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.
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.
- 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.
Documents
- In the Kurdistan Region the original power of attorney and the certificate of origin of the trademark must be legalised by the Iraqi Embassy, the competent authorities in Baghdad and then the relevant authorities in the Kurdistan Region. Otherwise it is not possible to file a trademark application.
- For trademark registration in the Kurdistan Region, in addition to the power of attorney (which must also be legalised by the Kurdistan authorities after the Baghdad legalisation procedures are completed), we require a certified true copy of the Certificate of Registration, legalised up to the Iraqi Embassy. It does not need to originate from the country of origin; it may be issued by any country other than Iraq.
- The same duly legalised power of attorney used for trademark registration in Baghdad may also be used for filing the corresponding trademark application in Kurdistan. There is no need to arrange a separate power of attorney or repeat the embassy legalisation process, provided that the existing power of attorney meets the applicable requirements.
- The Kurdistan Registrar no longer accepts a power of attorney that was legalised by the Iraqi Embassy more than three years earlier.
Examination and publication
- In Kurdistan the examination result remains valid for only 90 days from its issuance.
- In July 2026 we advised that, for a Kurdistan application, following publication we wait for the 90-day opposition period to expire before proceeding with the payment of the final registration fees and the issuance of the registration certificate.
Fees
- The Kurdistan Trademark Office continues to apply the old Iraqi sub-classification system, so the applicable fees may vary depending on the relevant sub-classes and the goods or services claimed.
Frequently asked questions
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.