The Indonesian Ministry of Law has issued Regulation No. 5 of 2026 on trade mark registration, effective since 23 February 2026. This new regulation provides further detail on administrative requirements and procedures, including the introduction of the concept of “force majeure” in relation to the completion of administrative requirements. The new Regulation replaces Regulation No. 16 of 2016.
One of the most welcome changes for brand owners is the reduction in examination timelines for trade mark applications and renewals.
We have set out the key updates under Regulation No. 5 of 2026 below:
1. “Force majeure” introduced: trade mark applicants may be granted additional time to complete administrative requirements in circumstances such as natural disasters, war, riots, and strikes.
2. Priority documents: priority documents for priority applications must now be provided with a sworn translation. This was not expressly regulated under the previous regulation.
3. Change of name or address for pending applications: where a recordal of a change of name and or address is filed for a pending application, substantive examination will be suspended until the recordal has been completed.
4. Official excerpts: any party may request an official excerpt of a trade mark registration. This was not expressly regulated previously, which sometimes caused officials to hesitate providing the excerpt in practice.
5. Shorter examination timelines: substantive examination must now be completed within a maximum of 30 days (where there is no opposition) and 90 days (where there is an opposition). This confirms the timeframe introduced under the Indonesian Omnibus Law. Prior to this, the process could take up to 150 days.
6. Faster renewals: renewal applications must now be completed within a maximum of four days, compared with two months previously. In practice, renewals are often completed on the same day.
7. Faster official excerpts: requests for official excerpts must now be completed within one day, compared with 15 days previously.
Overall, the new regulation aligns with Indonesia’s IP office’s stated goal of improving the quality and speed of the trade mark examination process. It should be a welcome development for brand owners targeting Indonesia as a key market.
If you have any questions about the new regulation on trade mark registration, or would like our assistance in navigating the Indonesia’s trade mark landscape, please contact Rouse Indonesia at TMGIndonesia@rouse.com.
