Changes in Trademark Examination Periods and Application Materials Since 2018_正理知识产权_商标申请_专利_知识产权诉讼_保护知识产权_正理为您护航

After Spring Festival of 2018, the first notice published on the website of the Trademark Office was an interpretation regarding the application materials, work procedures, and examination periods for trademarks. This was not the first notice the Trademark Office published that relates to application material simplification and examination period shortening. We have summarized all the major changes in trademark application since 2018:

1. Shorten the period of issuing the trademark registration application acceptance notice

Case Type	Before Change	After Change
Application	The period of issuing the trademark registration application acceptance notice： For paper application, issue within 3-5 months after the day of submission; for online application, issue within 3 months after the day of submission; Examination period: 8 months	The period of issuing the trademark registration application acceptance notice：Application materials issued within 1 month after the day of submission Examination period: 6 months
Transfer	Examination period: 6 months	Examination period: 4 months
Alteration/Renewal	Examination period: 3 months	Examination period: 2 months (Starting from April 1st, alteration will be examined within 1 month for the first time; starting from June 1st, renewal will be examined within 1 month for the first time)
Delay period for trademark research	3 months	2 months

2. Cancel the issuing of the renewal and change application acceptance notice

Before Change	After Change
After submitting the application, review of the application will be proceeded. Refusal notice will be issued for application that fails to follow the regulation, and acceptance notice will be issued for application that follows the regulation	Review of the application will be merged with the examination process. The issuing of refusal and acceptance notice will be canceled.

3. Registration application for colored trademarks no longer requires black-and-white version of the trademark

Before Change	After Change
Registration application of trademark that is combination of colors or colored figures, both the colored symbol and the black-and-white draft should be submitted	Black-and-white draft is no longer required when submitting application

4. Simplification of various application materials
Take paper alteration application as example, alteration of n number of trademarks requires the submission of:

Before Change	After Change
1. Alteration application, n number of original copies 2. Entrustment letter, n number of original copies (required only if applying through an agency) 3. Alteration proof material, n number of copies 4. Copy of Business License, n number of copies	1. Alteration application, n number of original copies 2. Entrustment letter, one original copy required (required only if applying through an agency) 3. List of altered trademarks is required 4. Alteration proof material, one copy required 5. Copy of Business License, one copy required

This method also applies to trademark registration, renewal, transfer, cancelation and other applications.
5. Promote electronic method for issuance

Before Change	After Change
Trademark registration application notice shall be paper document	Trademark registration application notice shall be issued electronically. The party of interest may obtain printed copy from website

The information above is cited from the Trademark of Office of State Administration of Industry & Commerce website.