# Trademark, copyright, patent or design: which protection does your business need in Pakistan?

URL: https://which.pk/business/guides/trademark-vs-copyright-vs-patent/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 20 Oct 2026

## Summary

In Pakistan, a trademark protects your brand name or logo on goods or services (Rs 12,000 per class, 10 years, renewable). Copyright protects creative work such as text, art, software and music (from Rs 2,000, lasting about the author's life plus 50 years). A patent protects a new invention (Rs 6,750 to file, 20 years). An industrial design protects how a product looks (Rs 6,000, up to 30 years). All four are registered at IPO-Pakistan; fees are as of October 2026.

## Key facts

- Trademark: Rs 12,000 per class, 10 years
- Copyright: From Rs 2,000, life + 50 years
- Patent: Rs 6,750 to file, 20 years
- Design: Rs 6,000, up to 30 years

**Trademark vs copyright vs patent** comes down to what you want to protect. A **trademark** protects your brand name or logo on goods or services. **Copyright** protects creative work: writing, art, software, music, film. A **patent** protects a new invention for **20 years**. A fourth option, the **industrial design**, protects how a product looks. All four are registered at IPO-Pakistan, with fees from **Rs 2,000**, as of October 2026.

## What is the difference between a trademark, copyright, patent and design?

| | Trademark | Copyright | Patent | Industrial design |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Protects** | Brand name, logo on goods or services | Original creative work (text, art, software, music, film) | New, inventive product or process | Shape, pattern or ornament of an article |
| **IPO office** | Trade Marks Registry, Karachi | Copyright Office, Karachi | Patent Office, Karachi | Patent Office (Registrar of Designs), Karachi |
| **Govt fee** | Rs 3,000 to apply + Rs 9,000 to register, per class | Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 per work | Rs 6,750 to file + Rs 6,750 to seal | Rs 3,000 to apply + Rs 3,000 certificate |
| **Time (IPO averages)** | About a year or more | About 11 months | Roughly 2.5 years | About 6 months |
| **Lasts** | 10 years from filing, renewable every 10 years | Usually author's life + 50 years | 20 years from filing | 10 years from registration, plus two 10-year extensions |
| **Renewal** | Rs 15,000 every 10 years | None | Rs 12,000 to Rs 32,000 a year from year 5 | Rs 4,000 (2nd period), Rs 6,000 (3rd) |
| **Without registering** | No registered rights | Exists automatically | No protection | Can't stop copying |

Fees are IPO's government fees as of October 2026; lawyers and agents charge on top. Patent and design times add up IPO's published averages with no opposition.

## Which one does my business need?

One product often needs more than one kind of protection. Four examples:

| Business | What to register |
|---|---|
| **A clothing brand** | The brand name and logo as a trademark (class 25 covers clothing). A new fabric print or garment shape as an industrial design: IPO lists textile designs as a common example. The logo artwork can also be registered as copyright. |
| **A mobile app** | The app's name as a trademark. The code as copyright: software is a literary work, Rs 5,000 per programme. IPO's patent page lists computer software as not an invention. |
| **A furniture maker** | A new chair shape as an industrial design (Rs 3,000 for one article). A genuinely new folding mechanism could be a patent. The showroom name as a trademark. |
| **A restaurant with a secret recipe** | The name as a trademark (class 43 covers restaurants). The recipe itself can't be registered: copyright doesn't cover methods, and IPO's patent rules need a new, inventive process. A printed recipe book is a literary work for copyright. |

## Should I register my logo as a trademark or copyright?

Ideally both, because they do different jobs:

- **Trademark** stops others using the same or a confusingly similar mark on the same or similar goods or services (section 17 of the Trade Marks Ordinance). It's the one that protects your brand in the market. See [trademark registration in Pakistan](/business/guides/trademark-registration-pakistan/).
- **Copyright** protects the logo artwork itself. IPO's Copyright Office registers "artistic work used with goods and services" for **Rs 6,000** and asks for the trademark number if the logo is used as a trademark. If a designer made it, you need their NOC affidavit. See [copyright registration in Pakistan](/business/guides/copyright-registration-pakistan/).

Before you file a trademark, check no one has the name already with a [trademark search](/business/guides/trademark-search-pakistan/) (Rs 1,000 per class). After filing, the [trademark status check](/business/guides/trademark-status-check-pakistan/) guide covers objections, opposition and renewal.

## When do I need a patent instead of a design?

A **patent** protects how something works; an **industrial design** protects only how it looks. IPO's design page says a design "does not relate to the technical features of an article".

A patent is harder to get. Your invention must be new worldwide, not obvious and usable in industry, and IPO's first examination report alone takes about **18 months** on average. It also costs yearly renewal fees from the 5th year. Full detail: [patent registration in Pakistan](/business/guides/patent-registration-pakistan/).

## How do I register an industrial design in Pakistan?

Designs are registered at the Patent Office under the Registered Designs Ordinance, 2000 and Registered Designs Rules, 2023.

**What counts as a design.** The features of shape, configuration, pattern or ornament applied to an article by an industrial process, judged by the eye alone (IPO's 2024 filing guide). IPO's examples run from watches, jewellery and house wares to appliances, vehicles and textile designs.

