6-8 Months from the filing date.

No, multiple-class applications are not available. A separate application must be filed for each class of goods and/or services.

It is possible to file a trademark application based on any one of the mentioned basis.

It is possible to file a trademark application based on any one of the mentioned basis.

No, series mark applications are not available.

Yes, Bahrain adopts 11th edition of NICE International Classification of Goods & Services.

Yes, Bahrain adopts 11th edition of NICE International Classification of Goods & Services.

Both absolute and formal grounds

Yes, the letter of consent must be signed by the owner of the cited trademark and should be legalized up to Bahrain Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.

According to the current practice, a trademark will be protected exactly as it is registered. Therefore, registration of a trademark in black & white will be protected in black & white only and no protection is granted in colors. The same also applies on the vice versa issue, i.e. registration of a trademark in a specific color will be protected in that specific color only and no protection is granted in black & white or any other color

Yes, it is possible to file an opposition against a trademark application before the Industrial Property Office (IPO) based on valid grounds. Opposition can only be filed upon publication of the trademarks in the Official Gazette. The deadline for filing an opposition is 60 days as of the date of publication in the Official Gazette which is non-extendable.

Yes, a six-month grace period is allowed after the renewal due date but with late renewal fees.

A punishment of imprisonment for a period of no less than three months and no more than a year, and a fine of no less than 500 Bahraini Dinars and no more than 10,000 Bahraini Dinars, or by either punishment.

If it is not used seriously for any 5 consecutive years during the validity period.

It is possible to register a trademark in the name of an Individual. The requirements are a legalized Power of Attorney in the name of the applicant and a certified copy of any corresponding home or foreign registration of the mark in the name of the applicant, legalized up to Bahrain consulate or up to an Apostille. 

Yes, Bahrain is a member of the Paris Convention since October 29, 1996. Accordingly, claiming the priority of an earlier convention application is possible. However, the application must be filed within six months from the date of filing of the convention application.

Yes, according to the current practice a trademark is protected exactly as it is registered. Therefore, it is advisable to secure registered trademark protection in both Latin and Arabic characters to be considered as legal valid use.

10 years as of the filing date.

Yes, however, the third party can only apply for registration of the same trademark unless after the lapse of three years of the date of cancellation of the registration by the trademark office.

Use of a mark is not required for registering or maintaining a trademark registration in force. However, proof of use will be only required during the litigation/cancellation action of a trademark registration for non-use requested by a third party.

The evidence of use must be actual use in commerce in Bahrain (such as Shipping bill of lading, advertisements, sales invoices, online sale receipts, custom declarations and any other documents evidencing the actual use)

Recordal in Bahrain can only be recorded against registered trademarks. Any recordal against pending applications can be recorded when they mature into registration and upon the issuance of the relevant certificates of registration

Recording a license is not compulsory but highly recommended, in order to protect the rights of the owner of the trademark in case of infringement.

An assignment must be made with goodwill.  The assignment of the Trademark can be done with or without monetary consideration.

No, recordal of change of agent is mandatory by the trademark office in order to attend to the renewal and recordals.

Not possible at present.

According to the current practice at the trademark office it is possible to amend the trademark logo of the registered mark only if the proposed new trademark logo does not include any new distinctive elements. However, if the proposed new logo includes any new distinctive elements then in order to protect the new trademark logo, a new application should be filed for the latest trademark logo.

It is possible to amend the goods\services of a registered trademark (by limiting the registered goods/services and not by adding the list of goods/services).

No.

Yes, provided the mark is "distinctive.

Yes, it is highly recommended to register a trademark even though it has the most prior use in Bahrain, as registration will reinforce the position of the right holder in case of litigation.

It is possible to register non-traditional marks (such as smell mark, sound mark, and labels) in Bahrain.

No, any application for a trademark that consists solely or partly of a country or city name if that is different from the nationality of the applicant may be refused by the Industrial Property Office (IPO).

Yes, however, the acceptance remains merely up to the sole discretion of the Industrial Property Office (IPO) officials.

No, the use of the trademark on one item is not sufficient to maintain the protection for all the goods covered by the registration.

Use of trademarks in Bahrain is not compulsory, neither for filing applications for registration nor for maintaining trademark registrations in force. However, according to the trademark law of Bahrain, a registered trademark is subject to cancellation by any interested party, who can establish that the trademark has not been seriously used for (5) successive years. The evidence of use accepted for submission must be actual use in commerce in Bahrain (such as Shipping bill of lading, advertisements, sales invoices, online sale receipts, custom declarations, and any other documents evidencing the actual use)

•Pick a brand name that is simple, creative enough, which distinguishes your business from its competitors
•Pick a brand name that is easy to remember and spell
•Do not imitate or copy your competitor’s brands

TM stands for Trademark, ® stands for Registered © symbol means copyright. The symbols TM, ®, and © are used on registered IP rights. Using TM and ® symbols notifies the public of your claim of branding rights in a particular mark and reduces the risk of trademark infringement. It is recommended to use the symbols (R) or (TM) on registered trademarks only and not on unregistered marks in Bahrain since it is prohibited by law to add it to pending applications or unregistered marks.

TM stands for Trademark not yet registered, ® stands for Registered © symbol means copyright. Using TM and ® symbols notifies the public of your claim of branding rights in a particular mark and reduces the risk of trademark infringement. It is recommended to use the symbols (R) on registered trademarks only and not on unregistered marks in Bahrain since it is prohibited by law to add it to pending applications or unregistered marks, while the TM Symbol may be used when the trademark is still under examination process and still not formally registered.