Trademark Registration in Paraguay

A registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use your brand in Paraguay for the goods or services you register. Paraguay follows a first-to-file system under Law 1294/1998 on Trademarks, so registering early is the best protection. Applications are handled by the DINAPI (Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual).

What can be registered

• Words, names and slogans
• Logos, designs and combined marks
• Three-dimensional shapes and distinctive colour combinations
• Sound marks
• Collective and certification marks

Each application covers one or more classes of the Nice Classification, which has 45 classes (34 for goods and 11 for services). A mark cannot be generic or merely descriptive of the product.

Trademark registration in Paraguay, step by step

1. Search. Check DINAPI’s records (servicios.dinapi.gov.py) for identical or similar marks in your classes.
2. File. Submit the application to DINAPI with the applicant’s details, the mark, its classes and the list of goods or services, and pay the filing fee. Foreign applicants usually file through a registered industrial property agent in Paraguay, with a power of attorney.
3. Formal review and publication. After the formal review, the application is published for three consecutive days in a newspaper of wide circulation or a specialised one.
4. Opposition period. Third parties can oppose within 60 business days from the business day after the last publication. If there is an opposition, the applicant has 18 business days to answer.
5. Substantive examination and grant. Once the opposition period ends, DINAPI examines the mark and, if it meets the law, grants it by resolution and issues the certificate.

Documents usually needed

• The applicant’s details: ID for a person, or the company’s incorporation documents
• A power of attorney if an agent files for you, legalized or apostilled
• The mark: the word, or a clear image of the logo
• The classes and the list of goods or services

You do not need a Paraguayan company to register a trademark: individuals and foreign companies can apply. If you plan to sell in Paraguay, you will also need a local company or distributor; see how to set up a company in Paraguay.

After registration

• Term: a registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely for further 10-year periods, with a six-month grace period after expiry.
• Use: use is mandatory. A third party can ask a court to cancel the mark if it is not used within 5 years of the grant, or if use stops for more than 5 consecutive years.
• Enforcement: keep evidence of use, such as invoices and advertising, and watch the gazette for similar new filings.

FAQ

Who handles trademark registration in Paraguay?

The DINAPI, the national intellectual property office.

How long is the opposition period?

60 business days from the last publication of the application.

Can I register a trademark from abroad?

Yes, through a local industrial property agent with a power of attorney.

Get help from Easyco

Easyco coordinates the company setup in Paraguay up to the issue of the RUC, and supports companies afterwards with tax, accounting, payroll and company compliance, including a registered office address. Contact us to discuss your project.

• Company setup in Paraguay, up to the issue of the RUC
• Tax and accounting
• Payroll
• Company compliance, including a registered office address