Insights · Trademarks
Registering a Trademark in Switzerland
Switzerland is one of Europe's most important markets — and one of the most commonly overlooked in trademark strategy. Because Switzerland is not a member of the EU, an EU trade mark (EUTM) gives you no protection here whatsoever. To secure your brand on Swiss territory you must file a separate national application with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI), known in German as the Eidgenoessisches Institut fuer Geistiges Eigentum (IGE). The upside: a single Swiss registration also extends protection to Liechtenstein, and the process is fast, predictable and inexpensive compared with most jurisdictions.
What this registration gives you
A Swiss national trademark covers the entire territory of Switzerland and, thanks to the long-standing Switzerland–Liechtenstein trademark treaty, automatically extends to Liechtenstein — no separate Liechtenstein filing is required. It does not cover any EU member state. If your commercial footprint spans both the EU and Switzerland, you need both an EUTM (or relevant national EU rights) and a Swiss filing. Switzerland can also serve as the basic mark / office of origin for a later international (Madrid System / WIPO) registration, making it a useful anchor for wider international expansion.
What it costs in 2026
| Basic filing fee (up to 3 Nice classes) | CHF 450 |
| Online filing via e-trademark (up to 3 classes) | CHF 350 (CHF 100 e-discount) |
| Additional class (as of the 4th class) | CHF 100 per class |
| Accelerated examination (optional) | CHF 400 |
| Opposition fee | CHF 800 |
| Renewal (per 10-year period) | CHF 550 (+ CHF 50 late surcharge in grace period) |
The CHF 450 basic filing fee has been in force since 1 July 2024 and already includes the first three Nice classes — the CHF 100 class surcharge only applies as of the 4th class. Filing online through the IPI's e-trademark portal grants a CHF 100 e-discount, so an online application for up to three classes effectively costs CHF 350. (If you still see the old CHF 550 basic fee quoted elsewhere, it is outdated — the current official rate is CHF 450.)
Switzerland is remarkably cost-efficient for what you get: CHF 350 online for up to three classes, no per-class charge until the fourth class, and protection that also blankets Liechtenstein. For brand owners who need to move quickly, accelerated examination is available for CHF 400 — easiest to obtain when your goods and services already appear in the IPI's classification database. Optional later costs include a CHF 100 further-processing fee (to remedy a missed deadline), a CHF 800 non-use cancellation procedure, and a CHF 550 renewal every ten years.
Done for you
Prefer to have it handled?
From the clearance search to filing and opposition defence, Rabbit Marketing can manage your trademark end to end — in the EU and, through the Madrid System, worldwide. Tell us your brand and the goods or services it covers, and we will send you a tailored proposal.
Request a quote → Book a consultation →What the IPI examines — and what it does not
The IPI runs an absolute-grounds-only examination. That distinction is critical to your filing strategy:- Examined: formal requirements, the list of goods and services, and absolute grounds for refusal (e.g. descriptiveness, lack of distinctiveness, deceptive or unlawful signs).
- NOT examined: relative grounds — conflicts with earlier identical or similar marks. The IPI will not refuse your mark simply because someone else already holds a similar one.
- Your responsibility: owners of earlier rights must police the register themselves through opposition, and applicants are expressly advised to run a prior-rights search before filing to make sure the mark doesn't infringe earlier trade marks.
The process, step by step
- Run a prior-rights clearance search (the IPI does not check relative grounds — earlier identical or similar marks won't be flagged for you).
- Define your sign and draw up a precise list of goods and services using the Nice Classification; reusing terms already in the IPI classification database speeds up examination.
- File online through the IPI's e-trademark portal (e-trademark.ige.ch) to secure the CHF 100 e-discount — effectively CHF 350 for up to three classes.
- Pay the filing fee (CHF 450, or CHF 350 online; CHF 100 per class only from the 4th class). Optionally add accelerated examination for CHF 400.
- The IPI examines formalities, the goods/services list and absolute grounds — and issues office actions if anything needs fixing.
