IGE / IPI Switzerland: IP Office Guide (2026)

The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property — IGE in German (Institut fuer Geistiges Eigentum), IPI in French (Institut Federal de la Propriete Intellectuelle), IPI in English — is the Swiss government agency responsible for administering trademark, patent, and design registrations in Switzerland. Knowing what IGE/IPI does, how to interact with it, and how to search its registers is essential for anyone protecting intellectual property in Switzerland.

What IGE/IPI Does

IGE/IPI operates under the Federal Department of Justice and Police (EJPD/DFJP). Its core functions:

• Trademark registration: Examines and registers Swiss trademarks under the Trademark Protection Act (MSchG)
• Patent administration: Administers Swiss patents (examination of formal requirements; substantive examination outsourced to EPO in limited cases)
• Design registration: Registers industrial designs under the Design Act (DesG)
• Copyright policy: Advises on copyright law (does not register copyrights — copyright is automatic under Swiss law). See our guide on copyright law in Switzerland for further detail.
• IP policy and international: Represents Switzerland in WIPO, EPO, and bilateral IP negotiations
• Public education: Provides guidance for businesses and inventors on IP protection

Address: IGE/IPI is located in Berne (Stauffacherstrasse 65). It operates primarily online via its eIAM portal and Swissreg database.

Trademark Registration at IGE/IPI

Trademarks protect brand names, logos, slogans, and other distinctive signs for goods and services. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the full process, see our dedicated guide on trademark registration in Switzerland.

Filing process:

1. Conduct a prior art search on Swissreg (Swiss trademark register) and TMview (EU)
2. File trademark application online at ige.ch (eIAM portal)
3. IGE examines the application for formal requirements and absolute grounds for refusal
4. If accepted: published in Swissgazette (SHAB) for opposition (3-month opposition period)
5. If no opposition (or opposition dismissed): trademark registered; certificate issued

Official fees (2026):

• Standard application (1 class, online): CHF 550
• Additional classes: CHF 100 per class
• Renewal (10 years): CHF 700 (1 class) + CHF 100/additional class

Duration: Swiss trademarks are initially registered for 10 years from filing date, renewable indefinitely for further 10-year periods.

Classes: Switzerland uses the Nice Classification — 45 classes covering goods (classes 1-34) and services (classes 35-45).

Patent Registration at IGE/IPI

Switzerland’s patent system has a distinctive feature: IGE/IPI does not conduct substantive examination of Swiss patents by default. For a broader overview of patent protection options, see our guide on patent registration in Switzerland.

Swiss patent options:

Option 1 — Swiss national patent (formal examination only):

• IGE/IPI checks formal requirements only — there is no prior art search and no assessment of novelty or inventive step
• Patent granted based solely on formal compliance (correct documents, fees paid, claims properly formatted)
• Faster and cheaper than EPO route
• Weaker presumption of validity — can be invalidated relatively easily in court because it was never examined on substance
• Official fee: CHF 200 (filing) + CHF 100/year maintenance from year 3

This is the single most misunderstood aspect of the Swiss patent system. Foreign founders regularly assume that a “granted Swiss patent” has been examined and validated the way a USPTO or EPO patent would be. It has not. A Swiss national patent is essentially a registration — it confirms you filed correctly, not that your invention is novel or non-obvious. In litigation, the patent holder bears the burden of proving validity, which often means commissioning a prior art search retroactively at that point.

When the Swiss national patent makes sense despite this: If you need to establish a filing date quickly and cheaply (CHF 200 vs EUR 4’000+), the Swiss national filing serves as a priority-establishing mechanism. You can then file a PCT or EPO application within 12 months claiming priority. This is the batch filing strategy — file Swiss nationals for multiple inventions at CHF 200 each to secure priority dates, then select the most commercially promising ones for full EPO examination.

Option 2 — European Patent (EPO) designating Switzerland:

• Filed at the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich
• Full substantive examination by EPO — novelty search, inventive step assessment, claims examination
• Upon grant, validated in Switzerland (and other designated countries)
• Stronger patent — survived rigorous examination
• EPO filing fee: approximately EUR 4’000 to EUR 8’000+

For most commercial applicants: EPO route is preferred for meaningful protection. The Swiss national patent without examination has limited commercial weight in enforcement proceedings.

