescribed form with specimens of the mark. Sec. 18 sets out examination and the grounds for refusal. Sec. 21A covers publication and the opposition window. You can read the statute at the Nepal Law Commission.

Nepal is not a Madrid System member, so the Paris Convention is the main international treaty affecting foreign priority claims. A Paris Convention claim lets you use an earlier foreign filing date in Nepal if you file within six months. WIPO administers the NICE Classification used to organise classes.

Common mistakes with trademark filing documents

The most common mistake we see is filing without a clearance search. A name that looks free often conflicts with a registered mark in the same class. You pay for documents and then lose the application. Search first, every time.

Other frequent errors: notarising the Power of Attorney incorrectly, omitting the board resolution for a company, filing the wrong class, or submitting a low-resolution trademark label. Foreign applicants sometimes forget the English translation of their home certificate. Any of these stalls your application at the DoI counter.

A realistic Nepal example

Imagine a Kathmandu-based pashmina exporter called "Himalayan Weave" applying for a wordmark in class 25 for clothing. The director signs a notarised Power of Attorney with two witnesses. The board passes a resolution approving the filing. The label shows the wordmark in clean black and white. The company attaches its industry certificate and latest tax clearance letter.

The DoI examines the mark for similarity, publishes it in the Industrial Property Bulletin, and no one opposes within 90 days. Himalayan Weave pays the registration fee and receives a 7-year certificate. If the mark had conflicted with an existing class 25 registration, the clearance search would have caught it before any documents were prepared.

Alternatives and edge cases

What if you have not registered your company yet? You can file as an individual, but you lose the protection a corporate registration provides for your brand's ownership. What if your mark is a logo only? The label becomes your specimen, and you should file a high-resolution version. What if you want two classes? You file two complete applications, with two sets of documents.

If you are unsure whether your documents are complete, our team can review them before you file. A small check now prevents a rejected application later.

In short

Filing a trademark in Nepal is a document-driven process. Get the application form, notarised Power of Attorney, board resolution, and trademark label right the first time. Foreign applicants add a notarised home certificate. Search before you file, pick the correct NICE class, and let the DoI's 12–14 month timeline run its course.

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Ready to file? Search existing trademarks to check your name, then contact our team to prepare and file your documents at the DoI. Or use our free tools to find your class and estimate costs.