{"id":5889,"date":"2026-03-17T04:21:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T04:21:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/?p=5889"},"modified":"2026-03-17T04:21:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T04:21:41","slug":"absolute-grounds-for-trademark-refusal-in-indonesia-morality-public-order-descriptiveness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/2026\/03\/17\/absolute-grounds-for-trademark-refusal-in-indonesia-morality-public-order-descriptiveness\/","title":{"rendered":"Absolute Grounds for Trademark Refusal in Indonesia: Morality, Public Order &amp; Descriptiveness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many business owners assume that as long as a name or logo has not been used by another party, it can be registered as a Trademark without any issue. In practice, however, during the examination process at the Indonesian Trademark Office (DGIP), there are several reasons why a Trademark Application may be rejected outright\u2014even without considering whether there is an identical or similar Trademark owned by another party.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These reasons are known as \u201cabsolute grounds for refusal,\u201d as stipulated in <\/span><b>Article 20 of Law No. 20 of 2016 on Trademarks and Geographical Indications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Rejected Without Comparing Other Trademarks<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Absolute grounds for refusal relate to the substance of the Trademark itself, rather than conflicts with existing Trademarks. In practice, the most common reasons include:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being contrary to morality<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being contrary to public order<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Being descriptive of the goods or services<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Understanding these three aspects is crucial so that business owners can avoid rejection from the very beginning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>Trademarks Contrary to Morality<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the most fundamental reasons for rejecting a Trademark is when the sign is considered to violate societal norms of decency or morality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This may include the use of words, images, or symbols that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Contain pornographic elements<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Insult or demean certain groups<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Include vulgar or inappropriate language<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Potentially offend cultural or religious values<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The purpose of this rule is to ensure that the trademark registration system does not grant legal protection to signs that may harm social values within society.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Examples include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Names containing vulgar expressions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Logos depicting symbols that may insult certain beliefs<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Even if a sign may be considered creative from a marketing perspective, if it is deemed to violate public moral standards, the Trademark Application will most likely be rejected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>Trademarks Contrary to Public Order<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition to morality concerns, DGIP may also reject signs considered to be contrary to public order.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Public order relates to the broader interests of society and social stability. Therefore, Trademarks containing the following elements may be refused:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The use of state symbols without authorization<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unauthorized use of symbols of international organizations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Elements that may provoke social or political conflict<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Signs that mislead the public regarding official authority or status<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, the use of national emblems, national flags, or official government symbols in a Trademark is generally not allowed without special permission.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The reason is simple: the public may assume that the product has an official connection with a government institution or authority, when in fact it does not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>Descriptive Trademarks<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another very common reason for Trademark refusal is when the sign is descriptive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A Trademark is considered descriptive when it directly describes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the type of goods or services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the quality of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the function of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the characteristics of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the geographical origin of the product<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The term \u201cDELICIOUS COFFEE\u201d for coffee products<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The term \u201cFRESH\u201d for beverages<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The term \u201cSUPER FAST DELIVERY\u201d for courier services<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The problem with descriptive Trademarks is that such terms must remain available for use by other businesses to describe their own products.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If these common terms were granted exclusive rights to one party, other businesses would face difficulties describing their products fairly in the marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Therefore, Indonesian Trademark Law requires that a Trademark must possess distinctiveness in order to be registered.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Why Understanding Absolute Grounds for Refusal Matters<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">By analyzing these three grounds for refusal, you can not only minimize the risk of rejection but also gain several advantages:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The registration process can proceed more efficiently<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The risk of losing the registration fees can be minimized<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your branding strategy can continue according to plan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Should you have further questions regarding the absolute grounds for refusal in Trademark registration in Indonesia or abroad, feel free to contact us through the following channels and receive a FREE 15-minute consultation.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83d\udce9 E-Mail<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: trademark@staging.affa.co.id<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83d\udcde Book a Call<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: +62 21 83793812<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\ud83d\udcac WhatsApp<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">: +62 812 87000 889<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>About AFFA:\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Established in 1999, AFFA Intellectual Property Rights is an Indonesia-based boutique IP law firm serving international brands and innovators, offering full-service support\u2014from prosecution and licensing to enforcement and commercialization\u2014in Indonesia\u2019s dynamic IP landscape. Our firm is widely recognized for its excellence, with accolades including <\/span><b>\u201cBest Boutique Law Firm in Indonesia\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and<\/span><b> \u201cIP Enforcement Firm\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at the Indonesia Law Firm Awards 2025 by <\/span><b>Asia Business Law Journal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, as well as being listed as a <\/span><b>\u201cRecommended Firm 2024 \u2014 Indonesia\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> by <\/span><b>WTR 1000: The World\u2019s Leading Trademark Professionals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. For more information, please visit: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.staging.affa.co.id\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">www.staging.affa.co.id<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many business owners assume that as long as a name or logo has not been used by another party, it can be registered as a Trademark without any issue. In practice, however, during the examination process at the Indonesian Trademark Office (DGIP), there are several reasons why a Trademark Application may be rejected outright\u2014even without&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,102],"tags":[87,104,145,353,354,355,356,357,35,375,43,48,51,68,75,76,79],"class_list":["post-5889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-intellectual-property","category-trademark","tag-affa-ipr","tag-merek-indonesia-bisa","tag-timing-is-everything","tag-indonesia-trademark-registration","tag-overseas-trademark","tag-indonesia-patent-registration","tag-indonesia-industrial-design-registration","tag-indonesia-copyright-registration","tag-trademark","tag-absolute-grounds","tag-intellectual-property","tag-merek","tag-kekayaan-intelektual","tag-affa","tag-ip","tag-ki","tag-your-ip-is-our-expertise","category-81","category-102","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5889"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5889\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5894,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5889\/revisions\/5894"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.affa.co.id\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}