Trademark registration in São Tomé & Príncipe

The trademark office and official links

Trademarks in São Tomé & Príncipe are registered by the Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e Qualidade (National Directorate of Intellectual Property and Quality) (SENAPIQ-STP).

• Trademark office: Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e Qualidade (National Directorate of Intellectual Property and Quality) (SENAPIQ-STP)
• Law: Intellectual Property Code (approved by Decree-Law No. 23/2016)
• Law: Regulation on Industrial Property (Decree No. 6/2004 of 30 June 2004)

Official fees in São Tomé & Príncipe

The office does not publish an up-to-date fee schedule we could verify. Ask firms that cover São Tomé & Príncipe for a quote that shows official and professional fees separately — post a request or compare packages.

How to register a trademark in São Tomé & Príncipe

1. Appoint an Industrial Property Agent resident in São Tomé and Príncipe if the applicant is not established or domiciled there.
2. File the trademark application in Portuguese with SENAPIQ-STP (or designate São Tomé and Príncipe through the Madrid system or an ARIPO application).
3. The application is published in the Intellectual Property Bulletin.
4. Third parties may file an opposition within three months of publication; the applicant has three months to respond.
5. SENAPIQ-STP examines the application and any opposition, and its final decision is notified by publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin.

Examination, publication and opposition

• Examination: SENAPIQ-STP examines the application and the parties' submissions after the opposition and response deadlines expire; no official processing time is stated.
• Publication: Intellectual Property Bulletin (Boletim da Propriedade Intelectual)
• Opposition period: 3 months from publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin (one extension of one month may be granted)

Protection, renewal and use

• Term: 10 years, renewable.

Filing from abroad

• Local agent: Applicants not established or domiciled in São Tomé and Príncipe must act through an Industrial Property Agent resident in the country; if no agent is appointed within one year of being notified, the application is deemed abandoned.
• Power of attorney: A power of attorney must be annexed to each proceeding, even where the same attorney acts in several (Intellectual Property Code, Art. 30(1)). Notarisation or legalisation requirements were not confirmed.
• Language: Portuguese; applications in another language must be accompanied by an official Portuguese translation (forms for regional and international applications may be submitted in English, French or Spanish with a Portuguese translation)

Firms on TrademarksHub that cover São Tomé & Príncipe can act as your local agent — see firms.

Madrid Protocol

São Tomé & Príncipe is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 2008). 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

Goods and services are grouped into the 45 Nice classes. Not sure which classes you need? See all 45 classes or classes by business type.

How São Tomé & Príncipe compares

• Opposition: 3 months from publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin (one extension of one month may be granted) — 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 São Tomé & Príncipe

• The Intellectual Property Code approved by Decree-Law No. 23/2016 entered into force on 9 February 2017 and covers trademarks alongside other IP rights.
• São Tomé and Príncipe has been a Madrid Protocol member since 8 December 2008.
• It is also reported to be party to ARIPO's Banjul Protocol on marks (since 2015), so it can be designated in an ARIPO regional application.
• Publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin counts as direct notification to the parties and starts the statutory time limits.
• A registered mark can be used to refuse or annul a later, confusingly similar company name.

Questions