# Trademark registration in São Tomé & Príncipe

> Trademarks in São Tomé & Príncipe are registered with the Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e Qualidade (SENAPIQ-STP); third parties can oppose within 3 months from publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin. A registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed. São Tomé & Príncipe can be designated through the Madrid System.

Source page: https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/sao-tome-and-principe
Facts checked against official sources: 2026-10-11

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e Qualidade (National Directorate of Intellectual Property and Quality) (SENAPIQ-STP)
- **Madrid Protocol:** Member since 2008
- **Opposition period:** 3 months from publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin
- **Protection:** 10 years, renewable
- **Foreign applicants:** Applicants not established or domiciled in São Tomé and Príncipe must act through an Industrial Property Agent resident…

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://www.wipo.int/directory/en/details.jsp?country_code=ST
- Law: Intellectual Property Code (approved by Decree-Law No. 23/2016) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/18553
- Law: Regulation on Industrial Property (Decree No. 6/2004 of 30 June 2004) — https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/5880

## Steps
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:** 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:** 3 months from publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin (one extension of one month may be granted)
- **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)

## Good to know
- 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.

## FAQ
### Is São Tomé and Príncipe part of the Madrid Protocol?
Yes. The Madrid Protocol has been in force for São Tomé and Príncipe since 8 December 2008.

### Who registers trademarks in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Trademarks are registered by SENAPIQ-STP, the national intellectual property and quality service, under the Intellectual Property Code approved by Decree-Law No. 23/2016.

### How long is the trademark opposition period in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Oppositions must be filed within three months of publication of the application in the Intellectual Property Bulletin, with one possible one-month extension.

### Do foreign applicants need a local agent in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Yes. Applicants not established or domiciled in the country must act through an Industrial Property Agent resident there.

### What language must a trademark application be filed in?
Applications must be in Portuguese, or accompanied by an official Portuguese translation.

### How long does a trademark registration last in São Tomé and Príncipe?
Ten years, renewable for further ten-year periods.

## Sources
- WIPO Lex – Intellectual Property Code (Decree-Law No. 23/2016): https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/legislation/details/18553
- WIPO Lex – São Tomé and Príncipe profile: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/members/profile/ST
- WIPO Lex – Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?search_what=C&treaty_id=8
- ARIPO – member state laws: São Tomé and Príncipe Intellectual Property Code (PDF): https://aripo.org/storage/resources-member-state-laws/1674818728_phpgIdJtB.pdf

Need a firm that files in São Tomé & Príncipe? Find one at https://trademarkshub.com/trademarks/sao-tome-and-principe (TrademarksHub lists IP firms by country; featured placements are paid and labelled).
General information, not legal advice.