A separate register from the mainland
Trademark & Brand Registration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong has its own trademark register. A mainland China registration does not protect you here, and vice versa.
GCC business setup specialists
Two systems, one border
The most expensive assumption in this area is that a mainland Chinese registration covers Hong Kong. It does not. Hong Kong maintains a separate register under its own law, and brands trading across the border generally need both.
- Search before filing, not optimism
- Hong Kong and mainland positions explained
- Classes chosen for what you actually sell
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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What is protected
Company name against trademark
Different registers, different purposes.
| Company name | Trademark | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Lets you incorporate under that name | Gives rights in the brand for registered classes |
| Granted by | Companies Registry | Intellectual Property Department |
| Scope | The companies index | The classes of goods or services registered |
| Stops others? | No | That is its purpose, within those classes |
| Covers mainland China? | No | No — a separate filing is required there |
| Lasts | While the company exists | A fixed term, renewable |
Classification, examination and opposition procedures are set by the Intellectual Property Department and change. Mainland China is a separate jurisdiction requiring its own filing.
How it works
From search to registered mark
The search is the cheapest step and most often skipped.
01
Search and classes
The Hong Kong register searched for conflicts and classes identified for what you sell, with an honest view of prospects.
02
File
Application filed in the agreed classes, in the form you actually use the mark.
03
Examination to registration
Examination, publication and any opposition period followed through to certificate.
To file
What an application needs
Filing in the wrong classes is expensive to correct.
- The mark exactly as you use it
- Logo artwork in the required format
- Chinese version of the mark, where used
- List of goods and services sold
- Goods or services planned within the year
- Applicant details
- Address for service
- Priority documents, if claiming an earlier filing
- Evidence of existing use
- Registrations held elsewhere, including mainland China
- Any objection already raised
- Markets where the brand trades
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Hong Kong register search
- Class identification
- Honest assessment of prospects
- Preparation and filing
- Responses to examination queries
- Monitoring through publication
- Guidance on the opposition period
- Advice on whether a mainland filing is also needed
Not included, quoted separately
- Registry fees, paid at cost
- Fees per additional class
- Mainland China filings, quoted separately
- Logo and brand design
- Searches in other countries
- Opposition proceedings, quoted separately
- Enforcement against infringers
- Renewal at the end of the term
Verify independently
Official Hong Kong authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Companies RegistryInland Revenue DepartmentImmigration DepartmentMandatory Provident Fund Schemes AuthorityIntellectual Property DepartmentCustoms and Excise Department
Questions
Hong Kong trademark registration — FAQs
Does a mainland China trademark cover Hong Kong?
No. Hong Kong has its own register under its own law. Brands trading across the border generally need both, and assuming otherwise is a common and costly error.
Does my company name protect my brand?
No. Incorporation lets you use the name as a company name. Trademark registration is what stops others using the brand.
Should I file in Chinese as well?
If the brand is used or likely to be used in Chinese, usually yes. We advise on your specific use.
How long does it take?
Examination, publication and the opposition window take months rather than weeks. Filing early matters more than filing fast.
What if someone registered my mark already?
The search tells us before you spend on filing, and we set out what is realistic rather than filing hopefully.
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For founders and business decision-makers considering paid business services. Not for job applications, employment searches or personal visa-only requests.
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At Black Swan Business Setup Services, our mission is simple: to empower entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to establish and expand their presence in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.
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