# What Is the Deadline for Opposing a Trademark?

> The deadline for opposing a trademark application is two months from publication. When it starts, how it is calculated, and what remains if you miss it.

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- Last updated: 2026-08-20
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The deadline for opposing a trademark application is **two months from publication** of the application in the Official Trademark Bulletin (Article 18 of the Industrial Property Code).

The law fixes the period in **months, not days**. Depending on the calendar, two months is between 59 and 62 days, so working on an assumption of "60 days" can cause a loss of rights at month ends. The correct calculation runs to the corresponding day two months after publication.

## When Does the Period Start?

It starts on the **date of publication in the bulletin**. There is a critical point here: the Office does not send a separate notice to those who might oppose. Publication is a public announcement, and monitoring the period is the responsibility of interested parties.

In practice this is the most common cause of lost rights: a proprietor learns of a similar application only after it has registered, usually on encountering it in the market.

## The Deadlines in a Trademark Proceeding

| Step | Period | Runs from | Basis |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Opposition to publication | 2 months | Date of publication | Art. 18 |
| Observations in reply | 1 month | Office notification | Art. 19 and Regulation |
| Filing proof-of-use evidence | 1 month | Office notification | Regulation |
| Appeal to the Board | 2 months | Notification of the decision | Art. 20 |
| Court action against a Board decision | 2 months | Notification of the decision | Art. 156/3 |

All of these are forfeiture periods; none can be extended.

## The Fee Must Also Be Paid Within the Period

Filing the pleading in time is not sufficient on its own: the **opposition fee must also be paid within the period**. If it is not, the opposition is deemed not to have been filed. For current amounts consult the TÜRKPATENT fee schedule in force.

## What Happens If the Deadline Is Missed?

Once the opposition period has passed, that route closes and the application proceeds to registration. The remaining route is an **invalidation action in court** after registration.

The difference between the two matters:

- **Opposition:** an administrative process before TÜRKPATENT, comparatively quick and low-cost.
- **Invalidation action:** litigation, with expert examination and court timetables — markedly longer and more expensive.

There is also a risk of **acquiescence** on the invalidation route: if the proprietor remains silent for five years while knowing, or having reason to know, of the use of the later mark, they may no longer rely on invalidity unless the registration was made in bad faith (Article 25). See [Can a Registered Trademark Be Cancelled?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-invalidation-and-revocation)

## The Only Way Not to Miss It: Bulletin Monitoring

The right to oppose has value only for applications you know about. The bulletin is published at regular intervals and the two-month period runs of its own accord.

Systematic bulletin monitoring is, in practice, the only way to stop a similar application before it registers. How it works is explained in [Trademark Watch and Bulletin Monitoring](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-watch-and-bulletin-monitoring); to have it run on your behalf, see our [trademark watch](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-izleme) service.

## Related Reading

- If you want to oppose: [How to File a Trademark Opposition](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-to-file-a-trademark-opposition)
- If you have been opposed: [An Opposition Has Been Filed Against My Trademark](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-opposition-filed-against-my-application)
- Who may oppose: [Who Can Oppose a Trademark Application?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/who-can-oppose-a-trademark-application)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How many days is the trademark opposition deadline?

The law fixes it in months, not days: two months from publication of the application in the bulletin (Article 18). Depending on the calendar that is between 59 and 62 days, so calculating on the basis of "60 days" can be risky.

### When does the period start?

On the date the application is published in the Official Trademark Bulletin. No separate notice is given by the Office; monitoring the period is the responsibility of interested parties.

### Can the opposition period be extended?

No. The opposition period is a forfeiture period and no extension can be requested. The opposition fee must also be paid within the period, failing which the opposition is deemed not to have been filed.

### I missed the deadline. What can I do?

The opposition route closes and the application proceeds to registration. The remaining route is an invalidation action in court after registration, which is longer and more costly.

### Is the deadline for appealing a refusal also two months?

Yes, but it starts differently. The period for appealing a decision runs two months from notification of the decision (Article 20), whereas the opposition period runs from the date of publication.

## Related Resources

- [Legal Protection](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/hukuki-koruma): Explains attorney support for bulletin oppositions, appeals against refusals, counter-statements and trademark infringement cases.
- [Trademark Watch](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/hizmetler/marka-izleme): Covers monitoring similar applications published in the Official Trademark Bulletin and reporting them before the opposition period ends.
- [How to File a Trademark Opposition](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-to-file-a-trademark-opposition): How do you oppose a published trademark application? The two-month deadline, valid grounds, evidence preparation and what strengthens an opposition.
- [An Opposition Has Been Filed Against My Trademark — What Now?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-opposition-filed-against-my-application): Has your trademark application been opposed? The observation deadline, the proof-of-use request, the consent route and the steps that improve your chances.
- [Why Is Trademark Watching (Bulletin Monitoring) Essential?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-watch-and-bulletin-monitoring): What is trademark watching and how does bulletin monitoring work? Catch similar applications early, meet the two-month opposition deadline, cut enforcement costs.
- [My Trademark Application Was Refused — What Now?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/how-to-appeal-a-trademark-refusal): If your trademark application was refused you have two months to appeal. The Board process, arguments that work, consent, and the court stage.
- [How to Prepare an Evidence File for Trademark Proof of Use](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/trademark-proof-of-use-evidence): Trademark proof of use in Turkey: which evidence counts, which five years apply, how to organize the file. A step-by-step guide for opposition and revocation.
- [Acquired Distinctiveness Through Use: Can a Descriptive Mark Be Registered?](https://www.webx.net.tr/en/blog/acquired-distinctiveness-through-use): Can a descriptive trademark be registered in Turkey through acquired distinctiveness? SMK Article 5(2) conditions, timing, evidence and how to build the file.