SA trademark

Protect your brand in South Africa

For a South African to file a Madrid Protocol / international trademark, the applicant must first be in possession of a South African registered trademark / have filed a South African trademark application (referred to as a "Basic Mark").

The South African Trademarks Office typically issues trademark applications within 1‐2 business days of filing a South African trademark application. As soon as you have a South African trademark application / registration number, you are able to file an international trademark.

You can file a South African trademark online for only US$80 using the Iptica SA trademark system.

Alternatively, engage the services of a South African trademark attorney to:

• conduct a South African trademark registrability search (R2,500 plus vat); and
• prepare and file your South African trademark (R3,450 plus vat).

We recommend the trademark attorneys at S&Z.

Since your international trademark is exposed to refusal of your South African trademark application during its first 5 years, we suggest: conducting a registrability search before filing the South African trademark; and filing the South African trademark via S&Z.