You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

December 4, 2019

Using the New Online IP Filing System in Indonesia

Subscribe to Updates
Informed Counsel

The Indonesian Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) officially launched the new and mandatory e-filing system on August 17, 2019. Because of the e-filing system, it is now not possible to file IP applications manually through the filing counter at the DGIP. All new IP applications must be filed online.

The DGIP mentioned that the new system is developed in order to support Indonesia’s 74th Independence Day vision—“towards superior Indonesia” (Menuju Indonesia Unggul). In addition, the DGIP claims that this mandatory system will significantly reduce corruption as it eliminates the chance for a direct meeting between the applicant and the DGIP officer.

Any party who wishes to file an IP application is therefore obliged to register their account and apply through one of the following websites:

  • merek.dgip.go.id for trademarks
  • paten.dgip.go.id for patents
  • desainindustri.dgip.go.id for industrial designs

There is no change in the application procedure for recordation of copyright, which continues to be applied for online at e-hakcipta.dgip.go.id.

Before proceeding with the application, applicants must also order a billing code through the website simpaki.dgip.go.id for the corresponding IP and make payment through the bank. If the payment system is down, it is also possible to make the payment directly at the DGIP counter.

Mandatory Documents

Trademark application   

The IP e-filing system requires the following documents to be submitted at the same time as submission, before the application is processed:

  • Scanned copy of power of attorney
  • E-signature of the applicant
  • E-signature of the IP consultant (if filed by a representative

Even though the current IP laws do not require the power of attorney to be submitted with the application, the new system does not allow subsequent submission of the power of attorney. Thus it is suggested that the applicant provide their IP agent with a general power of attorney with the filing instructions, so that the application can be filed soon after receiving the instructions. This is especially crucial for filing applications that claim priority.

Patent application

The requirements for filing patent applications online remain the same as they were for filing in person; required items include a power of attorney, deed of assignment, statement of ownership, and a certified copy of the priority document (if claiming priority). These documents can be filed along with the application, or within three months from the filing date, with a possible extension of two months, and one additional month subject to payment of a fee to the DGIP.

Now that the application is filed online, only scanned copies of the documents need to be uploaded upon legalization. Even so, we still encourage our clients to provide us with the originals. Based on our experience, if the application does not pass the formality stage due to missing formality requirements, the DGIP would require the documents to be re-submitted.

Design application

The requirements for filing design applications online also remain the same; these include a power of attorney, deed of assignment, statement of ownership, and a certified copy of the priority document (if claiming priority). All must be uploaded online along with the application, or within three months from the filing date, with a possible maximum extension of one month only.

Challenges in Filing the Application

Trademarks

Despite the noble aims of the new system, there are still a number of issues. The biggest challenge related to trademark applications is the selection of goods or services, where the applicant must choose from the list of goods available on the online system. The list of goods and services is very limited, and it is not possible to add or amend anything manually.    

To overcome this, the Trademark Office provides a helpdesk team to assist the applicant in adding the goods or services not already available in the system—applicants may email [email protected] to request the addition of the desired good or service.

Nonetheless, requested goods are not all automatically added. In some cases, the helpdesk team will decline to add an item if it is not deemed to be in the proper class—sometimes with a reply to explain their reasoning, and other times without comment. Particularly in the services class, the helpdesk has seemed reluctant to add anything despite being sent supporting documents (such as the guidelines from the European Intellectual Property Office reflecting acceptance of the new service terms).       

This issue has unfortunately caused a delay in processing new trademark applications. Applicants should therefore be prepared to amend the proposed goods or services to make them fit into the ones that are already listed.

The current goods and services classifications used by the new system are those found in the Madrid Goods & Services Manager (https://webaccess.wipo.int/mgs/), although the current implementing regulation—Article 14 (4) of Minister of Law Regulation No. 67 of 2016—specifically mentions that the registration of trademarks adopts the Nice classification.

For non-priority applications, we suggest amending or selecting the goods or services available on the list rather than waiting for a response from the helpdesk. Doing so will accelerate the application process, so that there is no chance for another party to file a similar mark during the waiting time.

