Trademark Registration in Moldova

In Moldova, registering your trademark is essential to obtain rights, because it is a “first to file” jurisdiction. Only in some exceptional cases can unregistered trademarks be protected, so relying on use alone is very risky.

To secure protection, your trademark application must be filed with the State Agency on Intellectual Property AGEPI.

Moldova is also a member state to the Madrid Protocol. This means you can either:

• File directly in Moldova via AGEPI, or
• Protect your mark in Moldova by extending an international registration through the Madrid System using our Madrid trademark services.

A trademark registered in Moldova also grants protection in **Pridnestrovie (Transnitria). However, as this is a disputed territory, enforcing your rights there may be difficult in practice.

To register a trademark in Moldova, you will generally need:

• Original Power of Attorney, signed. No notarization or legalization required.
• The name or logo you want to register
• The applicant’s details

Your iGERENT consultant will confirm the exact requirements for your case and guide you through each step.

The average time for a straightforward trademark application in Moldova is about 13 months.

This is an estimated timeframe based on current practice and may vary depending on the complexity of the case or any objections/oppositions that may arise.

Once your trademark is registered in Moldova:

• It is valid for 10 years from the application date.
• It can be renewed indefinitely for further periods of 10 years each.

Renewal can be requested:

• From 6 months before the expiration date, or
• During a grace period of 6 months after expiration, subject to payment of late renewal fees.

The registration also extends protection to Pridnestrovie (Transnitria), although enforcing rights there may be challenging due to the disputed status of the territory.

Yes. In Moldova, third parties can file opposition actions against a local trademark application:

• Within 3 months after its publication,
• Publication takes place after the formal examination of the application.

Oppositions can be based on confusing similarity with earlier rights. The chances of success will always depend on the specific facts and evidence in each case.

• Use is not required to obtain registration – a trademark does not need to be in use in Moldova to be registered.
• However, once registered, the mark must not go unused for longer than 5 years.

If the trademark is not used within this period, it becomes vulnerable to cancellation actions based on lack of use. Actual, genuine use of the mark in the market is therefore important to keep your rights safe.