Nepal: Urgent Action Required – Deadlines for Pending Trademark Applications

We wish to inform you of a public notice issued by the Department of Industry (DOI), Government of Nepal, dated 1 December 2025. This notice follows the earlier DOI notice of 19 August 2025 and its subsequent suspension on 24 September 2025, and clarifies the position in relation to pending and incomplete trademark applications as well as applications that have been accepted and published without opposition.

The notice was issued in response to a nationwide incident of arson and vandalism on 9 September 2025, during which physical files maintained by the Industrial Property Section of the DOI were destroyed. The notice now reestablishes the procedural requirements for applicants affected by the loss of files.

The notice sets out mandatory deadlines for: 

1. Pending Applications with Incomplete Documents

Applicants who filed trademark applications but did not submit all requisite documents are required to resubmit their applications with complete documentation within 90 days from the publication date of this notice, i.e., by 1 March 2026. If resubmission is not made within this period, all "old" applications filed more than seven years ago will be automatically cancelled after 1 March 2026.

2. Accepted Marks Awaiting Registration Certificate

For applicants whose trademark applications have already been published in the Industrial Property Bulletin prior to the publication of this notice and for which no opposition claims were filed, such applicants must submit an application along with the necessary documents to obtain the registration certificate within six months from the publication date of this notice, i.e., by 1 June 2026. Applications not submitted within this period will be cancelled.

Recommended Next Steps

• Review the status of all trademark applications in Nepal to determine whether they fall within the scope of this notice, particularly those with incomplete documentation and those that have been published and are awaiting issuance of registration certificates.

• Prepare and collate all outstanding or missing documents required to complete applications with incomplete documentation.

• For applications with incomplete documents, file the necessary resubmission within the 90-day deadline (by 1 March 2026) to avoid automatic cancellation.

• For accepted and published applications, ensure that all formalities and documentation required for issuance of the registration certificate are completed and submitted within the six-month deadline (by 1 June 2026) to avoid cancellation.

Given the potential for automatic cancellation of incomplete applications and rejection of applications for registration certificates, rights holders with trademark portfolios in Nepal should treat these deadlines as critical and commence verification and document collation without delay. 

We will continue to monitor developments and will keep you updated as further official guidance or implementing instructions are published by the DOI. Should you require any assistance regarding your trademark applications in Nepal or wish to discuss compliance strategies, please do not hesitate to contact us. Should you wish to discuss the implications for your trademark portfolio, please contact Ms. Sonal Madan at sonal.madan@iprattorneys.com.

Sonal Madan

Partner

sonal.madan@iprattorneys.com