How to Track Your Application Status at the DoI

You track your trademark application status in Nepal through the Department of Industry (DoI) by checking the Industrial Property Bulletin, using the DoI's online portal, or contacting the DoI directly — all governed by the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965. Knowing where your application stands helps you spot delays and respond to objections before the 90-day opposition window closes.

Key Takeaways

• The DoI publishes accepted marks in the Industrial Property Bulletin — this is your first public confirmation that examination has passed.
• A 90-day opposition window starts from the Bulletin publication date; anyone can object, and you need to know when that clock starts.
• You can check status online through the DoI portal, though the interface is basic and works best with your application number.
• The typical end-to-end timeline is 12–14 months; if you have heard nothing for over six months, it is time to follow up.
• Having a local agent or representative — required for foreign applicants anyway — makes tracking far smoother because they receive official correspondence directly.
• Nepal is a first-to-file country; tracking isn't just about curiosity — it confirms your priority date is locked in.

What does it mean to "track" a trademark application in Nepal?

Tracking your trademark application means checking which of the five registration stages your mark has reached — filing acknowledgment, examination, publication in the Industrial Property Bulletin, the 90-day opposition window, or certificate issuance. The Department of Industry processes every application through this exact sequence under the Patent, Design and Trade Mark Act 1965. You are not waiting blindly; each stage leaves a paper trail and, increasingly, a digital record you can access.

Why should you actively track your application instead of waiting?

Nepal follows a first-to-file system, so your priority date is set the moment the DoI accepts your application — but that priority means little if an examiner's objection goes unanswered or an opposition catches you off guard. The DoI does not proactively chase applicants; if you miss a deadline, your application can stall or lapse. Active tracking also lets you spot when the 90-day opposition clock begins, because that countdown starts from the Bulletin publication date, not from any letter you receive. The WIPO framework and the Paris Convention recognise this publication-based trigger, and so should you.

How do you check your application status online through the DoI?

The Department of Industry maintains an online portal at doind.gov.np where you can look up applications. The interface is fairly basic — it is not a real-time dashboard — but it works for status checks if you have your application number ready. Enter the number in the search field, and the system returns the current stage. A common frustration: the portal handles word marks better than logo or device marks, so if you filed a figurative mark, the search may not return the result you expect. In that case, use the applicant name field instead. For a faster preliminary check before going to the DoI portal, you can run a search through our trademark database search to see if your mark appears in the public index.

How does the Industrial Property Bulletin fit into tracking?

The Industrial Property Bulletin is the official government gazette where the DoI publishes trademark applications that have passed examination. Under Sec. 21A of the Act, publication triggers the public notice requirement, and the 90-day opposition window begins from that publication date. You can access the Bulletin through the DoI's website or by visiting the DoI office in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu. This is the single most important tracking milestone — if your mark appears in the Bulletin and 90 days pass with no opposition, you are essentially home. The Bulletin also publishes renewals and cancellations, so it remains useful even after registration.

What are the practical ways to track an application if the online portal is unclear?

Here are the methods, in order of reliability:

1. Check the DoI portal regularly — use your application number and the applicant name. Bookmark the result page and check every two to three weeks.
2. Monitor the Industrial Property Bulletin — new editions list recently approved marks. This confirms you have cleared examination.
3. Contact the DoI directly — phone or in-person visits to the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Section at Tripureshwor work, though expect some waiting. Bring your filing receipt.
4. Work through a local IP agent — this is mandatory for foreign applicants anyway, but domestic filers also benefit because agents receive official correspondence and know how to navigate DoI inquiries. Our team can help you with status follow-ups; reach out through our contact page.
5. Use our application-number lookup tool — our application number lookup pulls whatever is publicly available for your filing, which can be a useful cross-check against the DoI portal.

Who can track an application, and what information do you need?

Anyone with the application number or the applicant's full legal name can check a trademark's status — the DoI's records are public. However, only the applicant or their authorised representative can receive detailed examination reports, respond to objections, or collect the certificate. To track effectively, keep three pieces of information handy: your application number (assigned on the filing receipt), the exact applicant name as filed, and the NICE class you applied under. If you filed through IP Sewa, we keep these records and can check on your behalf whenever you need an update — just get in touch.

What is the typical timeline so you know when to start checking?

