The registration publication is the statutory announcement published in the Trademark Gazette after the CNIPA approves a trademark registration. It marks the trademark's formal status as a registered trademark, with the exclusive right established from that point. The preliminary approval publication, by contrast, is only a pre-registration notice stage at which the trademark has not yet been approved for registration.
Meaning of the Registration Publication
Under Article 36 of the Trademark Law, where no opposition is filed upon expiry of the publication period, or the opposition is not sustained, the CNIPA approves the registration, issues the trademark registration certificate, and publishes the registration publication. The registration publication states core information such as the registration number, the trademark device, the registrant, and the approved goods or services, and serves as the official public notice of trademark ownership status.
Differences from the Preliminary Approval Publication
- Legal effect: after the preliminary approval publication the trademark is in a pending state and can be opposed within three months; after the registration publication the trademark is registered and the exclusive right is effective.
- Use of ®: the ® symbol cannot be used during the preliminary approval publication period; it can be used properly after the registration publication.
- Subsequent procedures: after the preliminary approval publication the trademark may enter opposition proceedings; after the registration publication others can only challenge the trademark through procedures such as invalidation.
How to Search
You can search registration publication information by registration number or registrant name in the trademark gazette section of the CNIPA Trademark Office website. The publication text can be retained as auxiliary evidence of ownership status.
If you are facing the above issues, you can first run a trademark monitoring check through MyTMBee and decide whether to file after confirming feasibility, avoiding wasted official fees from blind filings.