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China Trademark Search

Find out whether your mark is available in China before you spend money on filing — checked against the CNIPA register and answered in writing.

Quote on request

Check My Trademark

Free

Preliminary availability check

CNIPA

The register we search against

Written

Result and opinion delivered in writing

Honest

We advise against filing when odds are poor

What a China trademark search actually tells you

China is a first-to-file jurisdiction: the registration generally goes to whoever files first with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), not to whoever used the mark first elsewhere. That makes the search the single cheapest step in the whole process — it is how you find out that a supplier, a distributor or a squatter already holds a conflicting filing before you build plans on the mark.

The register itself is public, and anyone can look up exact matches. The hard part is everything around that: which classes your goods and services actually fall under, how close is “confusingly similar” for a Chinese examiner, and what an earlier filing in a neighbouring class means for your plans. That assessment is what you are paying for when you commission a search — and it is why the result comes back as a written opinion, not a database screenshot.

This page is about the search service. If you already know your classes and want to see the fee schedule and pick your goods or services, the trademark search & quote tool walks through the Nice classification and prices your filing in a few clicks.

What you get

Identical and similar marks flagged We search the CNIPA register for earlier filings that could block your application in the classes that matter — not just exact matches.

Your goods mapped to classes Tell us what you sell in plain language; we map it to the right Nice classes and check those classes, including the near ones.

A written opinion, not a data dump You get the findings in writing with our assessment: file as planned, adjust the wording, or think again.

An honest recommendation Where we see a real obstacle we say so plainly — including advising you not to file. No agency can guarantee registration; the decision rests with the CNIPA.

A quote to go with it If the way is clear, the same reply carries the filing fee and what it covers, so you can decide with the full picture. Nothing is payable before you approve.

English-language handling Send the mark and a sentence about your product; everything after that happens in English.

The preliminary availability check is free and carries no obligation. If you go on to file, the availability check runs again as part of the application service at no extra cost.

How the search runs

You send the mark and what you sell

The wording or the logo, plus a plain-language description of your goods or services. If you already know your classes, tell us; if not, we map them.

We search the register

We check the CNIPA register for identical and confusingly similar earlier filings in the relevant and neighbouring classes.

You get the written result

What we found, what it means for your application, and our recommendation — including the honest “don’t file” when that is the right advice.

You decide with the full picture

Clear to proceed: the reply includes the filing quote. Conflicts: we set out the options, from rewording the goods to choosing a different route.

Search fees

Two levels of depth, so you only pay for what your situation needs.

Item	Fee	What it covers
Preliminary availability check	Free	Send the mark, your goods or services and an email — we screen for obvious conflicts and reply in writing. No payment, no obligation.
Full search & analysis	Quote on request	A deeper search across similar marks and neighbouring classes with a full written opinion. Priced by scope: number of classes, word marks versus devices, single or portfolio.

The preliminary check is genuinely free — it is the same search we run before quoting any filing, and it costs you an email.

The register changes daily: a search result reflects the register at the time we run it. This page was checked on 2026-10-01; the rules in force at the time of your actual application apply.

What we need from you

Three things, and only the first two are required. No documents, no scans, no notarization — the search starts from an email.

The mark itself The words exactly as you want them registered, or the logo image if your mark is graphical. A plain text email is fine for word marks.

What you sell or plan to sell One sentence is enough to start (“we export leather handbags”). We map it to the Nice classes and confirm the mapping with you.

An email address for the written reply The result and the quote both arrive in writing, so you have something to forward to your partners or board.

Optional: your home-market registration Useful context for assessing squatter risk and claiming priority later, but not needed for the search itself.

China Trademark Search — common questions

Is a clear search a guarantee of registration?

No — and no honest agency will promise that. Any application can run into an examiner’s view of distinctiveness or a citation that was not obvious, and the final decision rests with the CNIPA. What the search does is remove the known risks before you commit money, and tell you honestly when the odds are poor.

What is the difference between the free check and the full search?

The free preliminary check screens your mark for obvious conflicts in the class it clearly belongs to. The full search & analysis goes deeper: similar marks, neighbouring classes, device-versus-word comparisons, and a written opinion you can rely on for a filing decision. For most single-product brands the free check is the right first step either way.

Can I just search the public register myself?

You can — the CNIPA register is public. What self-searching does not give you is the assessment: which of the hits actually matter, how a Chinese examiner is likely to read similarity, and which classes your goods fall into. The value of a professional search is the judgment, not the lookup.

What happens if the search finds conflicts?

You get the conflicts in writing with our view of how serious they are. Depending on the case, the options range from adjusting your goods or services wording, to filing anyway and litigating later, to not filing at all. Where the obstacle is decisive, we say so — including recommending that you do not file.

Should I search before filing through the Madrid Protocol too?

Yes. A Chinese designation through Madrid is examined against the register in exactly the same way as a direct national application, and a provisional refusal still needs a Chinese agent to answer. The search tells you the risk before you extend, whichever route you take.

Do I need a search if my brand is unique in my home market?

China is first-to-file, and earlier Chinese filings can exist that you have never heard of — filed by suppliers, distributors or professional squatters. Being first in your own market protects nothing in China; only an earlier Chinese filing date does. The search is how you find out where you actually stand.

Find out where your mark stands

Send us the mark and what you sell. We search it against earlier filings in China and reply in writing with what we found, together with the fee. Nothing is payable before you decide.

Prefer the full form? Tell us the details and get a quote · Read our FAQ