# Trademark registration in Nicaragua

> Trademarks in Nicaragua are registered with the Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual, Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (RPI); third parties can oppose within 30 business days from publication in La Gaceta. A registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed. Nicaragua is not in the Madrid System, so a national filing is needed.

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

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual (Intellectual Property Registry), Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade (MIFIC) (RPI)
- **Madrid Protocol:** Not a member
- **Opposition period:** 30 business days from publication in La Gaceta, extendable once by 15 business days
- **Protection:** 10 years, renewable
- **Multi-class applications:** Allowed
- **Foreign applicants:** Applicants or owners domiciled abroad must be represented by a lawyer domiciled in Nicaragua

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://www.mific.gob.ni/Inicio/Servicios-RPI
- Law: Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs (consolidated text) — http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/Normaweb.nsf/b92aaea87dac762406257265005d21f7/0d7e478e47ce97a30625894100671e62
- Law: Law No. 1024 of 2020 amending and adding to Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs (La Gaceta No. 65, 3 April 2020) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/20139
- Law: Decree No. 83-2001 approving the Regulation of Law No. 380, as amended by Decree No. 25-2012 — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/NI

## Steps
1. Search existing registrations for identical or similar marks.
2. Appoint a lawyer domiciled in Nicaragua (required for applicants domiciled abroad) and file the power of attorney, or register it once in the Registry's power-of-attorney register and cite its number.
3. File the application form in person at the Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual (MIFIC) in Managua with ID or residence documents, eight reproductions of any design element (max. 4 x 4 cm), C$16 stamps per folio and the official fee.
4. After examination, the application is published in La Gaceta, Diario Oficial.
5. Any person may oppose within 30 business days of publication; the applicant has 30 business days from notification to answer.
6. If there is no opposition, or it fails, the Registry issues the registration certificate (about four months from filing, according to MIFIC).

- **Publication:** La Gaceta, Diario Oficial.
- **Opposition:** 30 business days from publication in La Gaceta, extendable once by 15 business days; the applicant then has 30 business days to respond (Art. 16 as amended in 2020).
- **Timeline:** About 4 months from filing to the registration certificate for an in-person filing, according to MIFIC's procedure page.
- **Late renewal:** 6 months after expiry, with a surcharge on top of the renewal fee; the registration remains fully valid during the grace period. Renewal can be filed in the year before expiry.
- **Power of attorney:** The power of attorney is filed with the application, or its number in the Registry's power-of-attorney register (Registro de Poderes) is cited; registered powers carry a fee and must be updated every five years. In urgent cases a lawyer may file as an unauthorised agent (gestor oficioso) and must ratify with a power of attorney within 30 business days (Arts. 9 and 87, as amended). Notarisation/legalisation formalities were not verified.
- **Language:** Spanish

## Good to know
- Applicants domiciled abroad must act through a lawyer domiciled in Nicaragua.
- One application can cover several Nice classes; fees for additional classes are paid within 8 business days of the acceptance notice.
- Official fees are set in Central American pesos and paid in córdobas at the Central Bank exchange rate; micro and small producers get a 50% reduction.
- Applications are filed in person at the Registry in Managua; MIFIC lists online filing as 'coming soon'.
- Nicaragua is not a member of the Madrid Protocol, so marks must be filed directly with the national Registry; it is party to the Paris Convention (since 3 July 1996) and the Trademark Law Treaty (since 22 September 2009).

## FAQ
### Is Nicaragua part of the Madrid Protocol?
No. Nicaragua is not a Madrid Protocol member, so trademarks must be filed directly with the Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual of MIFIC.

### How long is the trademark opposition period in Nicaragua?
Thirty business days from publication of the application in La Gaceta, Diario Oficial.

### How long does trademark registration take in Nicaragua?
MIFIC states that an in-person filing takes about four months from filing to the registration certificate.

### How long does a trademark registration last in Nicaragua?
Ten years, renewable indefinitely. Renewal can be filed in the year before expiry or within a six-month grace period afterwards with a surcharge.

### Do foreign companies need a local lawyer to register a trademark in Nicaragua?
Yes. Applicants domiciled abroad must be represented by a lawyer domiciled in Nicaragua, who files a power of attorney or cites one already recorded in the Registry's power-of-attorney register.

### Which law governs trademarks in Nicaragua?
Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs, as amended, and its Regulation (Decree No. 83-2001, reformed by Decree No. 25-2012).

## Sources
- MIFIC – Distinctive signs: types of procedures: https://www.mific.gob.ni/Inicio/Servicios/Servicios-RPI/Servicios-deSignos-Distintivos/Tipos-de-Trámites
- MIFIC – Distinctive signs services: https://www.mific.gob.ni/Inicio/Servicios/Servicios-deSignos-Distintivos
- MIFIC – RPI services: https://www.mific.gob.ni/Inicio/Servicios-RPI
- La Gaceta No. 65 (3 April 2020) – Law 1024 amending Law 380 (FAOLEX copy): https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/nic198045.pdf
- WIPO Lex – Law No. 1024 of 2020: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/20139
- Asamblea Nacional: Consolidated text of Law No. 380: http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/Normaweb.nsf/b92aaea87dac762406257265005d21f7/0d7e478e47ce97a30625894100671e62
- Asamblea Nacional: Law amending Law No. 380: http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/Normaweb.nsf/9e314815a08d4a6206257265005d21f9/9b94e7234073d47c0625854c0051680e?OpenDocument=
- WIPO Lex – Nicaragua profile: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/NI
- WIPO – Nicaragua IP office contact: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles/contact?code=ni
- WIPO Lex: Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/parties/8

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