If a priority is claimed while the proposed goods or services are not listed, the DGIP have stated that they will proactively help to add the unavailable goods or services. Unfortunately, if the deadline is too short and there is no response from the helpdesk, the priority cannot be claimed.
Patents

Technical issues in executing the online filing of patents have been gradually solved by the DGIP, although some minor issues still remain.

The biggest issue in filing a patent application online relates to patent annuity debts. If the DGIP finds, during the formality stage, that the applicant still has unpaid annuity debts, they will suspend the pending application. The system will be locked, and the application will not be able to proceed any further. For example, it would not be possible to submit the formality documents or the Indonesian translation of the patent specification if they were not already submitted at the time of filing.

The DGIP will keep the pending application suspended at the formality stage until the end of December 2019 unless the applicant submits an affidavit containing their commitment to pay the debt no later than the end of December 2019. If the debts have not been settled by the end of December 2019, the application will be deemed withdrawn. Accordingly, applicants should check whether they have any unpaid debts before filing a patent application in Indonesia.

Conclusion

The introduction of the online filing system and the requirement that all new applications use the new system, represent a big step for the DGIP, and one that has taken effect within a relatively short time. For now, the online filing system can only receive new trademark, patent, and design applications, recordals of change of data, and expedition of the publication of a pending patent application. The DGIP is planning to soon improve the system to accept post-filing applications such as recordals of assignment, trademark renewals, patent annuities, oppositions, and responses to office actions. These and other systems can be expected to come in the near future.

