How to Track a China Trademark Application Online

Key Facts

Introduction

If you have filed a trademark application in China, you probably want to know one thing: where does it stand right now? Unlike some jurisdictions, China does not automatically email applicants at every stage of the process. Instead, applicants and their representatives are expected to check status themselves using official government tools.

This guide walks you through exactly how to track a China trademark application online, what each status label means, and what to do if you spot a problem. It draws on the official China Trademark Network, current examination data, and relevant provisions of the PRC Trademark Law, so you can follow your filing with confidence from submission through registration.

Whether you filed the application yourself or through a trademark agency like YCIP, understanding the tracking process helps you catch issues early and respond within the strict deadlines Chinese trademark law imposes.

Where to Search — Official Channels for Tracking Your Application

The China Trademark Network Is Your Primary Tool

The only authoritative source for checking a China trademark application is the China Trademark Network, operated by the Trademark Office of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), at sbj.cnipa.gov.cn. This portal is free and open to the public, and it is the same system YCIP’s team uses when monitoring client filings.[1]

What You Can Search For

When Your Application Becomes Searchable

After a successful submission, receipt information is typically searchable within about one business day. Full indexing into the searchable database generally takes about five business days.[2] Your application number is the single most reliable reference for all future searches, so keep it on file the moment you receive it.

Mobile and Alternative Access

Applicants can also check status through the official China Trademark Network WeChat mini-program, which mirrors much of the desktop portal’s functionality. For verifying whether a representative is a legitimate licensed agency, the National Patent and Trademark Agency Information Disclosure Platform mini-program is a useful cross-check. If you’re comparing search tools generally, our guide to China trademark search tools and our database search walkthrough cover this in more depth.

Understanding the 8 Stages of a China Trademark Application

The Full Lifecycle of a Filing

A China trademark application typically passes through eight distinct stages before final registration. Knowing where your case sits in this sequence helps you interpret search results correctly and anticipate what happens next.

How Fast Is Examination in 2026?

CNIPA’s examination efficiency has continued to improve. The average examination period for domestic trademark applications has stabilized at around 4 months, and under smooth conditions, applicants can receive a registration certificate in as little as 7 to 8 months from filing.[3] This mirrors the 2025 full-year average, which also held steady at 4 months.[4]

What Can Extend the Timeline

• Office action responses: each round of correspondence typically adds 2–4 months
• Rejection appeals: review by the Trademark Review and Adjudication Department takes about 6–9 months, with the full process sometimes reaching 18–24 months
• Opposition during publication: opposition proceedings generally take around 12 months
• Document corrections: timing varies depending on the nature of the correction

For a deeper look at what happens if your filing hits a snag, see our guides on common rejection reasons and solutions and trademark appeal timelines.

Step-by-Step: How to Search Your Application by Number

The Basic Search Process

1. Access the official site. Open your browser and go to the China Trademark Network at sbj.cnipa.gov.cn.
2. Find the search section. Click “Trademark Online Search” on the homepage.
3. Choose your search method. “Comprehensive Trademark Search” or “Trademark Status Search” are recommended for tracking purposes.
4. Enter your information. Input the application/registration number (most precise), applicant name, or trademark name.
5. Review the results. The system displays the current process stage, such as “Accepted,” “Under Examination,” “Preliminary Publication,” or “Registered.”

Advanced Tracking Through Your Filing Account

If you have registered an account on the trademark online filing system, you can log into the Trademark Online Filing System, navigate to “My Account” → “Domestic Application Management,” and enter the filing date to retrieve the registration number and status. CNIPA launched a new online filing system in October 2025, alongside a companion mini-program for online services.[5]

How to Read Your Status Results

If you’d rather have this monitored on your behalf, YCIP’s team can track applications throughout the process — you can request a quote for trademark application support to get started.

New in 2026 — Image-Based Search for Trademark Logos

What the Feature Does

On May 22, 2026, CNIPA’s Trademark Office officially launched an image-based search function within the China Trademark Network’s online search system.[6] This is a meaningful upgrade for anyone filing a figurative (logo) mark. Inside the “Similar Trademark Search” tool, applicants and agencies can now select “Search Method — Image Search” and upload a logo file for automated visual similarity comparison against the existing database.

