In depth

A long-awaited reform

The idea of dedicated IP courts was first introduced in the 2024 amendments to the Law on the Organization of People's Courts ("2024 Court Law"), which replaced the previous 2014 version.

However, the implementation of these courts was put on hold due to a sweeping administrative reform launched in late 2024. This reform aimed to streamline Vietnam's governance structure by reducing it from three levels (provinces/cities, districts, and communes) to just two (provinces/cities and communes). As a result, a major overhaul of the entire court system became necessary.

In line with this broader restructuring, on 24 June 2025, the NA passed further amendments to the 2024 Court Law ("2025 Court Law"), marking a significant and unprecedented transformation of the judicial framework. A key feature of this reform was the rollout of a new operational model for the long-waited IP courts.

IP courts now embedded in regional court system

Under the 2025 Court Law, effective 1 July 2025, the judiciary will now comprise the following key levels:

According to the chart above, each province is served by several regional courts, which include specialized divisions for handling specific types of legal cases, such as criminal, economic and IP matters.

The IP court will function as a dedicated division within select regional courts. It will have jurisdiction over first-instance IP cases, covering civil, commercial, administrative and technology transfer disputes. Under the 2025 Court Law, the Standing Committee is responsible for determining the territorial jurisdiction of regional courts for certain case types, including IP-related matters.

Following the adoption of the 2025 Court Law, the NA Standing Committee issued Resolution No. 81 on 27 June 2025. This resolution outlines the establishment of provincial- and regional-level courts, along with the territorial jurisdiction of each level.

Under this new framework, two IP courts will be established: one in Hanoi and the other in Ho Chi Minh City. The Hanoi IP court will oversee IP cases from northern and select central provinces, while the Ho Chi Minh City IP court will handle IP cases from the remaining provinces and cities across the country.

Why this matters to IP holders and foreign investors

The introduction of Vietnam's IP courts marks a major step forward in creating a clearer, more specialized approach to resolving IP disputes. This reform is a significant win for rights holders and foreign investors, who have long called for a more predictable, expert-driven system to handle complex IP issues.

With the launch of dedicated IP courts, stakeholders can look forward to:

• Decisions made by judges with deep expertise in IP law.
• Quicker resolution of complex cases, cutting down on delays that often stall enforcement.
• More consistent and transparent rulings, boosting legal certainty and fairness.
• Increased confidence in Vietnam's legal landscape, reinforcing its position as a hub for innovation and investment.

This is especially critical for industries where IP is central, such as tech, pharma, entertainment and advanced manufacturing. The timing is also significant, as Vietnam faces growing international scrutiny over IP enforcement, particularly in trade negotiations.

What comes next?

The 2025 Court Law and Resolution No. 81 issued by the NA Standing Committee are both set to take effect on 1 July 2025, a timeline that poses considerable implementation challenges.

Given the scale of the reform effort, which spans administrative and judicial systems at every level from central to local, the process of formally establishing and launching specialized courts, including the IP courts, will take additional time. These courts are expected to be fully operational by the fourth quarter of 2025.

We will stay on top of the latest developments and keep you timely updated as Vietnam moves toward fully operational IP courts.

*****

Tuan Linh Nguyen, Senior Government Affairs Manager, has contributed to this legal update.