The full registration process in Nepal typically takes 12–14 months when unopposed. In the smoothest straightforward cases, it can finish in 6–8 months, but that is the favourable end, not the baseline. Here is a realistic stage-by-stage breakdown so you know when each tracking checkpoint should appear:

If you have passed the eight-month mark with no Bulletin publication and no objection letter from the examiner, it is worth following up. A common mistake we see is applicants assuming the process has stalled when it is simply moving through the DoI's queue — but a quick status check resolves the uncertainty. For a deeper look at the overall process and what each stage entails, read our guide on how long trademark registration takes in Nepal.

What documents do you need to reference when tracking?

Your filing receipt is the most important document — it contains your application number and filing date, both essential for any DoI lookup. Keep the notarised Power of Attorney and the four specimen copies of your mark you submitted, because the DoI may reference them in examination correspondence. If you claimed priority under the Paris Convention from a foreign filing, keep that certified priority document accessible too; the DoI sometimes requests it during examination. For foreign applicants, the notarised home registration certificate translation is another document that may come up. Our documents guide for trademark registration covers the full list so you can cross-check what you filed.

What are the common mistakes people make when tracking their application?

The most frequent error is checking too late. Applicants file and then forget about it for a year, only to discover an examiner's objection went unanswered because they never looked. Another mistake is searching the DoI portal with a slightly different applicant name than what appears on the filing — the system is literal, and a missing "Pvt. Ltd." or an extra space will return no result. Some filers also confuse the application number with the registration number; these are different, and only the application number works for pre-registration tracking. Finally, not keeping a copy of the filing receipt is surprisingly common — without it, you lose your application number and have to search by name alone, which is far less reliable. If you are unsure about any of these, our team can help you pull the correct details; just reach out.

How does tracking differ for domestic versus foreign applicants in Nepal?

Nepal is not a member of the Madrid System, so every foreign applicant must file directly through a locally registered agent or representative with a Power of Attorney. That agent becomes your de facto tracking channel — the DoI sends examination reports, publication notices, and the certificate to the agent, not to you directly. For domestic applicants, you can deal with the DoI yourself, but the same principle applies: someone needs to monitor the Bulletin and follow up. Whether you are a local business or an international brand, using our application number lookup tool gives you a quick independent check without waiting for agent updates.

A realistic example: tracking a Kathmandu restaurant's trademark application

Imagine a restaurant in Lazimpat called "Himalayan Plate" files a trademark for its name and logo under Class 43 in January. The DoI issues a filing receipt with an application number the same week. By March, the owners start checking the DoI portal every few weeks — nothing yet, which is normal. In July, the examination clears and the mark appears in the Industrial Property Bulletin. The 90-day opposition clock starts from that July publication date. No one objects. By the following January — roughly 12 months after filing — the DoI issues the registration certificate. The owners now have a registered mark, valid for seven years and renewable indefinitely. That tracking rhythm — patient early on, attentive around months six through ten, and watchful during the opposition window — is exactly what we recommend to every client.

What happens after you track your application to completion?

Once the certificate is issued, your trademark is registered for seven years from the registration date under Sec. 18D of the Act. The next tracking exercise is renewal: you must file for renewal within 35 days of the expiry date, with a six-month grace period available on payment of a late fee. If you do not renew, the registration is automatically cancelled. You should also keep monitoring the Industrial Property Bulletin for any conflicting applications that could infringe on your registered mark — the DoI examines for similarity, but it is not infallible. Our trademark renewal service can handle the renewal filing when the time comes, and our trademark search helps you watch for conflicting marks.

In short

Tracking your trademark application in Nepal is about knowing the five stages, keeping your application number safe, and checking the DoI portal and Industrial Property Bulletin at the right times. The process takes 12–14 months in most cases, and the 90-day opposition window is the critical period where your attention matters most. Stay proactive, keep your documents organised, and do not hesitate to ask for help if the DoI's systems leave you uncertain.

People also search for

• How to register a trademark in Nepal
• How long does trademark registration take in Nepal
• Trademark application process in Nepal
• Documents required for trademark registration in Nepal
• Why trademark applications get rejected in Nepal
• How much does trademark registration cost in Nepal
• How to choose the right trademark class in Nepal

If you need help checking where your application stands — or want to file a new one with someone who will track every stage for you — search the trademark database to see what is already registered, then contact our team to get started. We handle the follow-up so you don't have to.