Patent term: 20 years from filing date, subject to annual renewal fees.

Design Registration at IGE/IPI

Industrial design registration protects the aesthetic appearance of a product — its shape, lines, colours, texture, or ornamentation.

Eligibility: Any new and original design for a product.

Filing:

• Filed online with IGE/IPI
• Formal examination only (no substantive examination of novelty)
• Official fee: CHF 200 (1 design, 5-year term) + CHF 50/additional design in same application
• Maximum term: 25 years (5-year initial term, renewable up to 5 times)

Swiss design registration is quick (typically 2-4 weeks) and inexpensive. For international protection, the Hague System (WIPO) allows a single international design application covering Switzerland and multiple other countries.

Swissreg: IGE/IPI’s Public Register Search Tool

Swissreg (swissreg.ch) is IGE/IPI’s free online database covering:

• All registered and pending Swiss trademarks
• Swiss patents and patent applications
• Swiss design registrations
• Geographic indications and appellations of origin

How to search trademarks on Swissreg:

1. Visit swissreg.ch
2. Select “Trademarks” search
3. Search by: word/figurative mark, owner name, Nice class, application number, or date range
4. View registration status, goods/services covered, owner details, and documents

Swissreg is the definitive source for Swiss IP register checks. Before filing any Swiss trademark, a Swissreg search is mandatory to identify conflicting prior registrations.

International IP Protection Through IGE/IPI

IGE/IPI serves as the receiving office for international IP applications:

Madrid System (WIPO) — International Trademarks: IGE/IPI is the office of origin for Swiss trademark holders extending internationally via the Madrid Protocol. A Swiss trademark registration is required as the base mark.

Hague System (WIPO) — International Designs: IGE/IPI acts as the office of origin for Swiss design holders filing internationally.

PCT Applications (WIPO) — International Patents: IGE/IPI accepts PCT applications for Swiss applicants. The application is then processed internationally by WIPO with national phase entries in desired countries.

Fees Summary (2026)

Case Study: Foreign Founder Files Wrong Application Type

A Singapore-based e-commerce company wanted to protect its brand in Switzerland before launching. The founder, unfamiliar with the IGE/IPI system, attempted to file a trademark application through the IPI’s patent filing portal, submitted the documents in English (the IPI accepts only German, French, and Italian for trademark filings), and did not appoint a Swiss address for service.

What happened:

• The application was rejected on formal grounds (wrong portal, wrong language, no Swiss address)
• The founder lost 6 weeks and had to restart the process
• During those 6 weeks, a competitor filed a confusingly similar mark in the same Nice class
• The competitor’s mark was published and registered before the corrected application could be processed

Resolution: The company filed an opposition (CHF 800) against the competitor’s mark based on its earlier Singapore trademark and Paris Convention priority. The opposition succeeded after 14 months — but only because the company had a prior registration in Singapore. Without that, the competitor’s mark would have stood.

Lesson: The IGE/IPI system is straightforward but has strict formal requirements. Applications must be in an official Swiss language, submitted through the correct portal, and include a Swiss address for service. A Swiss IP practitioner handles all of this routinely. The cost of professional filing assistance (CHF 1’500-2’500) is a fraction of the cost of a 14-month opposition proceeding.

Friction Block: Common Mistakes at IGE/IPI

Trap 1 — Filing a trademark in English. The IGE/IPI accepts trademark applications in German, French, and Italian only. The goods and services description must be in one of these languages. The trademark itself (the word mark) can be in any language, but all administrative documents must be in an official language. English-only filings are rejected.

Trap 2 — Confusing the patent and trademark portals. The IPI has separate filing systems for trademarks, patents, and designs. Filing a trademark application through the patent portal (or vice versa) results in rejection and restarting the process.

Trap 3 — Assuming IGE examination means your mark is clear. The IGE examines trademarks for absolute grounds only — it checks whether the mark is descriptive, deceptive, or contrary to public order. It does NOT search for conflicting earlier marks. A mark can pass IGE examination and still be opposed and cancelled by an earlier rights holder. Clearance is your responsibility, not the IGE’s.