- On acceptance, the mark is registered and published on Swissreg, which starts the 3-month opposition window.
- If no opposition is filed (or any opposition is overcome), protection is secured for 10 years and the registration extends automatically to Liechtenstein.
The mistake that costs Swiss protection
Assuming your EU trade mark already covers Switzerland
The most expensive misconception in this market is treating Switzerland as if it were part of the EU. It is not. An EUTM stops at the Swiss border — it confers zero rights in Switzerland. Companies routinely discover this only when a Swiss competitor adopts a confusingly similar sign, or when a local distributor registers their brand first. The fix is simple but must be deliberate: file a separate Swiss national application with the IPI. A second trap flows from the absolute-grounds-only exam — because the office never screens for earlier marks, brand owners who skip a clearance search can sail through registration only to be hit with a 3-month opposition (fee CHF 800) or a later infringement claim. Search first, then file.
Term, renewal and keeping the mark alive
A Swiss trademark lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely for successive 10-year periods at CHF 550 each. Under Art. 10(1) of the Swiss Trade Mark Act (MSchG) the term runs from the filing date (Hinterlegungsdatum) — note that the IPI's renewal web page phrases this loosely as "10 years from registration date," but the statute ties validity to the filing date, so diarise from when you filed. Miss the deadline and you still have a 6-month grace period, subject to a CHF 50 late surcharge. Keep the mark in genuine use: Switzerland allows a non-use cancellation procedure (fee CHF 800), so a registered-but-unused mark can be challenged and struck.
For your brand
Built on first-hand experience
Rabbit Marketing does not only advise on trademarks — we hold our own registered EU trademarks and have direct, hands-on experience of EUIPO opposition proceedings, including matters involving major multinational companies. That means we read these filings the way an owner does, not just an observer. We help you clear, file and protect a brand across the offices that matter to you.
Talk to us about your brand →FAQ
Questions, answered
Does my EU trademark protect my brand in Switzerland?
No. Switzerland is not in the EU, and an EU trade mark (EUTM) provides no protection on Swiss territory. You must file a separate national application with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI/IGE).
Do I need a separate filing for Liechtenstein?
No. Thanks to the long-standing Switzerland–Liechtenstein trademark treaty, a Swiss national registration automatically extends protection to Liechtenstein. One filing covers both.
How much does a Swiss trademark cost?
The basic filing fee is CHF 450 for up to three Nice classes (in force since 1 July 2024). Filing online via the e-trademark portal gives a CHF 100 e-discount, so it effectively costs CHF 350. A CHF 100 surcharge applies only from the fourth class onward.
Does the IPI check whether my mark conflicts with existing trademarks?
No. The IPI examines only formal requirements, the goods/services list and absolute grounds. It does not examine relative grounds (earlier similar marks), so you should run your own clearance search before filing, and owners of earlier rights must enforce through opposition.
How long is the opposition period?
Three months, beginning once the registration is published on Swissreg. The opposition fee is CHF 800.
Can I get my Swiss application examined faster?
Yes. Accelerated examination is available for CHF 400, and it is easiest to obtain when your goods and services already appear in the IPI's classification database.
How long does Swiss trademark protection last?
Ten years, renewable indefinitely for further 10-year periods at CHF 550 each. The statutory term (Art. 10(1) MSchG) runs from the filing date, and a 6-month grace period with a CHF 50 surcharge applies after expiry.
Sources
Where this comes from
- IPI — Trade marks: costs and fees (national applications)
- IPI — From application to registration (absolute-grounds-only exam, 3-month opposition, accelerated exam)
- IPI — Renewing protection (10-year term, indefinitely renewable, CHF 550 renewal, grace surcharge)
- IPI — e-trademark online filing portal
Research date: June 2026. Official fees and procedures change periodically — confirm current figures on the relevant office’s website before you file. This is general information, not legal advice. Company and brand names are used for editorial reference only and imply no affiliation with Rabbit-Marketing OÜ.
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