VMC（Verified Mark Certificate）
FAQ
This section contains frequently asked questions and answers regarding applications for BIMI/VMC and GMO Brand Security Seal.
Trademark
- Are there any requirements for the trademark to be submitted?
- The logo you submit must be identical to your registered trademark.
- We do not have a registered trademark in Japan, but we do have one registered overseas. Can we apply using the overseas trademark?
- Yes, you can apply with a trademark registered outside Japan.
List of intellectual property offices accepted for VMCs (as of March 19, 2025):
https://support.globalsign.com/mark-certificate/manage-verified-mark-certificates/list-intellectual-property-office-regions - Are there any requirements regarding the class or designated goods/services?
- No. What matters is that the mark is a registered trademark.
- What trademark registration information is required?
- You will enter the trademark registration number when applying.
- We plan to apply for multiple trademarks. Can they be combined into a single application?
- One VMC is issued per trademark. For example, if you have three trademarks, three VMCs will be issued.
- Our trademark application is pending and not yet registered. Can we apply?
- Only registered trademarks are eligible. Please apply after your trademark has been registered.
If the trademark status shown in J-PlatPat is "Live – Registered – Valid" (存続-登録-継続), validation can proceed. If the status is "Live – Registered – Published for opposition" (存続-登録-異議申立のための公告), validation cannot proceed. - What should we do if the trademark owner is a different company from the applicant?
- If we can confirm during validation that the owner is a group company, no additional documents are required. If not, please submit a trademark license agreement.
- Can we apply with a logo whose colors or background color differ from the registered trademark?
- Please contact us. We will check and get back to you.
- If our trademark is registered in standard characters, how should we create the logo?
- A trademark registered in standard characters covers the text only, without specifying a typeface (font). Therefore, you do not need to match a specific font. As long as the text (spelling, upper/lower case, symbols, etc.) matches the registration, please apply with a logo created in the same or a similar font to the one shown in the trademark gazette.
- We want to use a logo that is not registered as a trademark. What should we do?
- Even without trademark registration, a logo that has been in use for at least one year may be eligible for a Common Mark Certificate (CMC).
With a CMC, the logo is displayed only in Gmail, and no blue checkmark is shown.
SVG Data
- What is "SVG data"?
- SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) is a text-based vector image format used on websites and in applications. It allows your logo to be scaled up or down without any loss of quality.
- What SVG data should be submitted?
- Please prepare SVG data identical to the registered trademark for which you are applying for a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC).
- Are there any requirements for the SVG data?
- The data must meet the requirements below.
https://bimigroup.org/svg-conversion-tools-released/ - Is there a recommended background color for BIMI? Can we apply with a transparent background?
- The logo must have a solid background. A transparent background may not display as expected.
Set up BIMI (Google Workspace Admin Help)
https://knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/security/set-up-bimi?hl=en
Preparation
- Is there anything we need to prepare before applying for a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?
- Please complete the following preparations:
- Specify the target domain(s)
- Register your brand logo as a trademark
- Prepare an SVG file
- Change your DMARC policy from "none" to "quarantine" or "reject". *If the policy is not changed, the BIMI logo will not be displayed. - Can you help us raise our DMARC policy?
- We can introduce our support service for raising DMARC (email spoofing protection) policies.
Supported Email Services
- Which email services are supported?
- Gmail, Apple (iCloud Mail), au Mail, and others (as of October 2026).
*Reference:
https://bimigroup.org/bimi-infographic/
Application Documents
- What are the differences between the Contract Signer, Certificate Approver, and Certificate Requester?
- When applying, you will designate a Contract Signer, a Certificate Approver, and a Certificate Requester. Each role handles different validation steps:
Handwritten signature on documents (Certificate Requester, Contract Signer)
Phone verification (Contract Signer, Certificate Approver)
Video verification (Contract Signer, Certificate Approver)
One person may also be designated for all roles. - Are there requirements for the phone number entered in the application?
- For the phone number of your business location, please enter the number registered in a third-party database.
- Are there requirements for the address entered in the application?
- For the address of your business location, please enter the address shown in your commercial registry.
Validation Process
- What does validation involve?
- Validation covers three areas: organization validation, trademark validation, and domain validation.
- What if we cannot take the verification phone call?
- Please contact us, and we will guide you through an alternative method.
- Please tell us about domain validation.
- Domain validation can be completed by DNS validation, email validation, or web page validation. Details will be provided during the validation process.
- How long does it take from application to issuance?
- It depends on your application, but it typically takes about two weeks to one month.
Options
- Can we add the Multi-Domain option after the certificate has been issued?
- Yes. You can apply to add the Multi-Domain option while the certificate is valid. The expiration date of the original certificate will carry over.
- What should we do if we want to change the logo after the certificate has been issued?
- A new application is required, and fees will apply.
Hosting Service
- After issuance, can we use a hosting service for the certificate file and logo image file?
- Yes, you can use our hosting service.
- Is there a fee for using the hosting service?
- No, there is no additional fee for using the hosting service.
Validity Period & Renewal
- How long is a VMC valid?
- Up to 397 days from the date of issuance (the start of the validity period).
- How does renewal work?
- You can renew starting 90 days before the expiration date.
We will send renewal notices 90, 30, and 7 days before expiration. - Is there any impact if our registered trademark expires within one year?
- Validation is based on the trademark expiration date confirmed at the time of application.
Certificates are normally issued with a validity period of 397 days; however, if the trademark expires in fewer than 397 days, the certificate will be valid only until the trademark's expiration date. - What happens when the certificate expires?
- When the certificate expires, the logo will no longer be displayed. Emails that have already been received are not affected.