The procedure generally involves trademark examination, filing of the application following approval of the examination, publication in the Official Gazette, expiry of the opposition period, payment of the final registration fees, and issuance of the registration certificate.
In short
- Two registries
- Protection in Federal Iraq (Baghdad) and in the Kurdistan Region requires separate procedures. A Baghdad registration protects all of Iraq except the Kurdistan Region, and a Kurdistan registration protects only the Kurdistan Region.
- Who can apply
- A foreign applicant should act through a local representative in Iraq.
- Protection
- A registration is valid for ten years and is renewable for successive ten-year periods.
- Classification
- Baghdad applies the Nice Classification, 11th edition, which the Registrar adopted on 19 January 2025 in place of the former Iraqi classification of 42 classes with sub-classes. Kurdistan still uses the old Iraqi classification of 42 classes divided into sub-classes.
- Timing
- In October 2026 we advised that, because of the considerable backlog at the Iraqi Trademark Office and the current restrictions on the electronic filing system, it is difficult to provide a reliable estimated registration timeline.
- Registered when
- A trademark is considered duly registered and legally protected once the final registration fee has been paid, regardless of the subsequent administrative issuance of the registration certificate.
1. Power of attorney and documents
- A power of attorney is required to file a trademark application in Iraq. It must be notarised and legalised up to the Iraqi Embassy or Consulate in the applicant’s country.
- To proceed we generally require: a clear representation of the trademark; the applicant’s full name, address, nationality and legal status; a detailed list of the goods and services; the relevant classes; and a duly legalised power of attorney.
Read the full guide: Power of Attorney for Trademark Registration in Iraq · Documents Required to Register a Trademark in Iraq
2. The search (preliminary examination)
- The Iraqi Trademark Office has discontinued the separate trademark availability search service. Currently, the only available procedure is filing a preliminary examination application.
- In Iraq, separate preliminary search applications must be filed for each class in which trademark protection is sought.
Read the full guide: Trademark Search in Iraq: The Preliminary Examination Explained
3. Classes and goods
- The electronic system accepts only goods whose descriptions exactly match the approved classification list.
- A single trademark application may cover multiple classes; it is permissible to file one application including more than one class.
Read the full guide: Trademark Classes and Goods in Iraq: Nice 11th Edition
4. Filing the application
- After acceptance at preliminary examination, the application is filed electronically and the official filing fees are paid by bank card.
- A filed trademark application cannot be amended, even by the Trademarks Office’s own employees, to prevent any manipulation of applications. New goods require a new filing application.
Read the full guide: How to File a Trademark Application in Iraq
5. Publication and the opposition period
- A publication report is then prepared and we are notified by SMS to pay the publication fees. The trademark is subsequently published in the Official Gazette on the website of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals.
- A published mark is open to opposition for 90 days from the date of publication.
Read the full guide: Trademark Publication and the Opposition Period in Iraq · Trademark Opposition in Iraq: Procedure and Evidence
6. Final registration and certificate
- The Registrar is currently experiencing delays in issuing registration certificates (September 2026). Issuing the certificate is an administrative process that depends entirely on the Registrar.
Read the full guide: After Trademark Registration in Iraq: Certificate, Use and Enforcement
How long it takes
- In October 2026 we advised that, because of the considerable backlog at the Iraqi Trademark Office and the current restrictions on the electronic filing system, it is difficult to provide a reliable estimated registration timeline.
Read the full guide: How Long Does Trademark Registration Take in Iraq?
What it costs
- We are unable to provide a fixed total cost for registering a trademark in both Baghdad and Kurdistan, as the total cost depends on the number of goods to be covered by the trademark in Baghdad and the number of subclasses to be covered in Kurdistan.
- The applicable official fees are payable in stages, namely filing, publication, and final registration.
Read the full guide: Trademark Registration Cost in Iraq: How Official Fees Work
The Kurdistan Region
- Trademark applications in the Kurdistan Region are filed separately with the Kurdistan Trademark Office in Erbil. Protection obtained in Baghdad does not automatically extend to the Kurdistan Region, and vice versa.
Read the full guide: Trademark Registration in the Kurdistan Region (Erbil)
Renewal
- A renewal may be filed during the year preceding the expiry date. A six-month grace period is also available after expiry, subject to the late-renewal surcharge.
Read the full guide: Trademark Renewal in Iraq: Deadlines and Requirements
Frequently asked questions
Can I check whether my mark is available before filing?
The Iraqi Trademark Office has discontinued the separate trademark availability search service. Currently, the only available procedure is filing a preliminary examination application.
Do I need a local representative in Iraq?
A foreign applicant should act through a local representative in Iraq.
Does a Baghdad registration cover the Kurdistan Region?
Protection in Federal Iraq (Baghdad) and in the Kurdistan Region requires separate procedures. A Baghdad registration protects all of Iraq except the Kurdistan Region, and a Kurdistan registration protects only the Kurdistan Region.
Notes from our files on these steps
- Is there a separate availability inquiry at the Iraqi Trademark Office? A foreign agent asked us in September 2026.
- The Baghdad e-filing system will reject a goods item if the wording differs from the official list, even when the official wording itself contains spelling mistakes.
- Change the Arabic spelling of your mark early. In Baghdad, the window closes once the search stage is over.
- One sentence in your first instruction decides whether an Iraqi trademark application is split by class.
- Trademark filed on 13 January? Its renewal deadline falls on 12 January, not 13 January.
More guides
- Trademark Search in Iraq: The Preliminary Examination Explained
- Power of Attorney for Trademark Registration in Iraq
- Documents Required to Register a Trademark in Iraq
- Trademark Classes and Goods in Iraq: Nice 11th Edition
- How to File a Trademark Application in Iraq
- Trademark Publication and the Opposition Period in Iraq
- Trademark Opposition in Iraq: Procedure and Evidence
- How Long Does Trademark Registration Take in Iraq?
- Trademark Registration Cost in Iraq: How Official Fees Work
- Trademark Registration in the Kurdistan Region (Erbil)
- Trademark Renewal in Iraq: Deadlines and Requirements
- After Trademark Registration in Iraq: Certificate, Use and Enforcement