Trademark Registration in Romania (OSIM)
A registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use a name, logo or sign for the goods and services it covers — and the ability to stop others from using something confusingly similar. In Romania, national trademarks are registered with OSIM, the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks.
Registering the company name at the Trade Register does not protect it as a trademark. These are two separate registers with two separate effects, and the confusion between them is the single most common reason businesses find out too late that their brand is not protected.
What the process involves
- Availability searchChecking existing registrations for identical or similar marks in the classes you need. This is where a filing is saved or lost.
- Choosing the classesProtection is granted per class of goods and services. Too few leaves gaps; too many raises the cost without adding value.
- FilingSubmitting the application with the representation of the mark and the list of goods and services.
- Examination and publicationOSIM examines the application and publishes it. Third parties may oppose within the legal period.
- Registration certificateIf no obstacle arises, the mark is registered and the certificate issued. Protection runs for ten years and is renewable.
Before you file
- A search is not optional — filing blind risks the fee and, worse, an opposition after you have started using the brand
- Descriptive names are hard to register — a mark that simply describes the product is usually refused
- Protection is territorial — a Romanian registration protects you in Romania; for the EU you need an EU trademark
- Classes define the scope — protection covers only the goods and services you claimed
- Use it or risk losing it — a mark not genuinely used can be challenged after a period
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Romanian company to register a trademark?
No. A trademark can be held by an individual or by a foreign company. Applicants without a domicile or seat in Romania are generally required to act through a representative.
How long does it take?
Several months from filing to certificate, depending on examination and on whether anyone opposes. The timeline is OSIM’s, not ours.
Romanian trademark or EU trademark?
It depends on where you trade. A national mark is cheaper and sufficient if your market is Romania; an EU trademark covers the whole Union but is refused entirely if it conflicts with an earlier right in any single member state.
Protect your brand in Romania
Tell us the name or logo you want to register and in which field — we start with the availability search. Call 0745.450.450 or write to us.