China Trademark FAQ for Foreign Brands

$297 includes the $40 CNIPA government filing fee, paid directly to the Chinese trademark office, plus the studio's professional advisory and filing coordination service -- flat-rate, all-in. No hidden costs, no surprise translation fees, no per-page charges, no notarization line items later. What appears on the invoice is what the client pays.

PayPal -- secure payment with a PayPal account or any credit / debit card. Logo Design Only ($197) can be paid directly. For Trademark Filing 1 Class ($297), Combo ($397), and Pro ($797), the studio sends a PayPal invoice after the consultation. No upfront charges.

Yes. Each package price includes the $40 CNIPA government filing fee per class. Trademark Filing 1 Class ($297) and Combo ($397) each cover 1 class. Pro ($797) covers 3 classes ($40 x 3 = $120 in gov fees included). Any additional class added later is $250 all-in, again gov fee included. CNIPA government fees are non-refundable once submitted, per CNIPA policy, regardless of registration outcome.

Yes. Each additional CNIPA filing is $250 per class, all-in (CNIPA government fee included -- no separate line items, no surprises). Tell the studio which Nice class is needed and a separate PayPal invoice will be sent. This applies on top of any base package.

Most straightforward cases close in 6-10 months. Industry average is 9-12 months including the 3-month opposition publication window. Complex cases (refusals, oppositions, examiner queries) can reach 12-14 months. CNIPA's statutory examination time limit is 9 months. The studio tracks each application at every stage and shares bi-weekly status updates.

The studio searches the CNIPA database and responds within 24 hours: (1) whether the name is available, (2) which Nice classes are relevant, (3) recommended next steps. No obligation.

The free brand check identifies this before any spend. If the mark is taken, the studio advises on alternatives: modified spelling, adding design elements, or filing in different Nice classes.

In the US, rights are gained by using the brand (first-to-use). In China, rights belong to whoever registers first at CNIPA (first-to-file). Someone who never used the brand can legally own it in China if they register before the actual user.

No. Trademark registration in China does not require a Chinese entity. Foreign individuals and companies can register without a local address. The studio, working with specialist partners, handles all filing requirements on the client's behalf.

Yes. China allows word marks (text only) and design marks (logo only). The more conservative route for serious brand protection is to file the logo, the Chinese wording, and the English wording as separate trademarks. Each is examined on its own merits, and once registered they can be combined freely in packaging, ads, and storefronts. That is why the Pro package ($797) covers 3 separate filings across 3 Nice classes.

No. Naming is not part of the studio's scope. Clients provide the logo (or brief for a custom logo) and the wording in Chinese and / or English. The studio focuses on custom logo design and CNIPA filing coordination -- both of which are more predictable engagements than brand naming, which is a separate creative discipline.

Under China Trademark Law Article 28, CNIPA's substantive examination is sovereign. No filing service can guarantee approval. If CNIPA rejects the filing -- for any reason, including substantive grounds, filing technicalities, opposition, or examiner queries -- no refund and no free re-submission is provided. This applies uniformly across all packages. What the studio will do: deliver a detailed rejection analysis per affected filing and walk through the options -- refiling in a different Nice class, commissioning a fresh logo design, or escalating to a licensed attorney in the client's jurisdiction. Each option is a separate scope, quoted case by case via PayPal Invoice. The studio would rather charge a fair, transparent price ($297 / $397 / $797) than build a refund cushion into an inflated price. Full details on the Refund Policy page.

Yes. Money-back guarantee: full refund on the service fee if the filing is not submitted within 10 working days, counted from the date all four items are received -- payment, briefing, POA (Power of Attorney), and logo files. This applies to Trademark Filing 1 Class ($297), Combo ($397), and Pro ($797). Logo Design Only ($197) is a design package with no filing clock. Force majeure (major CNIPA system outages, concentrated national holidays) may extend the clock.

Law firms charge $2,000-$5,000+ and often assign junior staff to the filing work. The studio delivers filing coordination at a fraction of the cost through specialist partners, with direct personal attention from the founder. For complex legal disputes, the studio refers clients to experienced IP attorneys.