# Trademark registration in Uganda

> Trademarks in Uganda are registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB); the official receiving an application fee is UGX 50,000, and third parties can oppose within 60 days from advertisement in the Uganda Gazette. A registration lasts 7 years from the filing date and can be renewed. Uganda is not in the Madrid System, so a national filing is needed.

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

## Key facts
- **Trademark office:** Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB)
- **Official fee:** UGX 50,000 — Receiving an application
- **Madrid Protocol:** Not a member
- **Opposition period:** 60 days from advertisement in the Uganda Gazette
- **Protection:** 7 years from the filing date, renewable
- **Foreign applicants:** Foreign applicants act through an agent who must be an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, and must give the Registra…

## Official links
- Trademark office: https://ursb.go.ug/trademarks/
- Online filing: https://iponline.ursb.go.ug/
- Law: Trademarks Act, 2010 (Act 17 of 2010) — https://ulii.org/akn/ug/act/2010/17

## Official fees (as of 2026-10)
- Search: UGX 25,000 — USD 65 rate also listed
- Receiving an application: UGX 50,000 — USD 150 rate also listed
- Preliminary advice on distinctiveness (optional): UGX 25,000
- Advertisement in the Uganda Gazette:  — Paid directly to the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation
- Certificate of registration (if no opposition within 60 days): UGX 100,000 — USD 250 rate also listed
- Notice of opposition: UGX 100,000
- Renewal: UGX 100,000 — USD 250 rate also listed

## Steps
1. Search the URSB trademark register for earlier marks, paying the prescribed search fee.
2. File the application with URSB (online via the URSB IP portal), stating the mark, the class of goods or services and the applicant's details, and pay the application fee.
3. Foreign applicants appoint an agent who is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, using a power of attorney or Form TM No. 1.
4. URSB examines the mark for registrability and conflicts with existing registrations and applications.
5. If accepted, the application is advertised in the Uganda Gazette for 60 days.
6. If no opposition is filed within the 60 days, pay the registration fee and URSB enters the mark in the register and issues a certificate.

- **Examination:** URSB's Registrar examines applications for inherent registrability and conflicts with existing marks; no official processing time is stated.
- **Publication:** Uganda Gazette
- **Opposition:** 60 days from advertisement in the Uganda Gazette
- **Power of attorney:** A power of attorney or Form TM No. 1 (authorisation of agent) is required for foreign applicants; notarisation or legalisation requirements were not verified.
- **Language:** English

## Good to know
- The first registration lasts 7 years from the filing date; renewals are for successive 10-year periods.
- Uganda is not a Madrid Protocol member, but it is reported to be party to the ARIPO Banjul Protocol (since 2000), so it can be designated in an ARIPO regional trademark application.
- Accepted applications are advertised in the Uganda Gazette for 60 days, and the gazette fee is paid directly to the government printer.
- URSB lists separate USD amounts for its fees alongside the UGX amounts.

## FAQ
### How much does it cost to register a trademark in Uganda?
URSB's official fees include UGX 25,000 for a search, UGX 50,000 to file the application and UGX 100,000 for the registration certificate, plus the Uganda Gazette advertisement fee paid to the government printer. Agent fees are extra.

### How long is a trademark valid in Uganda?
A Ugandan trademark is valid for 7 years from the filing date and can then be renewed for successive 10-year periods. The renewal fee is UGX 100,000.

### Is Uganda part of the Madrid Protocol?
No. Uganda is not a Madrid Protocol member, so protection is obtained by filing with URSB or, reportedly, through an ARIPO application under the Banjul Protocol.

### How long is the trademark opposition period in Uganda?
Accepted applications are advertised in the Uganda Gazette for 60 days, during which third parties can oppose.

### Can a foreign company register a trademark in Uganda?
Yes, through an agent who is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, appointed by power of attorney or Form TM No. 1, with an address for service in Uganda.

## Sources
- URSB – Trademarks: https://ursb.go.ug/trademarks/
- URSB – Intellectual property fees: https://ursb.go.ug/intellectual-property-fees/
- URSB – Intellectual property registration: https://ursb.go.ug/services/intellectual-property-registration/
- ULII – Trademarks Act, 2010: https://ulii.org/akn/ug/act/2010/17
- WIPO Lex – Madrid Protocol contracting parties: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/treaties/ShowResults?search_what=C&treaty_id=8

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