Uzbekistan · Intellectual Property

Uzbekistan IP is centrally administered by the Agency on Intellectual Property (IMA) under the Ministry of Justice, on a 'first-to-file' principle - unregistered trademarks, even after long use, face passive injunction and high enforcement costs once pre-empted, so Chinese investors should file before market entry. Trademark protection runs 10 years from the application date with unlimited renewals (10 years each, 6-month grace); a direct single-class application official fee is about UZS 3 million (application + examination + registration), with examination about 7-9 months and full grant about 12-16 months; expedited review (~1 month) available. Enterprises can also designate Uzbekistan via the Madrid System (from 2026-04-12 the individual fee for a standard trademark single class dropped to CHF 245, CHF 100 per additional class, CHF 123 for renewal single class), suitable for multi-country layouts. Beyond trademarks, patents (invention, utility model, industrial design), copyright (automatic protection), industrial designs and domain names should be included: core technologies via invention/utility-model patents; software and cultural works under copyright with registration recommended to strengthen evidence; use .uz domains to prevent squatting. Infringement relief via administrative complaints, IP-court civil litigation and criminal channels; retain use evidence and monitor publication-period oppositions.

Key points

Competent authority: IMA under the Ministry of Justice (ima.uz); official trademark search platform search.ima.uz; trademarks, patents, designs and geographical indications unified.
First-to-file: Uzbekistan applies first-to-file; the first filer obtains rights; unregistered well-known marks protected only exceptionally; pre-emption risk high.
Trademark cycle: formal + substantive examination about 7-9 months; publication opposition 30 days; full grant about 12-16 months; ~1-month expedited review available.
Trademark fees: direct single-class official fee about UZS 3 million (application + examination + registration); renewal first class about UZS 4.5 million; agency fees about USD 800-1,500/class.
Madrid System: Uzbekistan a member; from 2026-04-12 designation fees reduced (single class CHF 245, additional class CHF 100, renewal single class CHF 123); suitable for multi-Central-Asian-country layouts.
Patents and copyright: inventions/utility models/designs require grant; copyright automatic with registration recommended for software and cultural works; use .uz domains against squatting.
Enforcement paths: administrative complaints, IP-court civil litigation and criminal accountability in parallel; 30-day publication oppositions, then revocation/invalidation claims.
Use requirement: genuine use required after registration; continuous non-use can be revoked by third parties on prior rights.

Procedure

Search: run prior-trademark/patent searches via search.ima.uz and international databases; assess conflicts and registrability.
Protection list: list trademark drawings, classes (Nice), patent types and claims, copyright works scope.
Agent engagement: engage an IMA-registered local agent; prepare powers of attorney (usually not requiring notarization), applicant materials and drawings/specifications.
Filing: file directly via IMA or designate via Madrid; pay official fees; obtain application numbers and receipts (receipts about 3 months).
Examination and publication: formal and substantive examination; on approval publish in the official gazette for 30 days; third parties may oppose.
Registration: after no opposition or resolution, pay registration fees; obtain e/paper certificates; build use and monitoring files.
Maintenance and enforcement: renew on time, monitor counterfeits and pre-emption; oppose, revoke or litigate when needed.

Hard requirements

Clear trademark drawings or patent specifications/claims with applicant qualification proof
IMA-registered local agent (foreign applicants must engage) with powers of attorney
Correct Nice classes or patent types
Foreign-language materials with Uzbek/Russian translations
Madrid applications based on home-country registrations or applications

Costs

Direct single-class trademark official fee about UZS 3 million (application + registration); renewal first class about UZS 4.5 millionLocal agency fees about USD 800-1,500/class (higher for complex/opposition cases)Madrid designation of Uzbekistan (from 2026-04-12): single class CHF 245, additional CHF 100, renewal single class CHF 123Patent/design applications and annuities, copyright registration and monitoring/enforcement fees extra⏱ ⏱ Timeline：Direct trademark grant about 12-16 months (expedited examination about 1 month); Madrid route depends on the basic application and WIPO forwarding, with Uzbek local examination roughly the same cycle; patent grant cycles longer by type, per IMA publication.

⚠ Common risks

Entering without early registration: local third parties pre-empt; forced high-price buy-back or injunction
Registering only the word mark without the logo (or vice versa): combined use circumvented
Missing the 30-day publication opposition window: response windows missed
Continuous non-use after registration: third-party revocation
Madrid basic application lapse: Uzbek designation lapses with it
Ignoring patent and copyright protection: core technology/software counterfeited with weak relief

Handbook

📘 Step-by-Step Handbook (with owner / timeline / cost / penalties)

Applies to：Chinese enterprises and brand owners filing trademarks, patents, copyrights, designs and domain names in Uzbekistan; applies to pre-entry protection and post-entry enforcement.

