New Indonesia Trademark Regulations: Examination Accelerated to 6 Months
Indonesia’s latest trademark examination regulations (Regulation No. 5 of 2026) came into force on 23 February 2026. Provided there are no procedural issues, the overall examination period can be reduced to as short as 6 months. This measure significantly shortens the lengthy examination period of approximately 18 to 36 months associated with the traditional route. The key to expediting the examination process lies in ensuring that application documents are complete and free from defects, and in making maximum use of the electronic filing system (DJKI) to accelerate the initial formal examination (which is typically completed within 1–2 months).
Key factors for expedited trademark examination and registration in Indonesia:
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Completeness of application documents: Prior to submission, check the applicant’s details, trademark specimens, classes, and goods and services to ensure no amendments are required, thereby facilitating swift passage through the formal examination.
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Utilize electronic filing: Submitting applications online via the official website of the Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) is generally more efficient than paper applications.
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Prompt Response to Office Actions: If notified of grounds for rejection during substantive examination (Office Action), submit a response within the prescribed 30-day period; this is key to overcoming examination delays.
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Optimizing Patent Applications (where applicable): For specific trademark types involving patented technology, the process can be expedited by requesting ‘early publication’.
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Key changes to the accelerated examination process
Indonesian law now requires a ‘strict entry, fast examination’ approach; if the application process proceeds smoothly and no objections are raised, the overall process can be significantly shortened:
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Substantive examinations significantly shortened: For trademark applications without objections, the substantive examination period has been reduced from 150 days to 30 days.
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In cases of opposition: If a third-party lodges an opposition, the examination period is now a maximum of 90 days (previously also 150 days).
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Fastest route to registration: In the best-case scenario, the trademark registration process may be completed approximately three months after submission.
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Requirements for Expedited Processing
To benefit from the ‘fast-track’ process described above, applicants must ensure that the initial stages of the application are in order:
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Stricter identity verification: Foreign applicants must submit a copy of their passport; corporate applicants must submit corporate documentation (scanned copies of the directors’ passports, the articles of association or the deed of establishment (Note: the aforementioned corporate documents must be translated into Indonesian) and a copy of the representative’s passport.
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Completeness of documentation: Should the initial documentation be incomplete or contain inconsistencies (requiring supplementation) the time-saving benefits will be offset by procedural administrative back-and-forth.
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Publication period: The trademark application will be published approximately 15 days after filing, with a two-month opposition period; this fixed timeframe cannot be shortened.
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Recommendations:
Given that the processing of trademark applications in Indonesia has been significantly expedited, we recommend engaging a professional intellectual property agency to conduct a thorough trademark search. This will help minimize the risk of refusal and thereby speed up the registration process.
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