A trademark registration can sit quietly in a portfolio for years while the business around it changes. Products are discontinued, services expand, ownership moves between corporations, and the person who originally handled the filing may leave. When the renewal date arrives, the payment itself may be straightforward, but the surrounding review deserves attention. Trademark renewal in Canada is an opportunity to confirm which registrations still matter, which goods and services remain relevant, and whether the information on the register reflects the current business.
This guide explains the renewal term, CIPO's 2026 government fees, the prescribed payment period, partial renewal, non-use considerations, and the different process for international registrations designating Canada.
How often do Canadian trademarks need renewal?
A Canadian trademark registration is generally renewable every 10 years. Section 46 of the Trademarks Act provides for an initial 10-year registration period and subsequent renewal periods of 10 years when the prescribed fee is paid within the prescribed period.
There is no statutory limit on the number of renewal periods. A registration can remain on the register through successive renewals, although renewal does not protect it from separate challenges based on issues such as non-use, loss of distinctiveness, or invalidity.
Some older registrations have a different first expiry date. Registrations that existed before the changes taking effect on June 17, 2019 may still complete an initial 15-year term, and once renewed under the current regime, the following renewal periods are 10 years. CIPO's renewal practice notice explains these transitional rules.
The registration date and current expiry date should therefore be checked on the Canadian Trademarks Database rather than calculated from a general rule alone. Clearview's guide to how long a trademark lasts in Canada provides more background on registration terms and ongoing protection.
When can a trademark be renewed in Canada?
For a registration governed by the standard current rules, the renewal payment window begins six months before the registration expires. Under section 76 of the Trademarks Regulations, the period ends on the later of:
- six months after the end of the registration period
- two months after CIPO sends a renewal notice following expiry
This means the expiry date is not necessarily the final day on which CIPO can accept the renewal fee. If the fee remains unpaid when the initial or renewal term ends, section 46 of the Trademarks Act requires the Registrar to send a notice explaining that the registration will be expunged if payment is not made within the prescribed period.
The notice is a legal safeguard, but a portfolio system that depends on receiving it can still create practical problems. Contact information may be outdated, responsibility for the portfolio may have changed, or correspondence may not reach the person currently managing the brand. Many businesses docket renewal dates independently and begin reviewing a registration during the six months before expiry.
The first post-2019 renewal of certain older registrations follows transitional rules. In some cases, those registrations can be renewed earlier than the usual six-month opening date. The registration record and CIPO's transitional guidance should be reviewed before applying a standard calendar calculation to a legacy registration.
How much does trademark renewal cost in Canada?
CIPO calculates the renewal fee by the number of Nice classes being renewed. As of August 2026, CIPO's online fee is $595.06 for the first class and $185.49 for each additional class. A renewal submitted by another permitted method costs $744.10 for the first class, with the same $185.49 fee for each additional class.
| Classes renewed | Online CIPO fee | CIPO fee by another method |
|---|---|---|
| 1 class | $595.06 | $744.10 |
| 2 classes | $780.55 | $929.59 |
| 3 classes | $966.04 | $1,115.08 |
These are government fees in Canadian dollars, current as of August 2026. They do not include professional fees for reviewing or handling the renewal. Certain fees are adjusted annually, and the amount payable depends on the date CIPO receives the payment. The current figures should be confirmed against CIPO's official trademark fee schedule before submission.
The difference between the online and paper first-class fees makes online renewal less expensive in most routine cases. CIPO's registration and renewal service requires a My Canada Business Account and accepts payment by credit card or CIPO deposit account.
What is a partial trademark renewal?
A partial renewal maintains a registration for only some of the goods or services it currently covers. Section 46.1 of the Trademarks Act permits a registration to be renewed for any of the goods or services included in it, so an owner does not necessarily have to renew the entire registration.
Partial renewal may fit a portfolio where a business has permanently left a product line, stopped offering a service, or no longer has a commercial reason to maintain certain classes. Because CIPO charges for each class renewed, removing an unnecessary class may also reduce the government fee.
The decision involves more than selecting the cheapest class count. Goods or services that look inactive today may still relate to planned launches, licensing arrangements, seasonal products, or other legitimate business interests. Removing them narrows the registration, and renewal is not the process for restoring deleted coverage later.
Specific online filing conditions apply to a partial renewal. According to CIPO's renewal practice notice, an online partial renewal is available only where:
- the registered goods and services are grouped according to the Nice Classification
- all goods or services within each class selected for renewal are being renewed
- the remaining goods or services are being deleted
An older registration that has not yet been grouped according to the Nice Classification can involve an additional classification process. CIPO may issue notices about grouping the goods and services and any adjusted class fees. Legacy registrations are one reason a renewal that appears routine from the expiry date alone may need a closer review.
Does renewal require proof that the trademark is in use?
CIPO's domestic renewal process does not ordinarily require specimens, an affidavit of use, or a declaration comparable to the maintenance filings used in the United States. Canadian renewal is primarily a fee-based maintenance step. The Trademarks Act addresses non-use through a separate process under section 45.
