Trademark registration in France

Costs, market data and law firms for France

France

France: registering a trademark costs an estimated US$849 for one class, plus US$148 for each further class. France is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to France through an international registration. Protection in France can also come from an EU trade mark, which covers all 27 EU countries. France is a leading import market for leather goods and bags (class 18) and lighting, heating and cooking appliances (class 11). It is also one of the world's leading exporters of wines and spirits (class 33) and cosmetics and cleaning (class 3).

Population68.7m
Economy (GDP)US$3,366bn
Trademark classes filed by foreign applicants (2024)13,166
Madrid System memberYes

Much of the trademark protection in France is obtained through EU trade marks, which cover all 27 EU countries. The filing figures on this page count only applications filed directly with France's own office. See European Union (EUIPO).

Figures by trademark class count branded goods only: raw commodities that are traded mostly without brands - such as gold bars, fuel, bulk chemicals, grain and fabric by the metre - are left out. Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates are left out of the rankings, as much of their trade is re-exported.

Where France is a leading market

  • #1 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 18 (Leather goods and bags) - US$5.5bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 11 (Lighting, heating and cooking appliances) - US$10.3bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 14 (Jewellery and watches) - US$8.9bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 16 (Paper and printed matter) - US$6.8bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 19 (Building materials) - US$5.3bn of imports
  • #2 in Europe and Central Asia and #3 in the world for class 20 (Furniture) - US$14.1bn of imports

A leading exporter

  • #1 in the world for class 33 (Wines and spirits) - US$18.5bn of exports (23% of the world's)
  • #1 in the world for class 3 (Cosmetics and cleaning) - US$33.1bn of exports (13% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for class 18 (Leather goods and bags) - US$13.0bn of exports (14% of the world's)
  • #4 in the world for class 14 (Jewellery and watches) - US$16.6bn of exports (9% of the world's)
  • #4 in the world for class 1 (Chemicals) - US$7.7bn of exports (6% of the world's)
  • #4 in the world for class 31 (Agricultural products) - US$4.7bn of exports (6% of the world's)
  • #1 in the world for electricity - US$8.4bn of exports (13% of the world's)
  • #1 in the world for mineral and bottled water - US$1.7bn of exports (29% of the world's)
  • #2 in the world for aircraft, helicopters and spacecraft - US$32.2bn of exports (21% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for jet engines and gas turbines - US$21.7bn of exports (11% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for malt extract and food preparations of flour - US$2.9bn of exports (11% of the world's)
  • #3 in the world for paintings - US$2.0bn of exports (12% of the world's)

Fastest-growing markets

  • Class 3 (Cosmetics and cleaning): imports up 6% a year
  • Class 29 (Meat, dairy and preserved foods): imports up 6% a year
  • Class 30 (Coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery): imports up 6% a year
France: the biggest import markets by trademark class (2024, US$m)
France's share of Europe and Central Asia's imports, by trademark class (%)
France: import growth by trademark class (2022-2024, % a year)
France: share of world exports by trademark class (2024, %)

In colour: goods where France is among the world's 10 largest exporters, or has at least 5% of world exports. In grey, for comparison: its next-largest shares.

France: export growth by trademark class (2022-2024, % a year)
France: its other leading and key exports (2024, US$m)

Goods where France is among the world's 3 largest exporters, has at least 15% of world exports, or that make up at least 25% of its own exports - of at least US$500m a year.

Questions about trademarks in France

How much does it cost to register a trademark in France?

Our estimate is about US$849 for one class, from filing to registration: about US$213 in official fees and about US$636 in professional (law firm) fees. Each further class adds about US$148. Responses to office actions and oppositions are not included. These are estimates only: the actual cost depends on the law firm and the application. Request a quote from a law firm on this site for an exact price.

Can I use the Madrid System for France?

France is a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark can be filed with its office directly or extended to France through an international registration. Designating France costs WIPO's standard complementary fee of CHF 100 (about US$120); beyond three classes WIPO also charges a supplementary fee per class, on top of its basic fee for the international application. Protection in France can also come from an EU trade mark, which covers all 27 EU countries.

For which goods is France an important market?

France's 10 largest import markets by trademark class are electronics and software (class 9, US$83.6bn), vehicles (class 12, US$79.8bn), machines (class 7, US$65.0bn), clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$37.3bn), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$31.2bn), furniture (class 20, US$14.1bn), meat, dairy and preserved foods (class 29, US$13.7bn), medical apparatus (class 10, US$12.1bn), metal goods (class 6, US$10.9bn) and cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$10.8bn). Within its region, it stands out for leather goods and bags (#1 in Europe and Central Asia), lighting, heating and cooking appliances (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), jewellery and watches (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), paper and printed matter (#2 in Europe and Central Asia), building materials (#2 in Europe and Central Asia) and furniture (#2 in Europe and Central Asia). Imports are growing fastest for cosmetics and cleaning (6% a year), meat, dairy and preserved foods (6% a year) and coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (6% a year). Foreign applicants filed 13,166 trademark classes in France in 2024 - #9 in Europe and Central Asia - a sign of how many brand owners already protect their marks there.

What does France export, and why does that matter for my trademark?

France's exports of goods came to US$636.4bn in 2024. Its 10 largest exports were aircraft, helicopters and spacecraft (US$32.2bn, 5% of its exports, #2 in the world), packaged medicines (US$27.7bn, 4% of its exports, #6 in the world), cars (US$25.1bn, 4% of its exports, #12 in the world), jet engines and gas turbines (US$21.7bn, 3% of its exports, #3 in the world), vehicle parts (US$14.5bn, 2% of its exports, #10 in the world), jewellery (US$13.3bn, 2% of its exports, #2 in the world), wine (US$12.9bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world), handbags, luggage and cases (US$12.2bn, 2% of its exports, #2 in the world), cosmetics and skin care (US$11.9bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world) and aircraft parts (US$10.9bn, 2% of its exports, #3 in the world). By trademark class, its 10 largest exports were machines (class 7, US$67.6bn, #7 in the world), vehicles (class 12, US$59.3bn, #8 in the world), electronics and software (class 9, US$48.7bn, #15 in the world), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$40.1bn, #7 in the world), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$33.1bn, #1 in the world), wines and spirits (class 33, US$18.5bn, #1 in the world), jewellery and watches (class 14, US$16.6bn, #4 in the world), clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$15.4bn, #11 in the world), leather goods and bags (class 18, US$13.0bn, #2 in the world) and coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$11.0bn, #5 in the world). Where goods are made and exported, copies are often made too: a registered trademark there lets you act against counterfeits at the source, including with the help of customs.

Law firms for France

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Trade: imports and exports of each trademark class's branded goods. Rankings compare countries' trade in those goods, without the re-export hubs. Costs are estimates.