The Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department has announced that the Trademark Registry, Patent Registry, and Design Registry will launch new services on June 28, 2024, issuing electronic versions of trademark, patent, and design registration/grant certificates.

Starting from June 28, 2024, the Trademark Registration Office, Patent Registration Office, and Design Registration Office (collectively referred to as the “Registration Office”) will begin issuing electronic versions (replacing paper versions) of certificates to trademark, patent, and design applicants or agents who are registered electronic submission service users.

This preset arrangement covers applications published on or after the following deadline:

• Trademark applications published on or after March 15, 2024;
• Patent applications granted on or after June 28, 2024; and
• Design applications published on or after June 28, 2024.

If the applicant wishes to obtain a paper certificate, they must submit the relevant request to the registry in advance according to the following notice period:

(a) For trademark applications: within six weeks from the date of publication of the notice of acceptance and registration;

(b) For patent applications: within two weeks from the date of publication of the notice of patent grant; and

(c) For a design application: within two weeks from the date of issuance of the “Notice of Acceptance of Design Application”.

During the transition period, if users who register for electronic submission services choose not to receive electronic version certificates of trademark applications published/planned to be published between March 15, 2024 and May 31, 2024, they must notify the registry as soon as possible and in any case no later than the expiration date of the three-month opposition period.