What is Trademark Renewal?
Registered trademarks have a 10-year validity and can be renewed indefinitely. The Registrar has set a wide window for you to do so, beginning from 6 months before the date of expiry. Even if you've forgotten, as even large organisations tend to do, you will be sent a notice to the registered address regarding the expiry before the 6 months is up. If you still do not file for renewal, the Registrar may advertise its intention to remove the trademark in the Trade Marks Journal. This is, however, likely to happen only 12 months after the expiry date. Between 6 and 12 months after expiry, trademark registration can be renewed on payment of a fine through a process called restoration.
Advantages of Trademark Renewal
Legal Protection
If you believe your registered trademark is being infringed, it is easy to establish your right to it in court. If you haven't registered the word, slogan or logo, you would not be able to do so. Particularly in sectors in which piracy is rampant, trademark registration is essential.
Business Opportunity
trademark is an intangible asset that can be enormously valuable, should your brand succeed. Think of Tide, Nike or McDonald's. Businesses can earn huge money in royalties through licensing agreements or even transfer ownership to interested parties through assignment agreements.
Unique Identity
You would want your customers to identify your products or services with yours only. Registering your trademark is the first step toward ensuring this. The court would then stop any similar words or slogans from being registered.
