Costa Rican Trademark Procedure

To register a trademark in Costa Rica, one must go through the process of applying for and receiving official protection for a particular logo or image. That process has its special intricacies, something that Meléndez & Bonilla has extensive experience navigating through to ensure that your trademark request gets processed as expediently as possible. Visiting our page titled “What Do I Need To Get Started?” can set you up with the right documents and materials to make your trademark process as quick and painless as possible.

There are some things to know about Costa Rican trademark. Those trademarks that are deemed famous or infamous can be protected with applying for specific protection. The standard of what is well-known is up to Costa Rican authorities and Meléndez & Bonilla can help make that determination for you. While you do not have to actively use the trademark to have it approved, if you choose not to use your trademark within three years of having it approved, your protection expires if it is challenged by an outside group. Each initial approval carries protection in Costa Rica for 10 years and can be renewed over and over if need be.

The process to register a trademark usually takes around four months if there is no opposition and Meléndez & Bonilla will help you hit that target. The official costs charged for trademark registration include the Legal Honoraria to register a trademark that is $350 and Registration Expenses which are $60.

Because you must make a public declaration of your trademark, publication expenses are also involved in the Costa Rican registration process and a basic ad placement in the official newspaper (The Gazette) typically runs $40. For more involved ads, costs can rise and Meléndez & Bonilla would be happy to help with that process as well to help you determine the kind of ad you need and what information needs to be within that publication.

These are just a few of the Costa Rican regulations covered trademark registration, showing the importance of having a strong, local voice in dealings with trademarks and other parts of intellectual property protection. Meléndez & Bonilla offers that voice to all of its clients, ensuring that your rights and desires are protected within Costa Rica by a confident team of experts.