Why It Matters for Brand Owners

Before this feature existed, checking a logo against China’s enormous trademark database relied heavily on manual review and subjective judgment calls by search professionals. Automated image comparison adds a faster, more consistent first pass — though it does not replace professional analysis.

How to Use It Effectively

• Run a full image-based clearance search before formally filing a figurative mark
• If the tool surfaces highly similar prior marks, consider redesigning the logo or reassessing the likelihood of registration success
• Treat results as advisory, not conclusive — visual similarity judgments are inherently subjective, so pair automated results with a professional opinion

For applicants weighing whether a name or logo is clear to file, our brand name availability guide and CNIPA search walkthrough go deeper into pre-filing clearance strategy.

What to Do If You Find a Similar Mark or Face Rejection Risk

Scenario 1: You Find a Conflicting Mark Before Filing

Under the PRC Trademark Law, similarity to an existing mark is one of the most common grounds for refusal:

Trademark Law, Article 30: “Where a trademark applied for registration is identical with or similar to another trademark that has, in respect of the same or similar goods, already been registered or given preliminary examination and approval, the Trademark Office shall refuse the application and shall not publish the trademark.”

This is precisely why pre-filing searches matter so much. If your search turns up a conflict, you generally have four options:

• Redesign the mark to add distinguishing elements and reduce similarity
• Adjust the goods/services classes to avoid the conflicting category while staying relevant to your business
• Pursue a coexistence agreement if the prior mark’s owner is willing to consent
• Get a professional clearance opinion from a qualified trademark agency before you file

Scenario 2: Your Application Is Rejected

If you receive a rejection notice, you have a 15-day statutory window to file a rejection appeal with the Trademark Review and Adjudication Department. Review of a rejection appeal typically takes around 6 to 9 months.[7] Our guides on legal grounds for trademark appeals and how to check your appeal status walk through this process step by step.

Scenario 3: Someone Opposes Your Mark During Publication

If a third party files an opposition during the 3-month publication window, the case moves into opposition proceedings, which generally take about 12 months to resolve. Given the stakes and the procedural deadlines involved, it’s worth engaging a trademark lawyer promptly rather than responding on your own.

Legal Basis for Application Tracking and Applicant Rights

Your Right to Register and Monitor a Mark

Trademark Law, Article 4: “Any natural person, legal person, or other organization that needs to obtain the exclusive right to use a trademark for its goods or services during the course of production and business operations shall apply to the Trademark Office for trademark registration.”

This provision establishes the basic legal footing for trademark registration in China — and by extension, the applicant’s stake in monitoring that application through to completion.

Self-Filing and the Right to Track Your Own Case

Trademark Law, Article 18 (2019 Amendment): “To apply for trademark registration or handle other trademark matters, an applicant may either handle the matter itself or entrust a trademark agency established according to law to handle it.”

This article is the legal basis for applicants’ right to self-manage — including searching and tracking — all trademark matters, whether they file directly or work through a licensed agency.

What’s Changing: The 2026 Trademark Law Amendment

2026 marks the first comprehensive revision of the Trademark Law. Among its provisions, the amendment directs the State Council’s trademark administration department to strengthen digital and intelligent public trademark services, improve the convenience of handling trademark business, and ensure complete, accurate, and timely disclosure of trademark information.[8] In practical terms, this points toward continued improvements in how easily applicants can track their own filings going forward.

Recent Digital Service Milestones

Why Tracking Matters — 2026 Trademark Data Snapshot

A Crowded Registry

As of June 15, 2026, China’s active trademark registrations reached 51,971,435 — more than 51.97 million live marks.[9] That’s up from 49.877 million at the end of 2025, a gain of roughly 2.1 million marks in just over five months. China’s brand value also ranks second globally among the world’s top 5,000 brands, at $1.81 trillion.[10]

Q2 2026 Filing and Registration Data by Region

2025 Full-Year Figures

• Trademarks registered in 2025: 4.206 million (down 12.0% year-over-year)
• Average examination period: 4 months
• Review and adjudication cases concluded: 384,000
• Opposition cases concluded: 112,000

What This Means for Your Brand

With over 51.97 million marks already on the register, memorable and industry-appropriate trademark options are increasingly scarce, and rejection rates remain high.[9] Against that backdrop, promptly and accurately tracking application progress — catching office actions, rejections, or oppositions the moment they’re issued — has become a core skill for reducing registration risk and shortening the path to registration. For more on how competitive the filing landscape has become, see our overview of recent China trademark filing trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon after filing can I search my application online?

