Register a trademark in Albania: how to protect your mark step by step

This guide explains how to register a trademark in Albania, from the idea of a name to the certificate. Since 16 August 2025 trademarks have been governed by a new, stand-alone trademark law, harmonised with EU legislation, and they are registered by the General Directorate of Industrial Property (DPPI). On trademark.al you do the whole journey online: you search, apply, pay and follow your mark, while a licensed representative files it at the office.

Trademarks in the DPPI register (Albania): 63.878
Trademarks in the KIPA register (Kosovo): 45.262
Companies in the QKB register (Albania): 366.307
Businesses in the ARBK register (Kosovo): 274.645

What registration gives you

Registration gives you the exclusive right to use the mark for the registered goods and services and to stop others from using, in trade, an identical or similar sign for identical or similar goods or services. With a registered mark you can oppose similar applications, license it or transfer it. Protection lasts 10 years and is renewable without limit, but it applies only in Albania: Kosovo is registered separately.

Who can apply and what you need

You can apply as an individual or as a business. From Albania and Kosovo you create your account with your personal number, or with the NIPT/NUI of a business; applicants from other countries use the international sign-up, where they also choose their representative. In every case the mark is filed at the office by a licensed representative. Have ready:

the name or text of the mark and, for a logo, the image as a PNG or JPG of up to 5 MB;
the details of the person or company that becomes the owner of the mark;
a clear description of what you produce, sell or offer;
the country, number and date of your first application abroad, if you claim priority within 6 months.

What can be registered and what is refused

In the form you choose the type: word, figurative (logo or graphic), three-dimensional, shape, pattern, colour or position mark. The key condition is distinctiveness. Signs that are not distinctive, descriptive ones – such as “Fresh bread” for bread – generic or misleading ones, those contrary to public order or morality and those containing state or official symbols without permission are not registered. A mark may also be refused when it is similar to an earlier mark for similar goods and creates a likelihood of confusion, usually after an opposition.

The registration steps on trademark.al

Search the name under Search: the marks of Albania and Kosovo and the QKB and ARBK businesses. See how to run a trademark search.
Fill in the 9-step form: territory and representative, the mark, business and activities, questions, proposed classes, classes and cost, the applicant, declarations, review and payment. The AI class agent proposes the Nice classes with the official terms; you can save the form as a draft.
Pay the total by card or by bank transfer – the same amount. The application is not sent for filing until it is paid.
Sign the power of attorney you receive by e-mail after payment – as an individual, before a notary – and send the original by post within 30 days; then confirm the posting on the platform.
Filing: the representative files the mark at DPPI within 2 calendar days of payment.
Follow the status: you are notified of every step until the office decides.

The procedure at DPPI after filing

Filing: the application receives a number in the form AL/T/year/number and its filing date.
Formal examination: the office checks that the application is complete; if something is missing, it asks for it within a deadline.
Substantive examination: whether the sign is distinctive and whether any absolute ground for refusal applies.
Publication in the official industrial property bulletin.
Opposition period: 3 months from publication, during which holders of earlier rights may oppose.
Registration and issue of the certificate.

“Published” does not mean “registered”. The duration depends on the office and on any oppositions; the fixed period that affects every application is the 3-month opposition period.

Cost and payment

TMA sets the prices. The total has four lines: the DPPI state fee, with the first class and the certificate (each additional class is charged separately), legal representation, the platform administration fee and the transaction fee. You see the exact total at the “Classes and cost” step and on the payment page. Under the Terms of use, payments are non-refundable, even when the office refuses the mark. The full explanation is under trademark registration cost.

Mistakes to avoid

Applying without a prior search, which leads to opposition or refusal.
Wrong classes: a forgotten class leaves you unprotected; unused classes raise the cost and may be revoked after 5 years of non-use.
A descriptive name or the common name of the product.
Missed deadlines: 30 days for the power of attorney, 3 months for opposition, 10 years for renewal.
The wrong owner or territory: decide carefully who holds the mark and do not forget Kosovo if you sell there.

After registration, use the mark genuinely, keep it under monitoring and renew it on time.

Current fees

Albania

Office application fee (1 class included): 10.000,00 ALL
Each additional class: 7.500,00 ALL
Certificate fee: 10.000,00 ALL
Legal representation: 19.999,00 ALL
Total for 1 class: 43.258,92 ALL

The total includes the office fee, representation, the administration fee and the transaction fee. The full price, line by line, is shown before payment.

Frequently asked questions

How long does trademark registration in Albania take?

It depends on the office: filing, formal and substantive examination, publication, the 3-month opposition period and the decision. On TMA's side, the representative files the mark within 2 calendar days of payment.

Can I apply as an individual?

Yes, as an individual or as a business. As an individual you sign the power of attorney before a notary. The mark is always filed at the office by a licensed representative.

Does TMA guarantee the registration?

No. The office decides – DPPI in Albania. Neither TMA nor the representatives can guarantee a registration; TMA helps you prepare the application, files it through a licensed representative and notifies you of every step.

Can I change the application after paying?

Until you submit it, the form is a draft and you can change it freely. After filing, changes are requested as services – e.g. a data change or a non-substantial modification of the mark; a completely new logo needs a new application.

Is there a refund if the mark is refused?

No. Every payment on the platform and every step with the office is non-refundable; the only exception is a payment made twice by mistake for the same obligation. So look carefully at the name check before paying.

How do I protect my mark outside Albania?

Kosovo needs a separate application at KIPA; for many other countries you can use the Madrid System. See international trademarks through Madrid.

Start registering your trademark

Search the name, fill in the 9-step form and see the total before you pay. The form is kept as a draft until you are ready.