What MyIPO is, and where it came from
MyIPO was created by the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 and has operated since 3 March 2003, taking over the work of the former Intellectual Property Division of the ministry. Today it sits under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living. Its head office is at Menara MyIPO in PJ Sentral, Petaling Jaya, with a Northern Regional Office in Seberang Perai, Penang, and regional offices in Melaka, Johor, Pahang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.
What "intellectual property" means
Intellectual property is the set of legal rights over creations of the mind that the law allows a person or company to own. In Malaysia those rights are defined by the Acts MyIPO administers: the Trademarks Act 2019 for brand names and logos, the Patents Act 1983 for technical inventions, the Copyright Act 1987 for original creative works, the Industrial Designs Act 1996 for the look of products, the Layout-Designs of Integrated Circuits Act 2000, and the Geographical Indications Act. A trademark identifies where goods or services come from; a patent protects how an invention works; copyright protects the work itself.
What MyIPO does day to day
MyIPO receives and examines applications, keeps the registers, publishes accepted trademarks for opposition, grants patents, records voluntary copyright notifications, and issues the certificates that prove a right exists. Filing and searching are done online through its IP Online Search and Filing system. Malaysia's membership of the Paris Convention, the Berne Convention, the Patent Cooperation Treaty and, since 27 December 2019, the Madrid Protocol all run through MyIPO.
How registration works, in brief
- Trademark: the official application fee is charged per class, and it is lower when you use MyIPO’s pre-approved list of goods; an accepted trademark is published for two months for opposition; a registration lasts ten years and is renewable.
- Patent: a patent lasts twenty years from the filing date once granted.
- Copyright: protection arises when the legal conditions are met; MyIPO records voluntary notifications as evidence of ownership.
- Overseas: a Malaysian registration protects the brand in Malaysia only; other countries are filed directly or, for members, through the Madrid Protocol.
Do you need an agent to deal with MyIPO?
You can file with MyIPO yourself. Many owners use a registered trademark agent because the search, the goods list and the replies to MyIPO's examination reports decide whether a trademark is accepted, and an agent handles those steps every week. Cathca's trademark services page explains what that involves and what it costs.
Questions and answers
What does MyIPO stand for?
MyIPO is the short name of the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia, Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia. It is the government body created by the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 and in operation since 3 March 2003, and it registers trademarks, patents, industrial designs and other intellectual property in Malaysia.
Is MyIPO the same as the trademark office?
Yes. MyIPO is Malaysia's registry for trademarks and for patents, industrial designs, layout designs of integrated circuits and geographical indications, and it records voluntary copyright notifications. Its head office is in Petaling Jaya, with a Northern Regional Office in Penang and offices in several other states.
How do I check a trademark with MyIPO?
MyIPO's online system, IP Online Search and Filing, lets anyone search the trademark register. Reading the results is the harder part, because similar trademarks in related classes can block an application. Cathca's search service checks the register for you and explains what the findings mean before you file.
What to send with your first enquiry.
You do not need a finished application to start the conversation. Bring what you have:
- Your proposed brand name and logo, if there is one.
- The intended owner’s name and business details.
- A short description of your products or services.
- The countries you trade in or plan to enter.
- Any earlier filing number, official letter or deadline.