Trademark Renewal, Assignment and Licensing in Thailand

A trademark registration needs attention after it is granted. A foreign brand owner may need to renew its Thai registration, transfer the mark during a corporate transaction or allow a Thai subsidiary, distributor or manufacturer to use it.

Each step has a different legal effect. Trademark renewal in Thailand maintains a registration. An assignment transfers ownership. A licence permits another party to use the mark while the registered owner retains ownership. The correct procedure also depends on whether the rights come from a registration filed directly in Thailand or an international registration designating Thailand under the Madrid Protocol.

This guide explains the deadlines, registration requirements and documents that foreign brand owners should consider. If you are preparing an initial application, see our Trademark Registration Services in Thailand.

Renewal, assignment or licensing: which procedure do you need?

Your objective	Procedure	Main point to check
Keep an existing registration in force	Renewal	Confirm the registration route and expiry date.
Move the mark to a buyer or another company	Assignment	Identify the rights being transferred and record the change of ownership.
Let another business use the mark while you remain its owner	Licensing	Agree on the scope of use and quality control, then register the licence where Thai law requires it.

A change of company name is not necessarily a transfer of ownership. Appointing a distributor does not, by itself, make that distributor the trademark owner. Start by identifying the legal entities involved and checking whose name appears on the trademark record.

How does trademark renewal in Thailand work?

A Thai trademark registration has a ten-year term and may be renewed for successive ten-year periods. Use the expiry date shown in the registration record when planning a renewal.

For a trademark registered directly in Thailand, the owner may file the renewal application and pay the renewal fee within the three months before expiry. If that period is missed, the Act allows a further six months after expiry, subject to payment of the renewal fee and a 20% surcharge. If the owner does not apply within that further period, the registration is deemed cancelled.

A direct Thai renewal uses Form Kor.07 (ก.07). Before filing, check the registration number, owner’s name, recorded address, goods or services, expiry date and authority of the person who will sign.

If the owner’s or representative’s name or address has changed, an application to amend the recorded particulars using Form Kor.06 (ก.06) may also be needed. If ownership has moved to another legal entity, the transfer should be addressed using Form Kor.04 (ก.04) and its supporting documents. Coordinate these steps early when a renewal falls close to a merger, acquisition or group restructuring.

What if the six-month late-renewal period has passed?

A registration that is not renewed within the period allowed by the Act is deemed cancelled. A new trademark application may be possible, but it is a new filing subject to examination and potential intervening rights. It should not be treated as an automatic restoration of the former registration.

How can a Thai trademark be assigned?

An assignment transfers trademark rights to another owner. It may form part of a business sale, acquisition, restructuring or transfer of a brand to a holding company.

A registered Thai trademark may be assigned with or without the business connected to the relevant goods. The transfer may cover all or certain goods in the registration. An assignment of a registered mark must be registered with the Trademark Registrar.

Rights in a pending Thai trademark application may also be transferred. Form Kor.04 (ก.04) covers applications to record a transfer of rights in both pending applications and registered trademarks. The supporting documents should match the status of each mark.

For an assignment by agreement, the documents may include the signed assignment instrument, documents identifying both parties, evidence of their signatories’ authority, the registration certificate where applicable, and a power of attorney if a representative files the application. Foreign-language documents submitted in Thailand may require a Thai translation certified by the translator.

Before completing an assignment, review:

1. The exact marks and rights: Match the agreement to the application or registration numbers and the goods or services being transferred.
2. The chain of title: Confirm that the transferor matches the recorded owner and document any earlier changes of name or ownership.
3. Existing licences: Unless the licence provides otherwise, a trademark assignment does not by itself terminate an existing licence.
4. Other brand assets: Specify separately whether domain names, artwork, packaging rights and social media accounts form part of the transaction.
5. Pending deadlines and disputes: Check renewals, oppositions, enforcement matters and any restrictions affecting the mark.

The assignment agreement and the trademark register should reflect the intended ownership structure. This is especially important when a foreign parent company transfers a brand to, or acquires it from, a Thai group company.

When is a trademark licence the better option?

A licence allows another party to use a mark without transferring ownership. It may be appropriate where a foreign owner wants its Thai subsidiary, franchisee, distributor or manufacturer to operate under the brand while the owner retains control.

Under the Thai Trademark Act, a licence of a registered trademark must be in writing and registered with the Trademark Registrar. The registration application must identify the goods for which the mark will be used and include terms that allow the owner to exercise effective control over the quality of the licensee’s goods. The relevant trademark rules also apply to service marks.

A well-drafted agreement should address:

• the marks and registered goods or services covered;
• the permitted territory, sales channels and forms of use;
• whether the licence is exclusive;
• quality standards, approvals and inspection rights;
• whether sublicensing is permitted;
• the agreement’s term, renewal and termination;
• royalties and responsibility for obtaining tax advice; and
• the treatment of stock, packaging and online listings when the licence ends.

An application to register the licence uses Form Kor.05 (ก.05). The parties should prepare the agreement signed by the owner and licensee, together with their identification or corporate documents and any required representative’s authority. For the document-submission procedure published by the Department of Intellectual Property, the original signed agreement is presented for inspection and a copy is retained.

