Patents and Copyright Notification in Thailand
Many owners lose protection by posting or selling a product before filing. This page helps you pick the right protection and what to do before launch. Trademarks have their own page.
- Years
- 7
- Languages
- 30+
- Countries
- 94
- Notaries
- 6
For: Inventors, SMEs, start-ups, designers and creators
Reviewed by NYC legal team · บริษัท เอ็นวายซี วีซ่า แอนด์ ทรานสเลชั่น จำกัด
Does copyright need registering in Thailand?
No. Copyright arises on creation; DIP notification is supporting evidence only. Patents, by contrast, require an application, ideally before any disclosure.
- Agency
- Department of Intellectual Property
- International
- PCT system
Three kinds of patent
- Invention patent: new, inventive step, industrially applicable
- Petty patent: new and applicable, without the same inventive-step bar
- Design patent: shape, pattern or colour of a product
File before you disclose
Copyright needs no registration
- Keep dated source files
- Use assignment clauses with freelancers and staff
- Clear rights to images, music and fonts you use
Protection abroad
How we work
- 1
Assess
Pick the right protection
- 2
Prior-art search
Check similar patents
- 3
Draft
Description, claims and drawings
- 4
File and prosecute
Submit to DIP and answer examiner actions
Indicative fees
Filing and annual fees follow DIP rates
Agency rules change. Check the latest notice with the official agency before you file.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a patent last?+
Terms differ by type and are set in the Patent Act. Check current terms with DIP; annual fees keep the right alive.
Can I patent an idea or business method?+
No. Bare ideas, business methods and computer programs as such are excluded; software is protected by copyright.
I already launched — can I still file?+
Novelty may be lost. It depends on the disclosure, case by case.
📚 Official references
- Patents and copyright— Department of Intellectual Property
- Patent Cooperation Treaty— WIPO
Step-by-step preparation guide
รายการเอกสารที่ต้องเตรียม ขั้นตอนแปลและรับรอง พร้อมข้อควรระวังที่ทำให้เอกสารถูกตีกลับ
- Required vs optional document list
- Each step with a realistic time frame
- Why files get rejected — and how to prevent it
- Tips from cases we handle every week
Knowledge bases behind every service
3,057 answered questions written by our lawyers and translators, grouped by service. Free to read, no sign-up.
- Master Service Hub — every service we file
The cross-service index: certified translation, interpreting, visa/work permit/BOI, tax-legal-estate, cross-border M&A, aviation & maritime, and holding-company structuring.
649 answered questions
- Certified translation — every language
Certified translation across civil, academic, corporate, contractual, financial, medical, technical and IP documents — with the Notary → MFA → embassy legalization chain handled end to end.
500 answered questions
- Thai MFA consular legalization
Thai MFA legalization workflow: fees, turnaround, inbound foreign documents, and how the chain connects to destination-country apostille requirements.
500 answered questions
Official sources — company registration & BOI
The information on this page follows the official sources below. Always check the latest version before you file.
- Department of Business Development — company registration— Department of Business Development
- Board of Investment (BOI) / LTR Visa— Thailand Board of Investment
- Revenue Department — Revenue Code, income tax, VAT— Revenue Department
- PDPC Thailand— PDPC Thailand
- Office of the Council of State — Thai law database— Office of the Council of State
Related services
Most document work runs across several steps — jump straight to the next one you need.
For an exact quote and turnaround, call, LINE or email our team on any business day.
Expert reviewed: This page is written and checked by practitioners with since 2019 of hands-on filing experience, sourced from the responsible authorities and signed off by a second reviewer before publication — meet the team · editorial policy
Frequently asked questions
- What makes a Thai translation 'certified' and who is allowed to certify it?
- A certified translation is a translation issued with a signed certification statement from a translation agency or qualified translator confirming the text is a true and complete rendering of the original. Thailand has no single government translator register for general use, so acceptance depends on the receiving authority: the Department of Consular Affairs accepts translations submitted with the original document for legalization, embassies usually accept agency-certified translations, and some foreign authorities additionally require a sworn or NAATI translator. We confirm the receiving body's rule before translating so the document is not rejected later.
- Do I need the original document or is a scan enough for translation?
- A clear scan is enough to produce the translation, but the original is normally required for the legalization step that follows. The Department of Consular Affairs checks the translation against the original or a certified true copy issued by the responsible Thai authority, so if you plan to legalize, send us a high-resolution scan to start the translation and keep the original ready for submission.
- How should Thai names be spelled in an English translation?
- Always match the spelling printed in the passport, even when it differs from Royal Thai General System transliteration. Authorities compare the translation against the passport and treat any mismatch as a different person, which is one of the most common causes of rejection. If a name has been spelled differently on older documents, we add a spelling-variation note or arrange a name-consistency affidavit.
- How long does a certified translation take and can it be rushed?
- Standard civil documents such as an ID card, house registration, birth or marriage certificate are typically ready in one to two working days, while contracts, court judgments and academic transcripts take longer because of terminology checks. Same-day handling is possible for short standard documents if the scan arrives in the morning; rush handling does not shorten the separate MFA legalization queue.
We advise first, then do the work
Before translating we confirm which form the receiving authority actually accepts — agency certification, MFA legalisation, or a translator declaration before an attorney.
- Free case assessment before you commit — send photos of your documents and we tell you what is actually needed.
- A team of licensed attorneys, notarial services attorneys and registered translators, with since 2019 of combined practice.
- We flag risks and alternatives in writing — including when the cheaper or faster route is the correct one.
- We stay with the case after delivery: if the receiving authority asks for more, we advise at no extra consulting fee.
Talk to an adviser: 083-2494999 · LINE @NYC168 · contact@nyclegal.co.th
Not sure which service you need? Read the guides
Each guide answers first, then explains: decision criteria, comparison tables, the real process and the mistakes we see most often.
- Choosing a certified translation provider
How to pick a translator accepted by consular, embassy and receiving bodies
- Services for expats living in Thailand
Signature certification, residence, marriage and everyday paperwork
- Notary Public and consular legalization
The correct order of steps before sending documents abroad
- Choosing the right visa and work permit
Compare visa categories and the documents each one needs translated
- Translation by language
English, Chinese, Japanese, European, Arabic, Russian and embassy rules
- Specialized translation
Contracts, financial statements, MSDS, ISO and BOI filings
Talk to us first: 083-2494999 · LINE @NYC168 · contact@nyclegal.co.th