Alimaa IP Law · Insights · Visual Guide
The Trademark Registration Process in Mongolia
From application to certificate — key steps, deadlines, and typical timelines
Introduction
Registering a trademark in Mongolia involves a structured sequence of steps before the Intellectual Property Office of Mongolia (IPOM). The process is governed by the Law of Mongolia on Trademarks and Geographical Indications (Trademark Law) and applies equally to direct national applications and to Mongolian designations of international applications filed through the Madrid System.
The flowchart below sets out the full registration process — from the filing of the application through to the issuance of the registration certificate — with each step referenced to the relevant provision of the Trademark Law. It also shows what happens where a preliminary refusal is issued, and what the typical timelines are depending on whether the application proceeds smoothly or encounters an objection or opposition.
Registration Process — Application to Certificate
Application filed with IPOM
National application or Madrid designation
Power of attorney
Licensed IP agent — within 2 months of filing (Art. 7.6)
Examination
Substantive examination — typically within 9 months of filing, extendable by up to 6 months (Art. 8.2)
If preliminary refusal (absolute or relative grounds)
Response to refusal
3 months from notification (extendable up to 3 months with service fee) — Art. 8.5
Final decision on refusal
IPOM decision within 3 months of response (Art. 8.6)
If no refusal, examination proceeds without this step.
Opposition period
National: 3 months from filing date (Art. 8.10) · Madrid designation: 5 months from international publication (Art. 11.9)
Registration & certificate
Exclusive rights upon registration (Art. 12.1)
Illustrative overview. Where opposition or invalidity proceedings arise, timelines depend on the matter.
Note on Timelines
The timelines shown reflect current IPOM practice, not a guaranteed statutory period. The Trademark Law provides that substantive examination must be completed within nine months of the filing date, extendable by a further six months (Art. 8.2). Where a preliminary refusal is issued, the applicant has three months to respond, extendable by up to three months with a service fee (Art. 8.5). The IPOM must then issue a final decision within three months of receiving the response (Art. 8.6).
Where an opposition is filed or invalidity proceedings are pursued, timelines are longer and depend on the complexity of the matter.
Key Points for Foreign Counsel and Brand Owners
Mongolia is a first-to-file jurisdiction. Rights arise upon registration — not through use. A brand that has been in commercial use internationally for years has no automatic protection in Mongolia until a trademark application has been filed and registered with the IPOM.
The opposition period runs for three months from the filing date — not from the date of publication in the Official Gazette (Art. 8.10, Trademark Law). For Mongolian designations of international (Madrid) applications, the opposition period is five months from the date of international publication (Art. 11.9, Trademark Law).
A power of attorney authorising a local licensed IP agent must be submitted within two months of the filing date. No notarisation or legalisation is required — a signed copy is sufficient (Art. 7.6, Trademark Law).
Where a preliminary refusal is issued on relative grounds, it may be worth investigating whether the cited earlier mark is vulnerable to a non-use cancellation action. Under Article 33.1.3 of the Trademark Law, a mark not used for five years without good reason may be cancelled at the request of a third party. Pursuing cancellation proceedings in parallel with a refusal response can significantly improve the prospects of securing registration.