A clause choosing foreign law for the commercial agreement should not be assumed to remove the Thai registration requirement. The agreement should also provide for effective quality control in practice. Under the Act, use of the trademark by a licensee in its business is treated as use by the owner, while loss of effective quality control may create grounds to challenge the registration of the licence.

What documents should a foreign company prepare?

The requirements depend on the transaction and the documents already recorded for the mark. A foreign corporate owner should be ready to identify:

• the Thai application or registration, or the relevant international registration;
• its current legal name and corporate details;
• the person authorised to sign on its behalf;
• the assignment or licence agreement, if relevant;
• the representative who will handle the Thai filing; and
• any foreign-language document that needs a certified Thai translation.

If a power of attorney or appointment of a representative is executed outside Thailand, the applicable certification requirements should be checked before signing. The Department of Intellectual Property’s published procedure identifies several permitted methods, depending on what is being certified, including certification through a Thai embassy or consulate and, in the circumstances specified, a notary public or another person authorised under local law. It should not be assumed that every overseas document requires the same combination of notarisation and consular certification.

Planning the documents early is particularly important where people in different countries must sign and a renewal deadline or transaction closing date is approaching.

Does the Madrid Protocol change the procedure?

Yes, an owner of an international registration designating Thailand should distinguish the WIPO record from a trademark registered directly with the Thai Registrar.

An international registration is renewed through the Madrid System. WIPO allows renewal as early as six months before expiry and within a six-month period after expiry, with its own late-renewal surcharge. These are different from the advance filing period and 20% late surcharge for a direct Thai renewal.

A total or partial ownership change affecting an international registration may also be requested through WIPO’s system, subject to its requirements. Check the international registration, the designated countries and the new owner’s eligibility before choosing the appropriate procedure.

Trademark licensing requires an additional local check. WIPO states that recording a licence in its International Register has no effect in Thailand. The applicable Thai formalities must be completed separately. A WIPO record alone should not be treated as Thai registration of a licence.

Read our Madrid Protocol Trademark Guide for more information about international registrations designating Thailand.

What are the official fees?

The following are published Thai government fees for direct Thai procedures, checked against the Department of Intellectual Property’s fee schedule on 28 September 2026:

Procedure	Published official fee
Renewal using Form Kor.07, where a class contains 1–5 listed goods or services	THB 2,000 per listed item
Renewal using Form Kor.07, where a class contains more than 5 listed goods or services	THB 18,000 per class
Renewal filed within six months after expiry	Renewal fee plus a 20% surcharge on that fee
Assignment application using Form Kor.04	THB 2,000 per application
Licence registration application using Form Kor.05	THB 1,000 per application
Registration of a trademark or service-mark licence agreement	THB 2,000 per agreement

These figures do not include professional fees, translation, certification or other transaction-specific expenses. International registrations follow WIPO’s separate fee system. The fee for a particular matter should be calculated from its registrations, goods or services and filing route.

Review the portfolio before making a filing

A short portfolio schedule helps a foreign owner manage changes consistently. For each mark, record its owner, application or registration number, filing route, goods or services, expiry date, representative and any existing licence.

This review may reveal a renewal approaching during a corporate transaction, a former group company still listed as owner, an outdated address or a licence that no longer matches how the brand is used. Addressing these issues before a sale, distributor change or dispute can reduce delays.

For the broader legal framework, see our Intellectual Property Services in Thailand and Guide to Trademark Protection and Rghts.

Contact Us

If you need to renew a trademark, transfer it to another company or authorise its use in Thailand, send us the registration or international registration number, the current owner’s name and a brief description of the proposed transaction. If renewal is approaching, include the recorded expiry date.

Skyinterlegal can review the ownership record, identify the appropriate Thai or Madrid procedure, advise on documents and coordinate the agreement and filing strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I renew a trademark registered directly in Thailand?

The renewal application and fee may be submitted within the three months before expiry. If that period is missed, late renewal is permitted within six months after expiry with a 20% surcharge on the renewal fee.

Can a foreign company own and renew a Thai trademark?

Yes, a foreign company can own Thai trademark rights and arrange renewal through an authorised representative, subject to the filing and document requirements applicable to its registration.

Can I transfer a Thai trademark without selling the business?

Yes, the Act permits assignment of a registered trademark with or without the related business. An assignment of a registered mark must be registered with the Trademark Registrar.

Is a company name change the same as an assignment?

Not necessarily. If the same legal entity has changed its name, amending the recorded particulars may be appropriate. If rights move to a different legal entity, an assignment may be required. The corporate documents determine which route applies.

Must a trademark licence be registered in Thailand?

A licence of a registered Thai trademark must be in writing and registered with the Trademark Registrar. The agreement and registration application should identify the relevant goods or services and provide for effective quality control by the owner.

Does recording a licence with WIPO cover Thailand?

No, WIPO states that recording a trademark licence in the International Register has no effect in Thailand. The applicable Thai registration requirements must be addressed separately.

Does an existing licence end when a trademark is assigned?

Not automatically. Unless the licence agreement provides otherwise, an assignment or inheritance of the trademark does not by itself end the licence. A buyer should review existing licences before acquiring the mark.

Are the fees for renewal, assignment and licensing the same?

No, they are separate procedures with different official fees. A direct Thai renewal depends in part on the number of listed goods or services. Assignment has an application fee, while licence registration has both an application fee and a fee for registering the agreement. WIPO charges separately for Madrid System transactions.