**What can't be registered**, per IPO's design page:

- a design that isn't new or original, or was registered or published anywhere in the world before you filed
- a shape dictated only by function, a mechanical device, or a method of construction
- a trademark
- printed matter that is a copyright work, such as book jackets, calendars, greeting cards, leaflets and postcards
- flags, emblems, or the name or portrait of a person, without consent

**Don't show it before you file:** IPO's filing guide says publishing the design before the filing date destroys its novelty. The Ordinance lets you ignore your own disclosure only if it was within 12 months before filing.

**Design fees**, from IPO's fee page as of October 2026:

| Form | What for | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| D-1 | Application, one article | Rs 3,000 |
| D-1 | Application, a set of up to five articles | Rs 5,000 (+ Rs 1,000 per extra article) |
| D-5 | Registration certificate | Rs 3,000 |
| D-5 | Renewal for the 2nd 10-year period | Rs 4,000 |
| D-5 | Renewal for the 3rd and final period | Rs 6,000 |
| D-11 | Design search or inspection of the register | Rs 1,000 |

1. **Search the register** on D-11 (Rs 1,000). IPO's average for a design search report is one month.
2. **Fill in form D-1** with your name, address, CNIC number, the article the design is applied to, its **class**, and an address for service in Pakistan. A design for articles in more than one class needs a separate application for each.
3. **Attach clear representations** of the design as applied to the finished article, and a priority document if you're claiming priority from a foreign filing.
4. **Pay by cheque** in favour of DG IPO-Pakistan. IPO's guide says that's the only accepted form.
5. **File in person, by post or by courier** at the Patent Office. Electronic filing is listed as "coming soon". IPO's Lahore regional office also receives design applications.
6. **Reply to the examination report** (about three months after filing on IPO's averages), then pay for the certificate. Filing to registration takes about **six months** in all.

Registration lasts **10 years from the date of registration**. The Registrar extends it for a second and a third period of 10 years each if you apply and pay before it expires, or within up to six months after with an extra fee (section 7). That's **up to 30 years** in total.

## Can I protect my brand or invention outside Pakistan?

IPO's patent guide says a patent is valid only in the territory where it was granted. For other countries, the treaties Pakistan has joined matter. WIPO lists Pakistan in:

- the **Madrid Protocol** since 2021, the international trademark system
- the **Paris Convention** since 2004, which lets you claim your Pakistani filing date abroad within 12 months for patents and 6 months for designs and trademarks
- the **Berne Convention** since 1948, for copyright

WIPO doesn't list Pakistan in the **PCT** (international patent applications) or the **Hague** system (international designs), so there's no single international filing from Pakistan for those.

More guides: [Company Setup](/business/company-setup/), [business structures in Pakistan](/business/guides/business-structures-pakistan/), [how to start an e-commerce business](/business/guides/ecommerce-business-pakistan/).

## Questions people ask

### Should I register my logo as a trademark or copyright?

A trademark stops others using a confusingly similar mark on the same kind of goods or services. Copyright protects the artwork itself. IPO's Copyright Office registers a logo as artistic work used with goods or services for Rs 6,000 and asks for the trademark number if it's also a trademark.

### What is the difference between a patent and an industrial design?

A patent protects how a new product or process works. An industrial design protects only how an article looks: its shape, pattern or ornament. A design is cheaper and faster to register at IPO.

### Which office handles intellectual property registration in Pakistan?

IPO-Pakistan. Its Trade Marks Registry, Patent Office (which also registers designs) and Copyright Office are in Karachi, and its Islamabad head office and Lahore regional office also take applications.

### Can I protect a recipe in Pakistan?

Not by registering the recipe itself. Copyright doesn't cover methods or ideas, though the written text of a recipe book is a literary work. The dish's or restaurant's brand name can be a trademark.

## Sources

- [Trademarks: Fee & Forms](https://ipo.gov.pk/trademarks-fee-forms), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Average process time for Services of Trade Marks Registry](https://ipo.gov.pk/trademark_average_time), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Trade Marks Ordinance, 2001 (as amended in 2023)](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/03-Trade%20Marks%20Ordinance%202001%20%28as%20amended%20in%202023%29.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Copyright: Fee & Forms](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyrights-fee-forms), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Copyrights: Frequently Asked Questions](https://ipo.gov.pk/copyright_faqs), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Copyright Ordinance, 1962 (as published by IPO)](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Copyright_Ordinance_1962_4.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Patent: Fee & Forms](https://ipo.gov.pk/patent), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Patent: Introduction](https://ipo.gov.pk/patent_intro), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Industrial Design: Introduction](https://ipo.gov.pk/design_intro), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Designs: Fee & Forms](https://ipo.gov.pk/designs-fee-forms), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Average process time for Services of Design Office](https://ipo.gov.pk/design_average_time), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Registered Designs Ordinance, 2000](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Registered_Designs_Ordinance_2000.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Guidelines to Register Industrial Design in Pakistan (2024)](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/20240715-IndusrialDesignFilingGuidelines.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Guidelines for filing Patent Application in Pakistan](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Patent_filing_Guidelines_in_Pakistan-2.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Documents Required for Registration of Copyright](https://ipo.gov.pk/system/files/Procedure%20for%20Registration%20%28Copyright%29_0.pdf), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Classification Summary](https://ipo.gov.pk/classification_summary), IPO-Pakistan (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [WIPO-administered treaties: Pakistan](https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?code=PK), WIPO Lex (accessed 20 Oct 2026)
- [Summary of the Paris Convention](https://www.wipo.int/en/web/treaties/ip/paris/summary_paris), WIPO (accessed 20 Oct 2026)