Download Full Article
Related Professionals

Practices

Intellectual Property

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

July 24, 2026
As food innovation continues to accelerate, manufacturers are increasingly introducing ingredients derived from new sources, produced using novel technologies, or lacking a significant history of human consumption. While these innovations create new opportunities for the food industry, they also raise important questions regarding consumer safety. For this reason, many jurisdictions, including Thailand, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, and Singapore, require a premarket safety assessment for novel food ingredients before they can be placed on the market. The objective of this assessment is to ensure that each ingredient is safe for its intended use and level of consumption, does not present toxicological, allergenic, microbiological, or nutritional concerns, and will not mislead consumers. Scientific authorities typically evaluate the ingredient’s identity, manufacturing process, composition, specifications, anticipated dietary exposure, toxicological information, nutritional impact, and history of use before determining whether it can be marketed. Against this background, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently took an important step toward improving regulatory transparency by publishing, for the first time, a consolidated public list of substances that have successfully completed the Thai FDA’s safety assessment process, including substances determined to be novel foods and those determined not to fall within the novel food category. The list identifies the approved substances, the corresponding manufacturers or importers, approval dates, and the approved conditions of use. Although the publication does not change the existing legal framework governing novel food approvals, it provides businesses with greater visibility into the Thai FDA’s regulatory precedents and the types of substances that have previously been accepted through the safety assessment process. The full announcement is available on the Thai FDA’s website. As the list is now publicly available, it also provides useful insight into the types of substances that have successfully completed the Thai FDA’s safety assessment process.
Read More
July 24, 2026
Indonesia has updated its fee framework for intellectual property (IP)-related government services, with implications for IP owners, licensees, lenders, digital platforms, and businesses operating in the country. Government Regulation No. 30 of 2026 on Types and Tariffs of Non-Tax State Revenue Applicable to the Ministry of Law (GR 30/2026) was promulgated on July 2, 2026, and will take effect on August 1, 2026. Key Takeaways GR 30/2026, which replaces the relevant IP service fees under Government Regulation No. 45 of 2024, reorganizes the fee schedule into separate categories for copyright, industrial designs, patents, layout designs of integrated circuits, trade secrets, trademarks, geographical indications, IP enforcement, and other categories. The most commercially relevant changes include a new copyright recordation tariff exemption for songs and music, higher fees for several trademark and geographical indication services, new IP enforcement service fees, and a new fee type for registration of fiduciary security over IP rights objects. In addition, this is the first major update for trademark fees in approximately 10 years. GR 30/2026 is significant not only as a fee update but also as a further indication of Indonesia’s increasing recognition of IP as a financeable commercial asset. By expressly assigning fees to the registration of fiduciary security over IP rights objects, the regulation places IP-backed collateral filings within the Ministry of Law’s administrative service framework. While GR 30/2026 does not create a new secured-transactions regime, this development is relevant for lenders, borrowers, and IP owners structuring financing arrangements secured by trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial designs, or other registrable IP rights in Indonesia. Copyright: New Fee Exemption for Songs and Music Recordation For copyright, GR 30/2026 creates a fee-exempt category for recordation of works or related-rights products for songs or music, while maintaining a separate category for other works and related-rights products. It
Read More
July 21, 2026
Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) published a notification establishing an expedited court-ordered takedown mechanism for online content in cases of “urgent necessity.” The notification, which was issued on July 17, 2026, under the Computer Crime Act B.E. 2550 (2007), as amended, took effect the following day. It significantly expands the categories of content subject to rapid government-initiated removal. Content Categories Subject to Takedown The notification defines “urgent necessity” (section 20, paragraph 5, of the Computer Crime Act) as circumstances where any delay in suppressing computer data may impact national security, religion, the monarchy, good morals, social culture, or public order. In this regard, it establishes four broad categories of content: Computer Crime Act offenses. National security offenses. IP and other criminal offenses, where it is contrary to public order or good morals and a competent officer has requested its suppression. Content contrary to public order or good morals, a broad residual category encompassing 14 subcategories approved by the Computer Data Screening Committee. The fourth category is the most expansive. Its 14 subcategories include: Content defaming, mocking, satirizing, or devaluing the monarchy. Online gambling advertising or facilitation. Offering illegal firearms for sale. Offering baraku (hookah) products or e-cigarettes for sale. Offering cannabis inflorescences or processed cannabis products for sale. Advertising or soliciting prostitution. Content inciting violence, hatred, or social division. Unauthorized overseas employment advertising. Offering boiled kratom juice for sale. Online sale or advertising of alcoholic beverages. Content satirizing or degrading Buddhism. Money lending at interest rates exceeding legally prescribed limits. Advertising or disseminating information about surrogacy services. Forgery of documents, cards, or official documents. Enforcement Procedure In cases of urgent necessity, a competent official assigned by the MDES permanent secretary must file a petition with supporting evidence to the court with jurisdiction, requesting an order to
Read More
July 15, 2026
Ambush marketing refers to a strategy in which a business associates itself with an event, campaign, or brand without paying for official sponsorship rights. The tactic is most visible in sports, concerts, and festivals, where official sponsors have invested substantially for exclusivity. Ambush marketers may use suggestive wording, event-themed imagery, athlete endorsements, venue-adjacent promotions, or social media campaigns implying a commercial connection with the event. Common Forms of Ambush Marketing Ambush marketing typically takes one of the following forms: Direct ambushing: using event names, logos, or mascots suggesting authorization Coattail ambushing: sponsoring an athlete or broadcaster connected with the event Subtle ambushing: themed advertising, venue-adjacent campaigns, or similar visual cues The legal analysis in each case turns on whether the marketing crosses from permissible event-based advertising into infringement, passing off, deception, or wrongful exploitation of goodwill, and the risk assessment is necessarily fact-specific. Thailand has no dedicated ambush marketing statute, so legality depends on execution. A campaign that merely comments on a public event may be permissible, but one that uses protected marks, creates consumer confusion, misrepresents sponsorship status, or makes unsubstantiated claims may trigger liability under various Thai laws, as laid out below. Ambush Marketing and Thailand’s Trademark Act The Trademark Act B.E. 2534 (1991) is the primary tool for addressing campaigns that use registered trademarks, event names, logos, mascots, or confusingly similar signs. The law gives registered trademark owners the exclusive right to use their mark for registered goods, and infringement risk arises when a nonsponsor uses an event mark or a confusingly similar sign in advertising. Even referential or playful use may create liability if it causes public confusion as to sponsorship or commercial connection. The law also preserves passing-off claims for unregistered marks. This matters because event names, taglines, or mascots may not always be
Read More