Protect Your Trademark in Brazil

A trademark can be an important asset for your business. So it’s important to protect it by filing a registration with the Trademark Office. The sooner you start the better because the process can take years to complete.

First, begin by determining whether the trademark relates to a product or a service. Then, you’ll need to identify the class or classes that best apply. There are 45 different classes to choose from with numerous examples. You can see the full list by clicking HERE.

Next, it’s time to check whether the trademark is available. The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office has an online search feature. You’ll want to know if the trademark already exists considering this will impact your chances of registration.

Yet another thing you’ll need to determine is the type of trademark you want to register. In general, trademarks are nominativa (i.e., words only), figurativa (i.e., images only), or mista (words and images combined).

After filing the application, the Trademark Office may request additional documents or information. In this case, you’ll have just five days to respond. Third parties have 60 days to oppose a trademark filing and, in that case, you’d have 60 days to reply.

Finally, once the trademark is approved, you’ll pay a fee to cover the first 10 years of the registration. On average, the whole process takes two years. So plan ahead if you intend to register your trademark in Brazil. And remember, you can also do it globally from there.