After three years from registration, section 45 permits the Registrar, either on request and payment of the prescribed fee or on the Registrar's own initiative, to require evidence concerning use of the trademark in Canada during the preceding three years. If the evidence does not establish use for some or all of the registered goods or services, and the absence of use is not excused by special circumstances, the registration may be amended or expunged.
Renewal therefore does not settle whether every part of a registration remains defensible if challenged. A portfolio review can compare the registration with how the mark has actually been used, including the form of the mark, the goods and services associated with it, and the entity using or licensing it.
Records that may assist with future use questions include dated packaging, labels, invoices, website captures, advertising materials, sales records, and documents showing how services were offered in Canada. The evidence needed in a particular proceeding depends on the facts, so maintaining records is different from assuming that any single document will be sufficient.
What should a business review before renewing?
A renewal review usually covers more than the expiry date. The following questions help connect the register with the business that now exists.
Is the registered owner still correct?
Corporate reorganizations, acquisitions, asset transfers, and changes in business structure can affect ownership. The name on the register can be compared with transaction documents and the entity that currently controls the trademark. If a transfer has occurred, recording it with CIPO is a separate step from paying a renewal fee.
Is the registered mark still the mark being used?
Brands change gradually. A word mark may remain the same while a logo is redesigned, or the business may adopt a shorter name. A renewal review can identify whether the existing registration still corresponds to the current brand and whether other versions warrant separate consideration.
Which goods and services remain relevant?
The registration may include goods or services that have been discontinued, while newer activities may sit outside its wording. Partial renewal can remove coverage, but the renewal request is not a substitute for reviewing whether the portfolio reflects the business's present and planned activities.
Are licences and related-company uses documented?
A mark may be used by an affiliate, distributor, franchisee, or licensee rather than directly by the registered owner, and the legal effect of that use can depend on the relationship and the control exercised by the owner. Renewal is a sensible point for businesses to review whether their agreements and operating practices match the ownership structure.
Does the business have registrations outside Canada?
A Canadian renewal maintains the Canadian registration only. Foreign national registrations and Madrid System registrations have separate expiry dates, procedures, and fees. Businesses operating in several markets often review the full international portfolio together so that related decisions are made consistently.
For a broader explanation of what registration protects, see Clearview's guide to trademark basics in Canada.
How does the Canadian renewal process work?
A straightforward domestic renewal commonly follows these steps.
- Confirm the registration record. Review the registration number, owner, expiry date, mark, and listed goods and services.
- Identify the correct renewal route. A direct Canadian registration is renewed through CIPO. A Madrid System international registration designating Canada is renewed through WIPO.
- Choose full or partial renewal. Determine which goods, services, and classes will remain in the registration.
- Calculate the current fee. Use CIPO's current fee schedule and the number of classes being renewed.
- Submit the request and payment. CIPO provides an online registration and renewal service for domestic registrations.
- Retain the renewal certificate and update the portfolio record. CIPO makes the renewal certificate available online after renewal.
A renewal does not ordinarily involve a fresh examination of the mark in the same way as a new application, though complications can still arise from class grouping, ownership information, partial renewal instructions, or a missed prescribed period.
What happens if the renewal deadline is missed?
If the registration reaches its expiry date without payment, the registered owner may still have time within the prescribed period described above. When CIPO receives the renewal fee within that period, section 46 provides that the renewed term begins from the expiry of the previous term.
If the fee is not paid by the end of the prescribed period, the Registrar must expunge the registration. The Act deems the expungement to have occurred at the end of the expired registration period, rather than on the later date when CIPO completes the administrative step.
The Act provides very little room beyond that point. Under section 46 of the Act, an application to extend the prescribed period cannot be made until the period has expired, and the Registrar cannot grant an extension of more than seven days. A file approaching the end of its post-expiry period therefore calls for an exact calculation based on the registration record and any notice CIPO has sent.
Is a Madrid System renewal handled through CIPO?
A Madrid System international registration that designates Canada is renewed through the World Intellectual Property Organization, not through CIPO's domestic renewal service. WIPO states that an international registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed through eMadrid beginning six months before expiry or during the six-month grace period after expiry.
| Registration route | Renewal authority | Standard term | Post-expiry period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Canadian registration | CIPO | 10 years | Prescribed period under Canadian law |
| Madrid international registration designating Canada | WIPO | 10 years | Six-month grace period, with a WIPO surcharge |
WIPO's fees vary based on the designated countries and other features of the international registration. Its Madrid renewal guidance and fee calculator provide the current amount for a particular portfolio.
This distinction matters because paying CIPO will not renew a Madrid international registration, and renewing an international registration through WIPO is different from renewing a separate Canadian national registration. A business can hold both, so the registration number and route should be confirmed before payment.
Planning for the next renewal
Trademark renewal in Canada is usually manageable when the registration record, class coverage, ownership, and filing route are clear. The more useful exercise is often the review surrounding the payment, especially where a brand, corporate structure, or product offering has changed during the registration term.
Clearview can review Canadian trademark registrations, assess full or partial renewal options, and coordinate renewal instructions for domestic and international portfolios. Contact Clearview to discuss an upcoming renewal.