What registering a trademark in Panama gives you
A registration with DIGERPI gives you the exclusive right to use your mark in Panama for the goods or services you listed. It lasts ten years from filing and can be renewed for further ten-year terms.
It lets you oppose confusingly similar marks and license, franchise or transfer the mark. It protects you in Panama only.
Your benefits at a glance
| Benefit | What it means | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Exclusive use | The right to use the mark in Panama is acquired by registration | Below |
| Ten years, renewable | Ten years from filing, then ten more, again and again | /renewal/ |
| A way to stop copycats | You can oppose a similar application and defend your own | /opposition/ |
| License, franchise, transfer | Articles 121, 126 and 129 of Law 35 of 1996 | /assignment-and-license/ |
| Panama only | No protection abroad; Panama is outside the Madrid System | /madrid-protocol/ |
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 109, 110, 121, 126 and 129
Exclusive use of your mark
The right to the exclusive use of a mark is acquired by registering it. If two people claim the same mark, the one who proves earlier use prevails; if neither has used it, the first to file does. Registering turns your claim into a certificate you can show.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 96 and 97, as amended by Law 61 of 2012
Ten years, and you can renew
A registration lasts ten years from the date the application was filed. You can renew it for further ten-year terms, from one year before expiry until six months after it. In those six months the mark stays protected, but a surcharge applies.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 109 and 110
A tool against similar marks
After DIGERPI publishes an application, anyone has two months to oppose it. An opposition is heard by the courts, not by DIGERPI. As a registered owner you can use this route against a later, confusingly similar application, and you can also answer one filed against you. Someone who proves earlier use can oppose without holding a registration.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 98, 107, 181 and 197, as amended by Law 61 of 2012
License, franchise or sell it
A registered mark can be licensed under article 121 and franchised under article 126. The rights can be transferred under article 129. Recording a license is optional and only declarative. An assignment must be recorded to work against third parties.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 121, 125, 126 and 129
Before you register, no use needed
You do not have to use the mark before you file. The application states that the mark is used or will be used. If nobody has used it, the first to file prevails.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, article 97, and Law 61 of 2012, article 45.7
At the border
Customs and Free Zone authorities may inspect and hold goods that may infringe a registered mark. We have not confirmed the recordal process, its cost or its duration, so we do not state them.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, article 176
What registration does not give you
- Protection outside Panama. A Panamanian registration covers Panama only.
- A shortcut through Madrid. Panama does not appear on WIPO’s list of Madrid members, so you file directly with DIGERPI.
- A guarantee that nobody will oppose. The opposition period exists for everyone.
Source: Law 35 of 1996; WIPO, Madrid Union members, status on July 8, 2026
Questions people ask
Is it mandatory to register a trademark in Panama?
The law does not make it mandatory, but the right to exclusive use is acquired by registration.
How long does a Panamanian trademark last?
Ten years from the date the application was filed. It can be renewed for further ten-year terms.
Can I license or sell my trademark?
Yes. The law allows licensing, franchising and transfer, and an assignment must be recorded to work against third parties.
Does a Panamanian registration protect me in other countries?
No. It covers Panama only.
Does registration help with customs?
Customs and Free Zone authorities may inspect and hold goods that may infringe a registered mark. The recordal process, its cost and duration are not confirmed.
Do I need to use the mark before registering it?
No. The application declares that the mark is used or will be used. Without use, the first to file prevails.
What the law does not say
- How to record a mark with Customs or the Colón Free Zone, its cost and its duration.
Official sources
Last verified: November 6, 2026
Ready to protect your brand in Panama?
Send us your mark and the goods or services you sell. We reply with the classes you need and a fixed written quote.