Everything you need to know about trademarks & renewals in 2025

Trademarks are the foundation of a brand’s identity, representing its products or services in the marketplace. From logos to slogans, trademarks distinguish businesses and reassure consumers of quality and authenticity. However, protecting your trademarks isn’t a one-time effort—it requires regular maintenance through renewal to keep your rights secure. Trademark renewal ensures that your brand remains legally protected, preventing unauthorized use and preserving its value.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of trademarks, including country-specific rules and tips for efficient renewals. 

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What is a trademark?
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A trademark is any word, logo, symbol, or design that distinguishes a business's products or services from competitors. It is a valuable asset, legally protected under intellectual property laws, that prevents others from using a similar mark. Trademarks can take many forms, including brand names, taglines, packaging designs, or even unique sounds.

By registering a trademark, businesses gain exclusive rights to its use, enabling them to build recognition and trust in the marketplace. 

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Types and categories of trademarks
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Both the EUIPO and USPTO recognize a variety of trademarks, ranging from traditional forms to non-traditional marks. However, the two systems approach classification slightly differently.

The EUIPO separates trademarks into types and categories. Types describe the form of the trademark, while categories define its ownership or purpose, such as whether the trademark is an individual mark, a collective mark, or a certification mark. This distinction helps clarify both how a mark appears and who uses it.

The USPTO, on the other hand, focuses primarily on types of trademarks, without explicitly introducing a layer of categories to reflect ownership or purpose. Despite these differences, both systems cover similar types of trademarks, making their approaches complementary in practice.

 Here is an overview of these:

1. Categories

• Individual marks: These are the most common trademarks, identifying the goods or services of a single entity, whether an individual or a company. They serve to distinguish one business's offerings from another's.
• Collective marks: Associations own these marks, and their members use them to show that their products or services come from within the group. For example, a trade association can register a collective mark for its members to use.
• Certification marks: These certify that goods or services meet specific standards set by the certifying organization, such as quality or origin. Unlike individual marks, organizations own these marks and establish the criteria for their use.

2. Types

• Word marks
• Figurative (Design) marks
• Three-Dimensional (3D) marks
• Sound marks
• Motion marks
• Hologram marks 
• Position marks
• Pattern marks
• Color marks

While the EUIPO and the USPTO recognize similar types of trademarks, their classification systems can differ slightly based on regional legal frameworks. 

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Why trademark renewal is essential
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Trademark protection is not indefinite. Most countries require IP owners to renew their trademarks every 10 years to maintain legal validity. Renewals demonstrate that the mark is still in use and relevant to the business, which helps to prevent unused or abandoned trademarks from accumulating in the system. Without timely renewals, trademarks lapse, leaving your brand vulnerable to misuse or imitation. Here’s why renewal is critical:

1. Preserving legal exclusivity: Renewing your trademark keeps your brand protected in commerce.
2. Avoiding public domain: Failing to renew allows others to claim and use your trademark.
3. Cost-effective brand security: Renewing a trademark is far less expensive than rebranding.

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The trademark renewal process
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Although the renewal process varies slightly by jurisdiction, the general steps include:

1. Tracking renewal deadlines: Trademark owners must monitor expiration dates to ensure timely filing.
2. Preparing renewal documents: This may include proof of use, updated contact information, and payment of renewal fees.
3. Filing for the renewal: Submit the necessary forms to the relevant trademark office, such as the USPTO in the U.S. or EUIPO in Europe.
4. Paying renewal fees: Fees vary by country and may include additional charges for late filings during grace periods.

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Country-specific rules for trademark renewals
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Understanding country-specific rules is essential for global trademark management. While most jurisdictions follow the standard 10-year renewal period, others have unique requirements. For example, some more popular and extraordinary cases include:

• United States: Renew every 10 years, with proof of use required between the 5th and 6th years.
• European Union: EUIPO requires renewal every 10 years, covering all member states.
• China: Renew every 10 years, with a 6-month grace period for late renewals. 
• India: Renew every 10 years, and the country accepts late renewals up to 6 months post-expiry. 
• Philippines: IP owners have to fill out a proof of use and declaration within 3 years from the filing date of the application and within one year from the fifth anniversary of the registration, with renewals every 10 years. 
• Macau: In this jurisdiction, businesses must renew trademarks every 7 years, which differs from the standard 10-year renewal period.
• Argentina: Renew every 10 years, and the jurisdiction also requires proof of use during the 5th year, although it applies specifically to maintaining the trademark against cancellation actions, not as a standard renewal requirement.

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International trademark protection
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For businesses seeking trademark protection in multiple countries, the Madrid Protocol by the WIPO offers a streamlined process. Through a single application and payment, you can seek protection in 131 countries. 

While not a universal trademark, it offers centralized management, cost savings, and the ability to expand protection as needed. WIPO reviews the applications by each country’s trademark office using the Nice Classification system. 

For U.S. trademark owners, the process starts with the USPTO’s Madrid Protocol portal. Success depends on meeting local requirements, making it essential to plan strategically and stay informed about the specific rules in each market where you operate.

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Challenges in managing trademark renewals
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Managing trademark renewals is not without its challenges, particularly for businesses with trademarks in multiple jurisdictions. Common obstacles include:

• Tracking multiple deadlines: Different countries have varying renewal periods and grace periods.
• Proof of use requirements: Countries like the U.S. and the Philippines require regular proof of use to maintain a trademark’s validity.
• Cost variability: Renewal fees are different across jurisdictions, with also various kinds of penalties for late filings.

Such complexities highlight the importance of automated platforms like PatentRenewal.com, which simplify the process by managing deadlines, handling payments, and ensuring compliance across different jurisdictions.

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Tips for managing trademark renewals efficiently
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In 2025, staying proactive about trademark management ensures your brand remains not just protected but primed for success in a competitive global marketplace. To ensure your trademarks remain protected, consider these strategies:

1. Stay organized: Centralize your IP portfolio to track trademarks, patents, and all your IP in one place. PatentRenewal.com makes it easy to manage your whole IP portfolio, including renewal dates and jurisdiction-specific requirements, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
2. Monitor trademark use: Regularly check for unauthorized use or potential infringements to protect your brand.
3. Budget for renewals: Plan and budget for renewals by forecasting upcoming costs and identifying ways to consolidate them for greater efficiency. Using the PatentRenewal.com software helps you to project expenses which helps ensure better financial planning and cost optimization.
4. Cost saving: With PatentRenewal.com, IP owners can save up to 50% on IP renewal costs by optimizing trademark and patent renewal processes while ensuring both transparency and efficiency.

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Start optimizing your trademark renewals today! Simplify your IP management with PatentRenewal.com, streamline renewals, reduce costs, and keep your entire IP portfolio protected and organized. 

Let us handle the complexity, so you can focus on growing your business with confidence. Explore what PatentRenewal.com’s solution can do for your IP portfolio today.