The short answer
Under Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs, a registration expires ten years from the date of grant and can be renewed indefinitely for periods of ten years. Renewal is filed in the year before expiry, or within a six-month grace period after expiry with a surcharge. Opposition must be filed within two months of the first publication notice, and a mark that was not used for three uninterrupted years can be cancelled.
Trademark deadlines in Nicaragua at a glance
These rules come from Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs (2001), read in the official Spanish text on WIPO Lex, which we have translated. Fees are set by regulation, so we confirm them before we file.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long does a trademark last? | Ten years from the date of grant, renewable indefinitely for successive periods of ten years (Article 21). |
| Which date does the term count from? | The date of grant (concesión) of the registration, not the filing date (Article 21). |
| When can I renew? | The renewal application refers to one registration and is filed within the year before the expiry date of the registration to be renewed. It is not examined again, and no change can be made to the mark or its goods at renewal (Articles 21 to 23). |
| Is there a grace period? | Yes. The renewal can also be filed within a six-month grace period after expiry, paying the surcharge in addition to the renewal fee, and the registration keeps its full validity during the grace period (Article 21). |
| Opposition period | Any interested person can file an opposition within two months counted from the first publication of the notice announcing the application, stating the factual and legal grounds. Evidence not filed with the opposition is submitted within 30 calendar days. The applicant has two months to reply and the Registry has two months to decide (Article 16). |
| Reply to an office action | The Registry examines the application and notifies objections, and the applicant has the time set in the Law to respond or amend. |
| Priority claim | Priority under the Paris Convention applies. We confirm the claim procedure and time limits when we file. |
| Non-use | A registration can be cancelled where the mark has not been put to use for the three uninterrupted years preceding the cancellation request, counted from three years after the date of the initial registration in Nicaragua. Use started after that period but before the request prevents cancellation (the Law's cancellation for non-use provisions). |
| Assignment | A transfer must be in writing and registered with the Registry to take effect against third parties. A mark can be transferred separately from the business and for some or all of its goods (Articles 30 and 31). A licence must be in writing and takes effect against third parties from the date registration is requested (Article 32). |
Who can register a trademark in Nicaragua
Any natural or legal person can apply to the Registry with the application contents required by the Law, including the attorney's name and address where an attorney acts.
Representation. We act as your attorney before the Registry. Foreign applicants usually appoint a Nicaraguan attorney, and the application states the name and address of the attorney in the country.
Trademark registration process in Nicaragua
Search
- Search the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual) records for identical or similar marks in your classes.
File the application
- File with the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual), through your Nicaraguan attorney.
- Claim priority at filing if you filed abroad recently.
Examination
- The office examines the application and tells you in writing if there is a problem. We reply within the time set in the notice.
Publication and opposition
- An accepted application is published.
- After the notice is published, any interested person can oppose within two months. The applicant replies within two months, and the Registry decides within two months afterwards (Article 16).
Registration
- If there is no opposition, or it fails, the mark is registered and a certificate is issued.
Official fees are set by the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual) and change. We confirm the current fee for your classes before we quote, so the figure you see is the one that applies on the day.
Nicaragua trademark validity and renewal
- The registration expires ten years from the date of grant.
- Renew in the year before expiry.
- A six-month grace period applies with a surcharge.
- Use the mark in Nicaragua to avoid cancellation after three years.
Diarise from the grant date, not the filing date.
Assignment, licence and changes to a Nicaraguan trademark
Transfer
In writing
The transfer must be in writing and registered to bind third parties (Article 30).
Licence
In writing
A licence is in writing and registered to bind third parties (Article 32).
Renewal
No changes
No change to the mark or extension of goods can be made at renewal (Article 23).
Opposition
2 months
Filed within two months of the first publication notice (Article 16).
Non-use and cancellation of a Nicaraguan trademark
A registration can be cancelled for three uninterrupted years of non-use, among other grounds in the Law. Use that starts only after three years from the first registration and before the request can prevent cancellation.
Keep dated proof of use in Nicaragua: invoices, packaging, advertising and website pages that show the mark with the goods or services.
How to check a trademark in Nicaragua
Search the Registry's database and its official publication for the publication, grant and renewal dates.
Sources used
- Law No. 380 on Trademarks and Other Distinctive Signs of Nicaragua, official Spanish text on WIPO Lex (translated by us): Articles 16, 21 to 23, 30 to 32.
- The Registry for regulations, fees and forms.
Nicaragua trademark FAQ
How long does a trademark last in Nicaragua, and from when?
Ten years from the date of grant, renewable indefinitely for successive periods of ten years (Article 21). It counts from the date of grant (Article 21).
When should I renew a Nicaraguan trademark, and is there a grace period?
The renewal application refers to one registration and is filed within the year before the expiry date of the registration to be renewed. It is not examined again, and no change can be made to the mark or its goods at renewal (Articles 21 to 23).
What is the opposition period in Nicaragua?
Any interested person can file an opposition within two months counted from the first publication of the notice announcing the application, stating the factual and legal grounds. Evidence not filed with the opposition is submitted within 30 calendar days. The applicant has two months to reply and the Registry has two months to decide (Article 16).
How much does it cost to register a trademark in Nicaragua?
The official fee is set by the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual) and changes. We confirm the current fee for your classes and quote the full cost before filing.
Can a foreign company register a trademark in Nicaragua?
Yes. A foreign company can register a mark in Nicaragua, normally through a Nicaraguan attorney. We arrange this.
Can I assign a Nicaraguan trademark?
A transfer must be in writing and registered with the Registry to take effect against third parties. A mark can be transferred separately from the business and for some or all of its goods (Articles 30 and 31). A licence must be in writing and takes effect against third parties from the date registration is requested (Article 32).
Can a Nicaraguan trademark be cancelled for non-use?
A registration can be cancelled where the mark has not been put to use for the three uninterrupted years preceding the cancellation request, counted from three years after the date of the initial registration in Nicaragua. Use started after that period but before the request prevents cancellation (the Law's cancellation for non-use provisions).
How can I check the status of a Nicaraguan trademark?
Use the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual) register and check the publication, registration and renewal dates.
Can I claim priority from my home country?
Priority under the Paris Convention applies. We confirm the claim procedure and time limits when we file.
How do I change the owner's name or address?
Record the change with the the Intellectual Property Registry of Nicaragua (Registro de la Propiedad Intelectual) so notices and renewal reminders reach the right address. Ask us for the current form.
Protect your brand in Nicaragua
SUPREMEiP® files trademarks worldwide through its network and checks every Nicaraguan deadline against the law. Send us your mark and we will tell you the route, the deadlines and the cost.
