Indonesia Trademark Guide: Filing Procedure and Shorter Examination Periods in 2026

Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia's largest consumer markets and an important destination for Korean businesses.

Before introducing products and services to the Indonesian market, it is necessary to review not only the sales strategy and distribution network, but also how to protect the brand.

In this article, we will summarize what you need to know practically in the Indonesian trademark registration process, from the basic principles of the Indonesian trademark system to application procedures, treaty priority, examination period, renewal, cancellation for non-use, and Madrid international trademark application.

The first thing to look at in Indonesia's trademark system is the registration principle and first-to-file principle.

Indonesia's Trademarks and Geographical Indications Act adopts the structure that trademark rights arise for registered trademarks.

As in Korea, first use alone does not automatically establish registered trademark rights in Indonesia. Businesses should plan both filing and registration when seeking protection.

Additionally, Indonesia basically adopts the first-to-file system, which is advantageous to those who file first to secure trademark rights.

Therefore, if someone else applies for and registers the same or similar trademark first, problems may arise in the process of using the brand in Indonesia by the latecomer.

Under current law, trademarks that are identical or similar to previously filed or previously registered trademarks may be subject to rejection depending on whether the products or services are identical or similar, and for famous trademarks, problems may also arise in relation to dissimilar products or services.

Therefore, if you are preparing to enter the Indonesian market, it is important to have a strategy of first reviewing whether to secure a trademark along with your business expansion plan rather than starting sales locally and then applying for a trademark.

According to Article 6 of the Indonesian Trademark Act, two or more types of goods or services can be designated with one trademark application.

Therefore, for example, if you want to use one brand in Class 30 Food, Class 35 Retail and Online Sales, or Class 43 Food and Beverage Services, it is possible to designate multiple classes in one application.

However, when multiple classes are designated, procedures and examination are conducted for each class, so it is important to select an appropriate class by considering the scope of products and services to be used in actual business.

In particular, if you plan to expand your business area in Indonesia, you need to design the scope of trademark protection by considering not only the products you are currently selling but also the products and services you plan to launch or provide in the future.

Compared to Korea, the Indonesian trademark registration process is characterized by the fact that publication takes place before substantive examination.

The overall flow is as follows.

The applicant files the application by stating the trademark indication, applicant's information, type and class of product or service, etc. Under Indonesian trademark law, one application can include multiple classes, and the type of product or service must be specifically stated for each class.

This is the step to check whether the application and attached documents meet the formal requirements required by law. In accordance with the revised administrative procedures in 2026, the Indonesian Intellectual Property Directorate (DJKI) has a 15-day service period for formalities examination. If there are formal supplementary matters, a separate supplementary procedure may be carried out.

Applications that meet the formal requirements are published in the Trademark Gazette. The notice period is two months, and during this period, third parties may raise objections to the trademark application.

This part is different from the general trademark examination flow in Korea. In Korea, an application is usually announced after examination, whereas in Indonesia, an application that meets the formal requirements is announced first, and then a substantive examination is conducted.

Once the announcement process is completed, a substantive examination is conducted to determine the possibility of registering the trademark.

In this process, we comprehensively review the distinctiveness of the trademark, reasons for non-registration as stipulated by law, and relationships with prior trademarks. In particular, Indonesia's trademark law prohibits the registration of marks without distinctiveness or marks that simply represent goods or services, and relationships with other people's previously registered or previously applied trademarks or famous trademarks are also important grounds for rejection.

If the substantive examination passes and there are no special reasons for rejection, the trademark is registered and a registration certificate is issued.

Permenkum No. 5 Tahun 2026, effective February 23, 2026, shortened trademark administrative procedures and examination periods.

According to the Indonesian Intellectual Property Directorate (DJKI), the current procedure is 15 days for formalities examination and 2 months for publication followed by substantive examination. Substantive review is usually 30 days, and if a rejection occurs, a schedule of up to 90 days may be applied. In addition, Indonesia's Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) is informing that as of February 2026, the entire trademark registration process has been shortened to about 6 months on average.

However, this does not mean that all cases will be registered within exactly six months.

The actual time required may vary if procedures such as formal supplementation, objection, notification of reasons for rejection during the substantive examination process, submission of opinion, and reexamination occur.

Therefore, in practice, it is safe to refer to 'average of about 6 months', but understand that it may be longer depending on the circumstances of each individual case.

The protection period for a registered trademark in Indonesia is 10 years from the filing date.

It can be renewed for the same period thereafter. Renewal applications can be made within 6 months before the expiration of the protection period, and renewal applications can be made for up to 6 months after expiration with additional costs and fines.

There is something to be careful about here. The general process of renewing a registered trademark may require a declaration that the trademark is actually being used and that related goods or services are still being produced and traded.

Therefore, after registering a trademark, it is important not only to hold the registration certificate, but also to manage the renewal period and continuously check whether the trademark is actually used.

Another aspect to pay attention to in Indonesia's trademark system is the cancellation of registered trademarks due to non-use.

Following Constitutional Court Decision No. 144/PUU-XXI/2023, Article 74(1) is read as requiring five consecutive years of non-use, rather than three. An interested third party may seek cancellation in the Commercial Court on that basis.

However, if there are reasons stipulated by law, such as an import ban or a temporary distribution permit restriction by the relevant administrative agency, the reason for cancellation due to non-use may not be applied.

Therefore, registering a trademark in Indonesia does not mean that the rights will remain permanently without any management.

If a trademark is used in actual business, appropriately managing materials that can confirm trademark use is also an important part of long-term trademark rights management.

Indonesia is a market that provides significant business opportunities for Korean companies, but the process of protecting a brand must take into account institutional characteristics that are different from those of Korea.

In particular, companies preparing trademark applications in Indonesia should understand the registration-based, first-to-file system, multi-class applications, the two-month publication and opposition period, substantive examination after publication, the shortened examination period introduced in 2026, and potential cancellation for five consecutive years of non-use.

The most important thing is not to simply apply for a trademark, but to thoroughly research prior trademarks before filing and set the scope of products and services that fit your business plan.

In addition, when expanding a brand already in use in Korea to Indonesia, it is safe to review in advance the possibility of securing rights in Indonesia separately from the Korean trademark rights, and, if necessary, whether to use treaty priority rights or the Madrid International Trademark Application.

If you need to review whether an Indonesian trademark application, prior trademark search, rejection response, individual country application, or international trademark application in Madrid is appropriate, please consult with an expert to develop a strategy to secure trademark rights that fits your business plan.