Receipt information is usually searchable within about 1 business day, with full database indexing following in about 5 business days. Some sources note that complete filing details may not be fully public for around 6 months, but basic status tracking by application number is available much sooner.

Do I need to register an account to check trademark status?

No account is required for basic status checks. Anyone can search by application number or trademark name. Viewing detailed examination documents, such as office actions, requires logging into the Trademark Online Service System.

Where can I see the reasons for a trademark rejection?

Rejection notices are delivered electronically through the Trademark Online Service System, under “Electronic Delivery” then “My Notices.” The notice states the legal grounds and specific reasons for rejection, and you have 15 days to decide on an appeal.

Can I search trademarks registered under someone else’s name?

Yes. Use “Comprehensive Trademark Search” and enter the applicant’s full name to see all of their filed and registered marks. Results are free and publicly accessible.

Do third-party platforms show the same status as the official CNIPA website?

Not always. CNIPA recommends using its own official search system, since third-party data can lag behind recent status changes. The China Trademark Network remains the most authoritative source.

Can I still track an application after it’s registered?

Yes. Entering the registration number still returns the full historical record — filing date, examination milestones, publication date, and registration date — which is useful for enforcement, renewal, and assignment.

How long does trademark examination take in China in 2026?

The average is around 4 months, with registration achievable in 7 to 8 months under smooth conditions. This excludes cases involving office actions, rejections, or oppositions.

Practical Checklist for Brand Owners

• Record your application number immediately — it’s your key reference for every future search
• Check progress weekly to catch office actions, rejections, or oppositions as soon as they’re issued
• Track statutory deadlines closely — 15 days for rejection appeals, 3 months for the opposition window — missing these forfeits your rights
• Use image-based search for logo marks before filing, now available since May 2026
• Bring in a professional agency for complex or high-value marks that need full-process monitoring and early risk alerts

Conclusion

Tracking a China trademark application isn’t optional busywork — in a registry approaching 52 million active marks, it’s one of the most effective ways to protect your filing and respond to problems while you still have time to act. The China Trademark Network gives you free, direct access to your case status at every stage, from formal examination through registration.

That said, self-monitoring has limits, especially once an office action, rejection, or opposition enters the picture and statutory clocks start running. Yucheng IP Law (YCIP) tracks the full lifecycle of client applications, flags issues the moment they appear, and manages responses within China’s strict legal deadlines — so nothing falls through the cracks. Request a quote for trademark application support or contact our team to get your filing monitored by professionals who search this database every day.

References

1. “China Trademark Network Official Search Portal,” http://sbj.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Confirms the official public search channel for trademark applications.
2. “China Trademark Network Search Timing Guidance,” http://sbj.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for the 1-business-day receipt and 5-business-day indexing timeframes.
3. “CNIPA Trademark Examination Efficiency Data, 2026,” https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for the ~4-month average examination period and 7–8 month registration timeline.
4. “CNIPA 2025 Annual Trademark Statistics,” https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Confirms the 2025 full-year average examination period.
5. “CNIPA New Trademark Online Filing System Launch Notice,” http://sbj.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Confirms the October 2025 launch of the new online filing system.
6. “CNIPA Image-Based Trademark Search Feature Announcement,” http://sbj.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Confirms the May 22, 2026 launch of image-based search.
7. “Trademark Review and Adjudication Department Case Processing Data,” https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for the 6–9 month rejection appeal review timeline.
8. PRC Trademark Law, 2026 Amendment. Source Role: Primary/Legal Statute. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for the digital public-service mandate discussed in the legal-basis section.
9. “CNIPA Active Trademark Registration Statistics, June 2026,” https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/. Source Role: Primary/Official. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for the 51,971,435 active registrations figure and regional breakdown.
10. “World’s Top 5000 Brands Report, 2026,” https://brandfinance.com/. Source Role: Secondary/Industry Report. Support Status: Supports. Relevance: Basis for China’s ranking and brand value figure.

External Resources

• China Trademark Network — Official Search Portal (CNIPA)
• China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) — Official Site
• WIPO Madrid System — International Trademark Registration
• WIPO Lex — PRC Trademark Law Full Text

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, please consult a qualified trademark attorney.