INPI exhausts priority processing quotas for e-commerce trademarks — what now?

On June 18, 2026, the INPI announced the exhaustion of quarterly quotas for the priority processing of trademark registration applications in the modality intended for applicants who depend on registration to operate on e-commerce platforms. The issuance of new Union Collection Guides (GRUs) for this modality is temporarily suspended, and new quotas will only be available from September 2026.

The announcement, published on the Institute’s website, is a warning sign for thousands of Brazilian companies that use marketplaces such as Mercado Livre, Shopee, Amazon Brasil, and Magazine Luiza and depend on trademark registration to maintain and expand their presence on these channels.

What is priority trademark processing?

Priority processing is an INPI pilot project that creates separate examination queues for trademark registration applications that meet specific criteria. Not all applications can use this channel — it is limited by quarterly quotas and divided into modalities, each with distinct purposes.

The program was established by INPI/PR Ordinance No. 27/2025, with subsequent amendments by Ordinances No. 56/2026, No. 66/2026, and No. 67/2026. The latter establishes the quota system and reception criteria for Phase II of the pilot project.

The modalities of the pilot project

According to Ordinance No. 66/2026, the pilot project includes several modalities of priority processing, among them:

E-commerce — for applicants who need registration to operate on online sales platforms (the modality whose quotas have been exhausted)
Conflict and dispute resolution — to expedite processes involving trademark disputes
Innovation and growth boost — for trademarks linked to strategic projects

Additionally, there are modalities provided for in specific laws (elderly, people with disabilities, people with serious illnesses, and Inova Simples), which are free, and the modality for official Federal Government events, activated exclusively by SECOM.

Why did the quotas run out?

The news itself does not reveal the exact number of quotas available for the May-August 2026 quadmester, but the simple fact that they ran out before the end of the period demonstrates high demand for the service. This reflects a broader phenomenon: trademark formalization in Brazil is growing, driven by e-commerce.

Marketplaces like Mercado Livre and Shopee require sellers to have trademark registration or authorization from the owner to commercialize certain products — especially in sensitive categories such as electronics, perfumes, and medicines. Without registration, the seller is exposed to complaints of unfair competition and may have their listing removed.

The exhaustion of quotas therefore reveals a repressed demand: there are more companies wanting to regularize their trademark to operate in e-commerce than INPI can accommodate within the pilot project’s quota model.

Practical impacts for companies

With the temporary suspension of GRU issuance for this modality, companies that intended to request priority processing will have to wait until September 2026. GRUs already issued and still within their validity period remain valid for filing.

In practice, this means:

New applicants — will have to wait for the next quadmester or join the ordinary trademark examination queue, which can take years
Companies in expansion phase — may have to postpone plans to enter marketplaces that require trademark registration
IP planning — the unpredictability of access to priority processing reinforces the importance of planning trademark filing in advance

It is worth noting that the priority queue for the elderly, people with disabilities, and Inova Simples is not affected — these groups continue to have free and quota-independent access.

What to expect in the coming quadmesters

INPI stated that new quotas will be made available from September 2026, but there is no guarantee that the volume will be sufficient to meet all accumulated demand. The execution of the pilot project is being evaluated for improvement purposes, and it is possible that the Institute will adjust the rules for the next cycle.

Companies and IP firms should monitor:

The publication of any changes to Ordinance No. 67/2026 before the next quadmester
The opening of new quotas in September — the expectation is that there will be a rush to secure a spot
The statistics of the pilot project, which INPI makes available on its portal

The quota model for priority processing is a creative response from INPI to the growing demand for rapid trademark examinations, but the early exhaustion of quotas shows that demand still outstrips the Institute’s supply. The long-term solution involves strengthening INPI’s structure and the complete digitization of trademark examination — themes that the Institute itself has been pursuing with its automation plan.

Conclusion

The exhaustion of quotas for priority trademark processing in e-commerce is a symptom of the growth of the Brazilian digital market and the strategic importance of industrial property for online retail. Companies that depend on marketplaces need to include trademark registration in their strategic planning, considering not only ordinary examination periods but also the limited windows of priority programs.

For INPI, the challenge is to balance growing demand with examination capacity, in a scenario where the digitalization of the economy shows no signs of slowing down.