MyIPO — the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia) — is the single statutory agency that runs Malaysia's intellectual-property system. It was established under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 (Act 617), came into operation on 3 March 2003, and sits under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). It is the one office where you register patents, utility innovations, trademarks, industrial designs and geographical indications — and where you lodge a voluntary notification of copyright, because copyright itself is never registered in Malaysia.
- MyIPO administers Malaysia's whole IP system under one roof: patents and utility innovations (Patents Act 1983), trademarks (Trademarks Act 2019, Act 815), industrial designs (Industrial Designs Act 1996), IC layout-designs (Act 601), geographical indications (GI Act 2022, Act 836) and copyright notification (Copyright Act 1987)
- Copyright is NOT registered in Malaysia — protection is automatic on creation, and MyIPO runs only a voluntary notification system
- A trademark lasts 10 years and is renewable for successive 10-year periods; the official filing fee is RM950 per class using the pre-approved goods/services list, or RM1,100 per class if not
- A patent runs 20 years from filing; a utility innovation runs 10 years plus two 5-year extensions (max 20); an industrial design runs 5 years plus four 5-year extensions (max 25)
- MyIPO is Malaysia's Office of Origin for the Madrid System, letting a trademark owner file one international application (in English) for protection across 131+ countries, with a RM200 MyIPO handling fee on top of WIPO's fees
Who this applies to: Malaysian and foreign businesses, inventors, brand owners and IP agents who need to register, renew or understand an intellectual-property right in Malaysia.
On this page
If you have invented something, built a brand, designed a product or want to protect a regional speciality in Malaysia, there is one door for almost all of it — and it is easy to be sent to the wrong service by a page trying to sell you a single one. MyIPO, the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (Malay: Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia), is the statutory agency responsible for developing and administering Malaysia’s whole intellectual-property system. That spans industrial property — patents, trademarks, industrial designs and layout-designs of integrated circuits — as well as copyright and related rights.
MyIPO was established under the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 (Act 617), which was passed to set up the Corporation and provide for its functions and powers. It came into operation on 3 March 2003 (gazette notification P.U. (B) 102/2003), the point at which it began running as a corporatised statutory body. It is a federal agency under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). Its stated mission is to provide a strong legal infrastructure and an effective administration regime that enhances creativity and the exploitation of IP.
What rights does MyIPO administer, and for how long?
Each right has its own governing statute, but MyIPO administers them all. The one that trips people up is copyright: Malaysia has no copyright registration system — a work is protected automatically the moment it is created. MyIPO runs only a voluntary notification scheme for it.
| Right | Governing statute | Registered with MyIPO? | Protection term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patent | Patents Act 1983 (Act 291) | Yes | 20 years from filing |
| Utility innovation | Patents Act 1983 (Act 291) | Yes | 10 years + two 5-year extensions (max 20) |
| Trademark | Trademarks Act 2019 (Act 815) | Yes | 10 years, renewable for successive 10-year periods |
| Industrial design | Industrial Designs Act 1996 (Act 552) | Yes | 5 years + four 5-year extensions (max 25) |
| Geographical indication | Geographical Indications Act 2022 (Act 836) | Yes | See GI Act |
| IC layout-design | Layout Designs of Integrated Circuits Act 2000 (Act 601) | Automatic (no registration) | — |
| Copyright | Copyright Act 1987 (Act 332) | No — voluntary notification only | Life + 50 years (literary, musical, artistic); 50 years (sound recordings, films, broadcasts, published editions) |
To be patentable, an invention must be new (novel), involve an inventive step and be industrially applicable. A utility innovation is the “minor invention” route — a shorter, less demanding right for incremental improvements. Copyright voluntary notification does not create the right; it produces an official record that can help prove ownership.
What does it cost to file a trademark?
The headline figure most businesses need is the trademark fee. MyIPO charges RM950 per class where the list of goods or services is adopted from its pre-approved list, and RM1,100 per class where it is not. A registration then lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely in 10-year blocks.
If you want protection beyond Malaysia, MyIPO is the country’s Office of Origin for the Madrid System (administered by WIPO). A trademark owner can file a single international application through MyIPO to seek protection in over 131 member countries. The application must be in English, and MyIPO charges a RM200 handling fee on top of the fees payable directly to WIPO in Swiss Francs.
What are geographical indications, and how many exist?
A geographical indication (GI) protects products whose reputation is tied to their place of origin. GIs are now governed by the Geographical Indications Act 2022 (Act 836), which came into force on 18 March 2022, replacing the earlier Act 602 of 2000. It allows GIs for agricultural products, foodstuffs, handicrafts and industrial goods. As of December 2024, Malaysia had registered a total of 127 geographical indications, with nine new applications during that year.
What’s next
To act on a specific right, go to MyIPO’s dedicated section for it — trademarks, patents, industrial designs, GIs or copyright notification each have their own forms and fee schedules on the official portal. Because patent examination fees and procedures change with amendments, confirm the exact current schedule against MyIPO’s own Forms and Fees pages before you file.
Does MyIPO register copyright?
No. Malaysia has no copyright registration system — a work is protected automatically upon creation. MyIPO instead operates a Copyright Voluntary Notification system. Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 50 years for literary, musical and artistic works, and 50 years for sound recordings, films, broadcasts and published editions.
How much does it cost to file a trademark with MyIPO?
The official MyIPO trademark filing fee is RM950 per class where the goods or services are adopted from MyIPO's pre-approved list, and RM1,100 per class where they are not. Protection lasts 10 years and is renewable for successive 10-year periods.
Which ministry does MyIPO sit under?
MyIPO is a federal statutory agency under the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), the ministry responsible for domestic trade and consumer affairs in Malaysia.
The following are deliberately unstated or described only qualitatively until confirmed by a subject-matter expert:
- Exact current patent official fee schedule (search summaries cite ~RM500 online filing plus separate examination fees / ~RM1,390 all-in) — confirm each line item against MyIPO's official Patent Forms and Fees page before stating a total
- Latest annual IP application/registration statistics (trademark and patent filings per year) from MyIPO's Statistic page for a current scale figure
- Current headcount of registered GIs beyond the 127 figure (as of December 2024) if a newer number is published
- Precise commencement-date wording for the IPCM Act 2002 — 3 March 2003 via P.U. (B) 102/2003 is reported by secondary sources; confirm against the AGC gazette or the Act 617 commencement notice
- Whether the current parent ministry is styled 'Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN)' in MyIPO's own latest corporate copy
Sources
- FAQ — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 (Act 617) — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia Act 2002 — Wikipedia
- Corporate Info — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- Applying for a Trademark — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- About Us — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- Geographical Indications Act 2022 (Act 836) — Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
- Geographical indications in Malaysia: Recent developments and progress — Asia IP Law
Change history
| Version | Date | Change | By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01.00 | 14 Aug 2026 | Approved and published. | — |