Trademark registration in MalawiQuick answer
Trademarks in Malawi are registered with the Trademarks Office, Department of the Registrar General, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (RGD); the official trademark application fee is MWK 50,000 for one class, and third parties can oppose within 30 days from the date of advertisement (Trademarks Act 2018, s. A registration lasts 10 years from the filing date and can be renewed. Malawi can be designated through the Madrid System.
Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026 · see sources
- Office
- RGD
- Official fee
- MWK 50,000
- Madrid Protocol
- Member since 2018
- Opposition
- 30 days from the date of advertisement (Tradema…
- Protection
- 10 years from filing date
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The trademark office and official links
Trademarks in Malawi are registered by the Trademarks Office, Department of the Registrar General, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (RGD).
Official fees in Malawi
| Official fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trademark application, one class foreign applicants: USD 120 | MWK 50,000 |
| Each subsequent class foreign applicants: USD 100 | MWK 5,000 |
| Series of trademarks, one class foreign applicants: USD 120; each subsequent class MWK 25,000 / USD 100 | MWK 50,000 |
| Certification trademark, one class foreign applicants: USD 200 | MWK 75,000 |
| Renewal at expiry of last registration foreign applicants: USD 100 | MWK 50,000 |
Official office fees only (schedule as of 2020-08). Official fee schedule. Professional fees of a local firm are extra — compare fixed-fee packages.
How to register a trademark in Malawi
- Applicants based outside Malawi appoint a Malawi-resident trademark agent (legal practitioner or admitted trademark agent).
- File a signed application with the Trademarks Office giving the applicant's details, a representation of the mark, the goods or services, and a declaration of use or intention to use.
- The Registrar accepts, conditionally accepts or refuses the application; the Act requires a decision within 30 days.
- After the publication fee is paid, the accepted application is advertised.
- Any person may oppose within 30 days of the advertisement; the applicant then has 30 days to file a counter-statement.
- If unopposed, the mark is registered with effect from the filing date.
Examination, publication and opposition
- Examination: The Registrar of Trademarks examines the application and must decide to accept, accept with conditions, or refuse within 30 days (Trademarks Act 2018, s. 7(5)).
- Publication: Accepted applications are advertised after payment of the prescribed fee; the Registrar must publish a Trademarks Journal at least once a month (Trademarks Act 2018, s. 80(1)).
- Opposition period: 30 days from the date of advertisement (Trademarks Act 2018, s. 10(1))
Protection, renewal and use
- Term: 10 years from the filing date, renewable.
- Use requirement: a registration can be challenged after 5 years of non-use.
Filing from abroad
- Local agent: Applicants without residence or a principal place of business in Malawi must be represented by a trademark agent resident in Malawi, who must be a Malawi legal practitioner or admitted before the Institute of Patents and Trademark Agents of Malawi (s. 74).
- Language: English
Firms on TrademarksHub that cover Malawi can act as your local agent — see firms.
Madrid Protocol
Malawi is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 2018). You can designate it in an international application filed through your home office, or file a national application directly. A local firm can advise which route is cheaper for your classes and timeline.
Trademark classes
Nice Classification (45 classes), required by s. 18 of the Trademarks Act, 2018. Not sure which classes you need? See all 45 classes or classes by business type.
How Malawi compares
- Opposition: 30 days from the date of advertisement (Trademarks Act 2018, s. 10(1)) — compare all countries
- Renewal: every 10 years — compare all countries
- Foreign owners: required — rules in every country
Guides: registering in any country · costs by country · Madrid
Good to know in Malawi
- The Registrar General's fee schedule (revised 13 August 2020) sets separate US-dollar fees for foreign applicants, for example USD 120 for an application in one class.
- Malawi can be designated through the Madrid Protocol (in force since 25 December 2018) and through ARIPO under the Banjul Protocol; the 2018 Act has dedicated schedules for both routes.
- ARIPO applications can be filed at the Malawi Trademarks Office, which must forward them to ARIPO within 30 days.
- Every application must include a declaration of use or intention to use the mark.
- A mark not used for a continuous period of five years after registration can be removed from the register on application by any interested person.