Fees associated with filing trademark applications in Bulgaria as well as other trademark fees, are available in the fee calculator.
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Multiple-class applications
Multiple-class trademark applications are possible in Bulgaria.
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Filing requirements in Bulgaria
The official language of proceedings before the Bulgarian Patent Office is Bulgarian.
To obtain a filing date, a trademark application in Bulgaria must contain:
- request to register a trademark;
- name and address of the applicant(s);
- representation of the trademark;
- list of goods and/or services;
- the rules for use (for collective and certification trademarks).
The application must be signed by the applicant or by an authorized industrial property representative or attorney at law.
Once these requirements are fulfilled, the application for trademark registration is recorded in a register of trademark applications, where the relevant number and the filing date are indicated.
If priority is claimed, a certified copy of the Priority Document should be filed within 2 months from the date of filing.
Legalisation of a Power of Attorney is not required. The signed and stamped (if applicable) POA form must be submitted within one month from notification.
The term for filing a trademark application in Bulgaria claiming conventional priority is six months from the priority date. The extension of this term is not stipulated.
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Examination, publication and opposition of a trademark application in Bulgaria
Trademark applications in Bulgaria are subject to formal and substantive examination. Upon successful examination, the mark will be published in the Official Gazette of the Patent Office for opposition. Within three months from the application publication, any interested person may file grounded opposition against the Bulgarian trademark application.
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Grant, validity term and trademark renewal
The grant fee should be paid within 1 month from the registration. The validity term of a trademark in Bulgaria is 10 years from the filing date and is indefinitely renewable for 10 year periods. The renewal fees can be paid during the last year of the protection period. A trademark may be renewed within 6 months after the renewal due date, providing that a corresponding surcharge has been paid.
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Duration of registration procedure
The average processing time from first filing to registration is approximately 9-12 months, provided that no objections are raised.
Registration of the trademark in Bulgaria may be cancelled on the grounds of non-use for 5 years from registration of a trademark unless there are legitimate reasons for non-use.
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Representation by a trademark attorney
Foreign applicants must perform the trademark prosecution in Bulgaria through an industrial property representative or a qualified Bulgarian attorney at law.
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What can be registered as a trademark in Bulgaria
A trademark in Bulgaria is defined as a sign used to identify and distinguish the goods of one manufacturer or seller from those of another. It must be capable of clear and accurate representation in the State Register of Marks, enabling determination of the subject of protection granted upon registration. Such signs may include words, including names of persons, letters, numerals, drawings, figures, the shape of goods or their packaging, a combination of colors, sound signals, or any combination thereof.
1. Online Search Databases: Bulgarian Trademarks, EU Trademarks, International Trademarks.
2. Trademark protection in Bulgaria may also be obtained via registration of a European Union Trademark.
3. The time limit for filing of a response to an international registration provisional refusal in Bulgaria is 3 months. The time limit starts on the date when the applicant receives notification from WIPO. The date of receipt must be confirmed by providing some sort of evidence, e.g. a postmark. The language of the response is Bulgarian. It is necessary to appoint a local representative, a Bulgarian trademark attorney, or a qualified Bulgarian attorney at law to respond to the provisional refusal.
Brief summary is based on the information provided by Krasimira Kadieva Intellectual Property Law Office on 21.02.2024
Please contact us if the above information is not in conformity with Bulgarian IP Laws