Prerequisites

Core brands, technologies and works protection list determined
Preliminary search and registrability assessment via search.ima.uz
IMA-registered local agent selected
Applicant qualification and drawings/specifications prepared
Direct filing vs Madrid designation path decided

Step	Action	Owner	Timeline	Cost	Official form / system	Notes & penalties
1	Search and conflict assessment Search prior trademarks and patents via the IMA trademark platform search.ima.uz and international databases; assess approximate conflicts and registrability; form a protection list and risk conclusions	Brand/legal + local agent	1-2 weeks	Search and advisory fees	Search reports; protection lists	Do it as early as possible before entry to avoid passive pre-emption
2	Materials and agent preparation Prepare trademark drawings/patent specifications and claims, applicant materials; sign powers of attorney (usually no notarization); determine Nice classes or patent types; foreign-language materials with Uzbek/Russian translations	Applicant + local agent	1-2 weeks	Material preparation fees	Application packages; powers of attorney	Combined marks: file word and logo separately to broaden protection Penalty：Non-compliant materials corrected; examination delayed
3	Filing and payment File directly via IMA or designate Uzbekistan via WIPO Madrid; pay official fees (direct single class about UZS 3 million; Madrid single class CHF 245); obtain application numbers and receipts	Local agent + IMA/WIPO	Same-day filing; receipts about 3 months	Official fees	Application receipts; payment vouchers	Madrid requires a valid home-country basic application/registration Penalty：Madrid basic lapse invalidates the Uzbek designation
4	Examination and publication opposition IMA conducts formal and substantive examination (about 7-9 months); on approval publish in the official gazette for 30 days; monitor the publication period and submit responses within 2 months of third-party opposition notices	Local agent + IMA	Examination 7-9 months; opposition responses 2 months	Responses/possible litigation fees	Examination decisions; publications; opposition responses	Expedited review can compress to about 1 month for extra fees Penalty：Missing opposition response windows: marks rejected or restricted
5	Registration and files After no opposition or resolution, pay registration fees and obtain e/paper certificates; build trademark use evidence and monitoring files; record renewal dates (within 12 months before expiry)	Local agent + applicant	Certificates about 15 business days after payment	Registration fees	Trademark registration certificates; use files	Genuine use required after registration against revocation Penalty：Continuous non-use revoked by third parties
6	Patents/copyright and enforcement File core technologies as invention/utility-model/design patents; software and cultural works protected by copyright with registration considered; register .uz domains; on infringement enforce via administrative complaints, IP-court litigation or criminal channels	Legal + agent/lawyer	Continuous	Application/annuity/enforcement fees	Patent certificates; copyright registrations; enforcement documents	Retain use and prior-rights evidence; monitor markets periodically

✅ Self-check list

⚠ Common pitfalls

Entering without early registration and pre-empted影响：Forced high-price buy-back or injunction; market blocked规避：Complete trademark and core-patent layouts before entry

Registering only one element of a combined mark影响：Others alter the logo or wording to circumvent; protection gaps规避：File word and logo separately; full-element registration when needed

Missing the publication opposition window影响：Adverse marks registered; later revocation costly规避：Set 30-day publication monitoring with 2-month response alerts

Non-use after registration影响：Revoked by third parties for non-use规避：Retain use evidence; plan genuine commercial use

Madrid basic application lapse影响：Uzbek designation lapses; protection lost规避：Maintain the home basic registration valid with renewal monitoring

📅 Ongoing post-incorporation obligations

Renew trademarks within 12 months before expiry (6-month grace with late fees)
Pay patent annuities on time to maintain validity
Retain genuine-use evidence for trademarks/patents against revocation
Continuously monitor market counterfeits and pre-emption; oppose or enforce promptly
Maintain Madrid basic application/registration validity

🔗 Official portals

Agency on Intellectual Property of Uzbekistan IMA (ima.uz)Official trademark search platform (search.ima.uz)WIPO Madrid System (designation-fee notices for Uzbekistan)

📎 Source：Agency on Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan (IMA, ima.uz; trademark search search.ima.uz); Law on Trademarks, Service Marks and Geographical Indications, Law on Patents, Law on Copyright and Related Rights, and domestic Madrid-System laws; Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and Madrid Protocol (Uzbekistan a member; WIPO Madrid Information Notice 22/2026 adjusted designation fees for Uzbekistan, effective 2026-04-12). Specific official fees and timelines per current IMA / lex.uz publications

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