# Trademark registration in Botswana

> Trademarks in Botswana are registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA); the official application fee is BWP 300 for one class, and third parties can oppose within 3 months from publication. A registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed. Botswana can be designated through the Madrid System.

Source page: https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/botswana
Facts checked against official sources: 2026-10-11

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Companies and Intellectual Property Authority (CIPA)
- **Official fee:** BWP 300 — Application, black-and-white mark (first class)
- **Madrid Protocol:** Member since 2006
- **Opposition period:** 3 months from publication
- **Protection:** 10 years from the filing date, renewable
- **Multi-class applications:** Allowed
- **Foreign applicants:** Applicants with no residence or place of business in Botswana must be represented by a professional representative in B…

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://www.cipa.co.bw
- Law: Industrial Property Act, 2010 (Act No. 8 of 2010) — https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bot132389.pdf
- Law: Industrial Property Regulations, 2012 (Statutory Instrument No. 70 of 2012) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14360

## Official fees (as of 2021-10)
- Application, black-and-white mark (first class): BWP 300 — BWP 150 for individuals and small entities
- Application, coloured mark (first class): BWP 360 — BWP 180 for individuals and small entities
- Each additional class: BWP 60 — BWP 30 for individuals and small entities
- Publication: BWP 180 — BWP 90 for individuals and small entities
- Registration: BWP 360 — BWP 180 for individuals and small entities
- Renewal (first class): BWP 240 — plus BWP 80 per additional class; BWP 120 + 40 per additional class for individuals and small entities

## Steps
1. Applicants based outside Botswana appoint a local representative and sign a power of attorney.
2. File the application with CIPA, listing goods and services under the applicable Nice classes (several classes may be combined in one application).
3. The Registrar examines the application for formal and substantive compliance.
4. Once accepted and the publication fee is paid, the application is published in the Trade Marks Journal.
5. Third parties may oppose within three months of publication.
6. If there is no opposition, the registration fee is paid and the registration certificate is issued.

- **Examination:** The Registrar at CIPA examines applications for formal and substantive compliance; no official examination time is stated.
- **Publication:** Trade Marks Journal (Industrial Property Act, s. 78(3))
- **Opposition:** 3 months from publication; the Registrar may grant extensions, commonly 3 months
- **Timeline:** 15–18 months from filing to registration if there are no oppositions or unusual delays
- **Late renewal:** 6 months for late renewal; a lapsed registration can be restored within a further 2 months after the grace period (s. 88)
- **Power of attorney:** A signed power of attorney is required when the applicant is represented; notarisation is not required.
- **Language:** English

## Good to know
- Botswana can be covered by a national filing at CIPA, an ARIPO application under the Banjul Protocol designating Botswana, or a Madrid international registration designating Botswana.
- The Industrial Property Act 2010 came into force on 31 August 2012; it expressly provides for extension of Madrid international registrations to Botswana, which the earlier 1996 Act did not.
- Exclusive rights to a mark are acquired by registration (s. 74), and the Act also protects well-known marks.
- Official fees are lower for individuals and small entities, and coloured marks attract a higher application fee than black-and-white marks.

## FAQ
### How much does it cost to register a trademark in Botswana?
Official fees for a company in a single class were reported as BWP 300 to file (BWP 360 for a coloured mark), BWP 180 for publication and BWP 360 for registration, with BWP 60 per additional class. Individuals and small entities pay half.

### How long does trademark registration take in Botswana?
Roughly 15–18 months from filing to registration if there are no oppositions or unusual delays.

### Is Botswana part of the Madrid Protocol?
Yes. The Madrid Protocol has been in force for Botswana since 5 December 2006, and Botswana can also be designated in an ARIPO application under the Banjul Protocol.

### How long is the trademark opposition period in Botswana?
Three months from publication in the Trade Marks Journal, and the Registrar may grant extensions.

### How long does a trademark last in Botswana?
Ten years from the filing date, renewable for further 10-year periods, with a six-month grace period for late renewal.

## Sources
- CIPA website: https://www.cipa.co.bw
- Industrial Property Act, 2010 (FAOLEX): https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bot132389.pdf
- WIPO Lex – Industrial Property Regulations, 2012: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/14360
- WIPO Lex – Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?search_what=C&treaty_id=8
- ARIPO – Trademarks (Banjul Protocol member states): https://www.aripo.org/ip-services/trademarks
- EU IP Helpdesk – Botswana IP factsheet: https://intellectual-property-helpdesk.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2021-10/BOTSWANA.pdf

Need a firm that files in Botswana? Find one at https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/botswana (TrademarksHub lists IP firms by country; featured placements are paid and labelled).
General information, not legal advice.