# Trademark registration in Lesotho

> Trademarks in Lesotho are registered with the Registrar General's Office, Ministry of Justice and Law (RGO); third parties can oppose within 3 months from advertisement in the Official Gazette. A registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed. Lesotho can be designated through the Madrid System.

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

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Registrar General's Office, Ministry of Justice and Law (RGO)
- **Madrid Protocol:** Member since 1999
- **Opposition period:** 3 months from advertisement in the Official Gazette
- **Protection:** 10 years from the filing date, renewable
- **Multi-class applications:** Allowed
- **Foreign applicants:** Applicants whose ordinary residence or principal place of business is outside Lesotho must be represented by an agent,…

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles/contact?code=ls
- Law: Industrial Property Order, 1989 (Order No. 5 of 1989, as amended by Act No. 4 of 1997) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5874
- Law: Industrial Property Regulations, 1989 (Legal Notice No. 85 of 1989) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5875

## Steps
1. Foreign applicants appoint a legal practitioner resident and practising in Lesotho as agent.
2. File the application with the Registrar General's Office, listing goods and services under the applicable Nice classes.
3. The Registrar examines the application for formalities and for substantive and relative grounds.
4. Accepted applications are advertised in the Official Gazette for opposition.
5. If no opposition is filed within three months of advertisement, the mark proceeds to registration.

- **Examination:** The Registrar examines formalities and substantive and relative grounds; no official examination time is stated.
- **Publication:** Official Gazette (national applications)
- **Opposition:** 3 months from advertisement in the Official Gazette (extendable by the Registrar)
- **Late renewal:** 6 months for late payment of the renewal fee, with a surcharge
- **Language:** English
- **Use requirement:** a registration can be challenged after 3 years of non-use.

## Good to know
- Lesotho can be covered three ways: a national filing, an ARIPO application under the Banjul Protocol designating Lesotho, or a Madrid international registration designating Lesotho.
- In practice the registry publishes only national applications; for ARIPO and Madrid designations the opposition period runs from publication in the ARIPO bulletin or the WIPO Gazette, so third parties must watch those publications.
- A registered mark can be removed for non-use after a continuous period of three years, which is shorter than the five years common elsewhere (Order, s. 30(4)).
- Convention priority may be claimed within six months; a certified copy of the priority application is reportedly due within three months of filing in Lesotho.

## FAQ
### Is Lesotho part of the Madrid Protocol?
Yes. The Madrid Protocol has been in force for Lesotho since 12 February 1999.

### Can I protect a trademark in Lesotho through ARIPO?
Yes. Lesotho is party to the ARIPO Banjul Protocol on Marks, so an ARIPO application can designate Lesotho.

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

### How long is the trademark opposition period in Lesotho?
Three months from advertisement in the Official Gazette, which the Registrar can extend.

### Do foreign applicants need a local agent in Lesotho?
Yes. Applicants based outside Lesotho must be represented by a legal practitioner resident and practising in Lesotho.

## Sources
- WIPO Lex – Lesotho Industrial Property Order, 1989: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5874
- WIPO Lex – Lesotho Industrial Property Regulations, 1989: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5875
- WIPO Lex – Lesotho profile: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/LS
- WIPO – Lesotho IP office contact: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles/contact?code=ls
- WIPO Lex – Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?search_what=C&treaty_id=8

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