# Trademark registration in Rwanda > Trademarks in Rwanda are registered with the Office of the Registrar General, Rwanda Development Board (RDB); the official application for a trademark fee is RWF 30,000, and third parties can oppose within 60 days from publication in the Industrial Property Journal. A registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed. Rwanda can be designated through the Madrid System. Source page: https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/rwanda Facts checked against official sources: 2026-10-11 ## Key facts - **Trademark office:** Office of the Registrar General, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) - **Official fee:** RWF 30,000 — Application for a trademark, collective mark, certification mark or trade name - **Madrid Protocol:** Member since 2013 - **Opposition period:** 60 days from publication in the Industrial Property Journal - **Protection:** 10 years, renewable - **Multi-class applications:** Allowed - **Foreign applicants:** Foreign companies not registered in Rwanda file through a lawyer registered in Rwanda acting under a notarised power of… ## Official links - Trademark office: https://org.rdb.rw/ - Law: Law N° 055/2024 of 20/06/2024 on the Protection of Intellectual Property (marks: Articles 182–233) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/22672 ## Official fees (as of 2026-10) - Application for a trademark, collective mark, certification mark or trade name: RWF 30,000 — fee line 'Application for the certification trademark, Collective mark, trade name' - Class fee: first class: RWF 5,000 - Class fee: each additional class: RWF 3,000 - Notice of opposition to a trademark application: RWF 20,000 - Renewal of a mark and its classes: RWF 80,000 - Late renewal surcharge: RWF 20,000 - Transmittal fee for an international application under the Madrid Protocol: RWF 150 — charged in USD, not RWF ## Steps 1. Optionally request an official availability search from the Office of the Registrar General before filing. 2. Classify the goods and services under the Nice Classification. 3. File the trademark application form with the Office of the Registrar General at RDB, with a specimen of the mark, the list of goods and services, proof of legal status and, for foreign companies filing through a Rwandan lawyer, a notarised power of attorney. 4. Pay the application fee (RWF 30,000) plus RWF 5,000 for the first class and RWF 3,000 for each additional class. 5. The Registrar General examines the application and publishes accepted applications in the monthly Industrial Property Journal; third parties then have 60 days to file a notice of opposition. 6. If there is no successful opposition, the mark is registered and the registration is published. 7. Renew the registration when the term ends (RWF 80,000, or with a RWF 20,000 surcharge if late). - **Examination:** The Office of the Registrar General examines applications for compliance with the law; RDB's FAQ gives a service delivery period of 3 months for trademarks. - **Publication:** Monthly Industrial Property Journal, the official journal of the Office of the Registrar General at RDB (Law N° 055/2024, Art. 193) - **Opposition:** 60 days from publication in the Industrial Property Journal - **Timeline:** About 3 months (RDB's stated service delivery period for trademarks). - **Late renewal:** 6 months after expiry with a late fee, per a law-firm summary of Law N° 055/2024 (the previous law allowed longer); RDB charges a RWF 20,000 late renewal surcharge - **Power of attorney:** A notarised power of attorney is required when a lawyer registered in Rwanda files on behalf of a foreign company not registered in Rwanda (RDB industrial property requirements, 2020). Practitioners report that since 1 February 2025 the Registry accepts only powers of attorney that follow the template in Ministerial Order No. 26 of 17 March 2016. - **Use requirement:** a registration can be challenged after 3 years of non-use. ## Good to know - Rwanda has been a member of the Madrid Protocol since 17 August 2013, and RDB charges a USD 150 transmittal fee for international applications filed through it. - Law N° 055/2024, in force since 31 July 2024, replaced Law No. 31/2009 on the protection of intellectual property. - Trademark registration is handled by the Office of the Registrar General within the Rwanda Development Board, which also handles business registration. - RDB provides separate official forms for trademark applications, searches, amendments, oppositions and removal for non-use. - Under Law N° 055/2024 a registered mark is open to removal for non-use after three years, shorter than in many other countries. ## FAQ ### Is Rwanda part of the Madrid Protocol? Yes. The Madrid Protocol has been in force for Rwanda since 17 August 2013. ### Who registers trademarks in Rwanda? The Office of the Registrar General at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). ### How much does it cost to register a trademark in Rwanda? RDB's fee schedule lists RWF 30,000 for the application plus RWF 5,000 for the first class and RWF 3,000 for each additional class. ### How long is the trademark opposition period in Rwanda? 60 days from publication of the application in RDB's monthly Industrial Property Journal. ### How long does trademark registration take in Rwanda? RDB states a service delivery period of 3 months for trademarks. ### How much does it cost to renew a trademark in Rwanda? Renewal of a mark and its classes costs RWF 80,000, plus a RWF 20,000 surcharge if renewal is late. ## Sources - RDB Office of the Registrar General: Fee tariffs: https://org.rdb.rw/intellectual-property-rights/fee-tariffs - RDB – Industrial property requirements (2020): https://org.rdb.rw/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/INDUSTRIAL-PROPERTY-REQUIREMENTS.pdf - RDB – IP application forms: https://org.rdb.rw/intellectual-property-rights/application-forms/ - RDB – Legal documents: https://org.rdb.rw/legal-documents/ - RDB – Official Gazette: IP Law 2024: https://org.rdb.rw/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/official-gazette-IP-2024-1.pdf - RDB – Office of the Registrar General FAQs: https://org.rdb.rw/faqs/ - RDB – Industrial Property Journal, February 2025 (PDF): https://org.rdb.rw/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FEBRUARY-2025-IP-PUBLICATION-JOURNAL.pdf - WIPO Lex – Rwanda profile: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/RW - WIPO Lex – Law N° 055/2024: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/22672 - WIPO Lex: Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/parties/8 Need a firm that files in Rwanda? Find one at https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/rwanda (TrademarksHub lists IP firms by country; featured placements are paid and labelled). General information, not legal advice.