DOI Supplementary Notice II on Pending Trademark Applications

On March 1, 2026, the Department of Industry ("DOI"), published a second supplementary notice (“Notice”) on its website with regard to the pending trademark applications in Nepal. The Nepali version of the Notice can be accessed here.

The Notice states that the previous notice of the DOI dated December 1, 2025, issued following the destruction of physical records maintained by Industrial Property Section due to incidents of arson and vandalism of September 9, 2025, required applicants with pending applications for trademark registrations, renewals and, other trademark procedures, to resubmit their applications along with all necessary documents by March 1, 2026.

Due to numerous requests on the grounds that the stipulated period was insufficient, this Notice, issued with reference to the earlier notice dated December 1, 2025, extends the deadline by additional 90 days from the date of publication of this Notice, i.e., until May 29, 2026.

This Notice states that DOI shall take necessary actions in accordance with the prevailing laws with respect to applications not submitted within the extended period or submitted without adequate supporting documentation.

The Notice requires the following actions from applicants who have filed applications for the registration of trademarks under the Patent, Design, and Trademark Act, 2022 (1965 A.D.) ("PDTA"):

• Pending and Incomplete Applications: Applicants with pending applications for trademark registrations, and applicants with incomplete documentation are requested to resubmit their applications along with all outstanding documents to the DOI within ninety (90) days from the date of publication of the Notice, i.e., by May 29, 2026.
   
• Obtaining Trademark Registration Certificates: Regarding applications which are yet to proceed to issuance of trademark registration certificates after publication of the mark in IP Bulletin against which no opposition was filed, if the renewal period prescribed under the PDTA has expired, such applications shall be dealt with in accordance with the prevailing laws.

The Notice slightly revises the consequences for incomplete trademark applications.  The December 1, 2025 notice stated that failure to submit outstanding documents within the deadline could result in cancellation of applications pending at the DOI for more than seven years (i.e., those filed before December 1, 2018).  However, this Notice provides that the DOI will act in accordance with prevailing laws for applications not submitted within the extended period.

The Notice also changes the consequences of not obtaining trademark registration certificates. Under the December 1, 2025 notice, trademark registration certificates had to be collected within six months, the failure of which would risk cancellation.  This Notice instead provides that cancellation will occur only after the expiry of the renewal term under the PDTA, which is seven years from the close of 90-days opposition period.