Overview

Registering a trade mark in Liechtenstein

A trade mark application should reflect the planned market presence as precisely as possible. In Liechtenstein, it is filed with the Office of Economic Affairs. Care with regard to the applicant, the sign and the list of goods and services is crucial, because these details determine the legal starting position and the protection applied for.

Determining the applicant and the sign

Before filing, it should be clarified which person or company is to hold the trade mark right. The law allows any person to file an application. What is required is a request for registration stating the name or company name of the applicant, a representation of the trade mark and the list of goods and services. The prescribed fees must be paid.1

The representation must make the subject matter of protection clearly and precisely identifiable. If protection is claimed for a coloured version, the colour or combination of colours concerned must be indicated. Special types of trade marks must be designated accordingly. Whether a word mark, a figurative mark or a combination is filed should match the intended protection.2

Wording the list of goods and services precisely

The goods and services must be specified precisely and grouped according to the classes of the Nice Classification. What matters is the actual content of the list. A class heading or a broadly worded description should not be used, without checking, as a complete representation of the business model.2

A later extension of the list or a substantial change or replacement of the sign may shift the filing date to the date of the change. The preparation should therefore take into account the current activities and specifically foreseeable offerings. Vague planning for possible future use is no substitute for suitable wording.3

Securing the filing date and priority

The trade mark right arises upon registration; precedence in time is in principle determined by the first application. The trade mark is deemed to have been filed as soon as the documents referred to in Art. 29(2) MSchG have been submitted. This distinction between the creation of the right and its priority in time is essential for planning.3

After a first application filed abroad in due form, priority can be claimed within six months under the statutory conditions. The priority declaration must be made no later than 30 days after the Liechtenstein application. If a priority document is required, it must be submitted within six months of the application.4

Accompanying the examination and publication

The Office of Economic Affairs examines the formal requirements and the absolute grounds for refusal provided for by law. In the case of a sign liable to deceive or of bad faith, the application is only refused during the application procedure if the relevant circumstance is evident. If there are no grounds for refusal, the trade mark is registered and the registration is published.5

Registration is no substitute for a search for earlier rights. After publication, entitled parties can file an opposition within the statutory period. Communications and objections should therefore be handled reliably even after filing.5

Organising administration and representation

The registration is valid for ten years from the filing date and can be renewed for further periods of ten years. Deadline monitoring should also cover priorities, official letters and possible oppositions. Where foreign parties are involved, it should be checked in advance whether a representative or a domestic agent for service is required under Art. 39 MSchG.6

Completing the application includes an orderly file containing the representation of the sign, the list of goods and services, proof of payment, correspondence and the register data. For the subsequent use, it should be clear who collects evidence and who has changes to the market presence reviewed from a legal perspective.

Conclusion

A good application starts before the form. Coordinating the sign, ownership, list of goods and services and target markets at an early stage and actively accompanying the procedure creates a more reliable basis for subsequent trade mark protection.

Sources

  1. Art. 29 of the Law of 12 December 1996 on the Protection of Trade Marks and Indications of Source (Trade Mark Protection Act; MSchG), LGBl. 1997 No. 60, LR 232.11, version of 1 July 2026.

  2. Art. 8–11 of the Ordinance of 1 April 1997 on the Protection of Trade Marks and Indications of Source (Trade Mark Protection Ordinance; MSchV), LGBl. 1997 No. 77, LR 232.111, version of 1 July 2026.

  3. Art. 5, 6 and 30 MSchG.

  4. Art. 7 and 9 MSchG; Art. 12 and 14 MSchV, each in the version of 1 July 2026.

  5. Art. 31, 31a and 35 MSchG; Art. 15–19 MSchV, each in the version of 1 July 2026.

  6. Art. 10 and 39 MSchG.

Last updated: 13 September 2026

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