Jersey Becomes a Primary Registration Jurisdiction

A wholesale modernisation and digitisation of the Intellectual Property Office of Jersey has taken place, with a view to making applications quicker and easier. Its new portal is now live, as of 1^st August 2026, and the Trade Mark (Jersey) Law 2026 (the “Law”) is now in force.

What is new?

Jersey is now a primary registration jurisdiction aligning with international best practice. It is no longer a secondary re-registration jurisdiction, dependent on a prior registration in the UK. Furthermore, the Law extends the Madrid Protocol, and international rights holders can now designate Jersey directly through the Madrid system. The Law has introduced a new online, streamlined portal through which to register, renew or remove trade marks in Jersey and provides for more efficient case management.

All existing trade marks, that were already registered in Jersey, are protected and have been transferred over to the new Intellectual Property Register. Renewals must take place in the 6 months prior to expiry. Trade marks not renewed will be removed from the IP Register, but there is a procedure for restoration. There is a 6-month grace period within which to apply for restoration.

There is now a framework for new applications to be submitted which will be subject to publication, potential objection, and examination in line with the Nice Classification before approval. The publication period is 2 months (extendable to 3 months). Applications approved will be valid for 10 years and future renewals will also be for 10 years.

It is now possible to issue proceedings for infringement of trade mark registration by non-licensed users.

The new system comes with increased statutory fees.

If you would like Voisin Law to act as your registered agent, please get in touch by email to litigationsecretaries@voisinlaw.com or call us on 01534 500338.