Trademark renewal fees in South Korea: costs, due dates and grace period
You renew a Korean trademark with KIPO, in KRW, every 10 years from the registration date. The renewal window opens a year before expiry. Miss it and a six-month grace period runs at KRW 330,000 per class instead of 300,000. Korea also charges extra for classes covering more than ten goods.
What are the trademark renewal due dates in South Korea?
South Korea counts the 10-year term from the registration date. The renewal window opens one year before the expiry date and closes on it.
The first renewal falls due 10 years from the registration date, payable to KIPO. Renewal can be requested from one year before the expiry date, and not earlier.
For example, if the registration date is 2016-01-20, the renewal window opens on 2025-01-20 and the deadline is 2026-01-20.
Each renewal extends protection for a further 10 years, on the same window. Protection is renewable indefinitely, with no limit on the number of renewals.
For example, once renewed in 2026, the next renewal will be due by 2036-01-20.
In South Korea, trademarks are renewed through the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), formerly the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). As of October 1, 2025, KIPO was elevated to full ministry status and renamed the Ministry of Intellectual Property, centralizing Korea's IP governance under the Prime Minister's Office.
South Korea is a member of the Madrid Protocol and operates under a strict first-to-file trademark system. If your trademark is an International Registration designating South Korea, the renewal of that international registration is handled through WIPO Madrid System procedures.
Foreign applicants without a residential or business address in South Korea must appoint a local representative a registered trademark attorney or agent with a Korean address for all MOIP procedures, including renewals and fee payments.
Your renewal window opens one year before expiry, here 20 Jan 2025, and the deadline is 20 Jan 2026. Miss it and the mark can still be renewed until 20 Jul 2026 at KRW 330,000 per class instead of 300,000. Each renewal adds another 10 years, with no limit on how many times.
Official trademark renewal fees by year in South Korea
Official fees payable to the KIPO, per class, in KRW. One renewal covers one class; every further class is charged on top.
| Fee type | Official fee (KRW) |
|---|---|
| Renewal, per class (lump sum, 10 years) | 300,000 |
| Renewal, per class (each of two five-year installments) | 184,000 |
| Each designated good beyond ten, per class | +2,000 |
| Late renewal, per class (lump sum) | 330,000 |
| Typical 3-class renewal (lump sum) | 900,000 |
Korea prices per class, then per designated good. A class covering ten designated goods or fewer costs the flat fee; every good beyond the tenth adds a further charge. The renewal fee can also be paid as a lump sum or in two five-year installments, and two installments cost more in total than paying once.
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Missed a trademark renewal deadline in South Korea?
A six-month grace period runs from the expiry date, and renewing inside it costs KRW 330,000 per class rather than 300,000. Note the per-goods charge: a class covering ten designated goods or fewer costs the flat fee, and every good beyond the tenth adds KRW 2,000.
If the renewal deadline of 20 Jan 2026 is missed, the mark stays renewable until 20 Jul 2026. Settle the renewal fee and the late fee inside that window to keep it in force.
Trademark renewal fees in other jurisdictions
The same schedule, deadlines and grace rules, in the jurisdictions we are asked about most.
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Looking for a different jurisdiction?
Trademark renewal fees and deadlines in every jurisdiction we cover.
Other IP renewals in South Korea
Trademarks aren't the only rights that lapse without renewal. South Korea also protects patents and designs. Each on its own schedule and fee scale.
Patents
Renewal deadlines, grace periods and official fees for patents in South Korea.
Designs
Renewal terms and official fees for registered industrial designs in South Korea.
1. When is the first trademark renewal filing due in South Korea?
The first renewal is due at the end of the initial 10-year registration term. You can file the renewal application starting 1 year before the expiry date. A 6-month grace period after expiry exists, subject to a surcharge. If both windows are missed, the trademark expires permanently and cannot be restored a new application is required.
2. Can I renew my trademark after missing the deadline?
Yes, within the 6-month grace period after the expiry date, by paying the standard renewal fee plus a late surcharge. After this grace period, the trademark is irrevocably cancelled. Unlike some jurisdictions, South Korea does not permit restoration of expired trademarks.
3. How long does a South Korean trademark last?
A South Korean trademark registration lasts 10 years from the date of registration, and each renewal extends it for another 10 years. There is no limit to the number of times a trademark can be renewed, as long as renewal fees are paid on time.
4. Does MOIP require proof of use for renewal?
MOIP does not require proof of use in order to renew a trademark. However, a trademark that has not been used for three consecutive years following registration may be subject to a cancellation trial by any third party. The Korean Supreme Court has clarified that only genuine commercial use not token or symbolic use, is sufficient to defend against cancellation.
5. Can renewal fees be paid in installments?
Yes. MOIP allows renewal fees to be paid either as a lump sum for the full 10-year term or in two installments, each covering 5 years. The installment option costs KRW 184,000 per class per payment, while the lump-sum option is KRW 300,000 per class. Paying the lump sum works out cheaper in total.
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