Overview

Amazon sellers looking to protect their brand in Canada need to enroll through Amazon Brand Registry using trademark information from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). This reference guide walks sellers through the process of locating and entering the correct trademark details from CIPO into their Brand Registry application, covering everything from finding your trademark name to selecting the right registration status.

Key Points / What Sellers Need to Know

• CIPO is the official source - All Canadian trademark details must be pulled directly from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) database, not from other sources or memory.
• Exact name matching is required - Your trademark name must be entered into the Brand Registry application exactly as it appears on CIPO, including spelling and formatting.
• Both registered and pending trademarks qualify - You don't need to wait for full registration; pending trademarks are also accepted for Brand Registry enrollment in Canada.
• WIPO trademarks require the CIPO number - If your trademark was issued through the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) with a Canadian designation, you must use the registration number shown on CIPO rather than your WIPO number.
• Only word marks and design marks are accepted for initial enrollment - Other trademark types can be added later after your brand is already enrolled.

How to Find Your Trademark on CIPO

To begin the enrollment process, sellers need to visit the CIPO website and search for their trademark. You can search using your trademark number, keywords, or other identifying information in the search field. Once you locate your trademark in the search results table, click on it to view the full details. Pay close attention to the trademark name as it appears under the relevant headings, since this is exactly what you will need to enter into your Brand Registry application. Any discrepancy between what you enter and what appears on CIPO can cause your application to be rejected or delayed.

Registration Status and Eligibility

Understanding your trademark's status on CIPO is critical for completing your Brand Registry application correctly. Amazon categorizes CIPO statuses into two groups for Brand Registry purposes: registered and pending. Trademarks showing a status of "registered" on CIPO should be selected as registered in the application. Trademarks with statuses such as "formalized," "examined," "opposition," "allowed," "appeal in progress," "registration pending," or "pre-searched" are all considered pending for Brand Registry purposes. It is important to note that any CIPO statuses not listed among these eligible options are currently ineligible for Brand Registry enrollment, so sellers should verify their status before starting an application.