Trap 4 — Not monitoring SHAB for oppositions. If you hold existing trademark registrations, the IGE will not notify you when a confusingly similar mark is published. You must monitor the Swiss Official Gazette (SHAB) yourself — or hire a watch service — to catch conflicting applications during the 3-month opposition window. Miss the window, and your only recourse is a more expensive cancellation action before the courts.

Trap 5 — Swiss national patent ≠ examined patent. Foreign founders routinely misunderstand this: a Swiss national patent granted by the IGE/IPI has undergone formal examination only. No novelty search. No inventive step assessment. It is a registered right, not an examined right. For genuine protection, file through the EPO (European Patent Office). The Swiss national filing is useful primarily as a priority date placeholder at CHF 200.

For a broader overview, see our guide to Patents & IP Strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

I need to protect my brand, my invention, and my creative work. Do I file everything with IGE/IPI?

Not quite. IGE/IPI handles trademarks (brand names, logos), patents (technical inventions), and design rights (product appearance). Copyright is automatic under Swiss law — there is no register and no filing. Trade secrets are protected contractually, not through IGE/IPI. For most businesses, the starting point is a trademark filing (CHF 550/class), followed by patent and design registrations as needed.

Can foreign companies file directly with IGE/IPI?

Yes. Foreign applicants can file trademark, patent, and design applications directly with IGE/IPI. A Swiss address for correspondence is required; a professional representative (Swiss IP attorney or lawyer) is recommended.

How long does Swiss trademark registration take?

Standard timeline: 3-6 months if no examination issues and no opposition. If an opposition is filed by a third party, the process extends to 12-24 months.

What is the difference between a Swiss national patent and a European patent?

A Swiss national patent is granted by IGE/IPI after formal examination only — novelty and inventive step are not assessed. A European patent filed through the EPO undergoes full substantive examination. The EPO patent is more expensive but carries stronger legal presumption of validity. Both provide protection in Switzerland, but the EPO route is preferred for commercially significant inventions.

Can I file a trademark application in English with IGE/IPI?

IGE/IPI accepts applications in German, French, and Italian — the three official languages of Switzerland. The application form and correspondence must be in one of these languages. The trademark itself (the word mark) can be in any language, including English, but the goods and services description must be in an official language.

How much does it cost to register a trademark in multiple classes?

The base filing fee for one class is CHF 550. Each additional Nice class costs CHF 100. A trademark covering three classes, for example, would cost CHF 750 in official fees. Professional representative fees for search, filing, and monitoring are additional.

What grounds can IGE/IPI refuse a trademark on?

IGE/IPI examines trademarks for absolute grounds of refusal: marks that are descriptive, generic, misleading, contrary to public order, or consist of official signs (flags, coats of arms). IGE/IPI does not examine relative grounds (conflicts with prior marks) — that is left to third-party opposition during the 3-month opposition window.

This means IGE/IPI will happily register a trademark that is identical to an existing registration in the same class — as long as it passes the absolute grounds check. The burden of policing conflicts falls entirely on existing trademark holders through the opposition procedure. If you are registering a mark, conduct your own prior art search on Swissreg and TMview before filing. If you hold existing registrations, monitor the Swissgazette (SHAB) publication for conflicting applications during the three-month opposition window — IGE/IPI will not do this for you.

Is a Swiss trademark valid in Liechtenstein?

Yes. Under the bilateral treaty between Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Swiss trademark registrations automatically extend to Liechtenstein without additional fees or filings. The same applies to Swiss patents.

Can I search the IGE/IPI register for free?

Yes. The Swissreg database at swissreg.ch is free and publicly accessible. It covers trademarks, patents, designs, and geographic indications. No registration or login is required for basic searches.

What happens if someone opposes my trademark application?

If a third party files an opposition during the 3-month publication period, IGE/IPI opens formal opposition proceedings. Both parties submit written arguments. IGE/IPI issues a decision, which can be appealed to the Federal Administrative Court. Opposition proceedings typically take 12-24 months and may require professional legal representation.

For a broader look at protecting your intellectual property across all categories, see our overview of IP protection in Switzerland. If you are forming a Swiss company and need to secure your brand name, our guides on company formation in Switzerland and doing business in Switzerland provide the corporate context.

Sources: IGE/IPI Official Website | Swissreg Public Database | Trademark Protection Act (MSchG) on Fedlex