Intellectual Property & Trademark service registration in Panama

Legal basis is the Intellectual Property Law No. 35 of November 10, 1996, amended by Law No. 61 of October 5, 2012, regulated by the Executive Decree No. 85 of July 4, 2017 in Panama.

The registration process begins filing an application before the Panamanian Trademark and Patent Office. This is the procedure to do a trademark registration in Panama.

Normally, the procedure takes between 6 to 9 months depending on the contingencies that may arise. The request of trademark shall be published only once in the Bulletin of Industrial Property and in the event that within the sixty days following the publication no claim is filed against it, the registration of the trademark shall be made.

1. The registration process begins filing an application in the Panamanian Trademark and Patent Office: the General Directorate of Registration of Industrial Property (DIGERPI) of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
2. After in about one month, the Ecuadorian PTO will make a official examination to verify if the application complies with the requirements.
3. Prior this examination, the trademark is published in n the Industrial Property Bulletin.
4. During the publication stage it is possible to make objections. Third parties will have 2 month after the publication date for presenting oppositions. If oppositions are made then the opposition procedure will start. If there are no oppositions the Panamanian PTO will perform the final examination and decide whether the trademark is granted or denied.
5. After the objection period has passed (If there are no oppositions) the Panamanian PTO decides if the trademark is granted or denied according with the trademark law.
6. Finally the Panamanian PTO notifies the decision and issue the PROPERTY TITLE.

A trademark registration in Panama is valid for 10 years from the filing date, The registration is renewable for periods of 10 years.

Panama IP, Trademark application requirement

1. Complete applicant identification, (name, address, Phone number, E-mail address) If the applicant is a corporation, it is required the same information noted above, for the legal representative.
2. Design of the trademark logo in gif or jpg. Format (If the trademark is stylized -logo-) If the colors are important then you should send the logo in color.
3. Accurate and complete indication of the products or services that you wish to protect with the trademark. An application can only be filed for products or services included in one single class. Multi-class registration is not allowed in Panama.
4. The class according with the ninth edition of the Nice International Classification
5. A simple (non-official) translation to Spanish Language of the priority document.
6. The Power of Attorney. This POA must be notarized and legalized up to the Panamanian Consulate in your country. If your country is part of the Hague Apostille Convention, an Apostille is sufficient.
7. A certificate of incorporation or business certificate. This document must be legalized before a Panamanian Consulate or with Apostille.
8. A simple (non – official) translation to Spanish language of the business certificate or certificate of incorporation. For documents not sent in Spanish language, we offer you a translation service (From English to Spanish only).
9. Panamanian authorities require an affidavit concerning the use of the trademark on the country. It should state that you don’t have knowledge of others being using the trademark that is to be applied. This document requires to be legalized before the Panamanian Consulate or with Apostille.