DIGERPI, Panama’s trademark office
DIGERPI is the General Directorate of the Industrial Property Registry, part of Panama’s Ministry of Commerce and Industries. It examines and registers trademarks, records assignments and licenses, and keeps a Power of Attorney Registry.
It does not decide oppositions: those go to the courts. Its refusals can be reconsidered by DIGERPI or appealed to the Minister of Commerce and Industries.
What DIGERPI does
- Examines each application for form and then on the merits, and publishes the ones found in order.
- Registers the mark if no court notifies it of an opposition within 15 business days after the two-month period.
- Records renewals, assignments, licenses, mergers and changes of name or address.
- Keeps the Power of Attorney Registry.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 2-A, 104 to 107, 110, 123, 128, 129 and 195, as amended by Law 61 of 2012
The Power of Attorney Registry
Law 61 of 2012 created a Power of Attorney Registry at DIGERPI. Once your power is recorded, it is enough to cite its recording details in any filing, including trademark applications, licenses and assignments. A Panamanian power is granted by public deed, and one granted abroad is legalized at a Panamanian consulate or apostilled.
The registry is working. DIGERPI answered a written request from us in August 2026 with its requirements and a B/. 120 payment, which is the B/. 100 fee plus the 20% surcharge.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 2-A and 2-B, added by Law 61 of 2012; Executive Decree 85 of 2017, articles 10 and 162
Electronic filing
The law allows DIGERPI’s procedures to be carried out by electronic means, on the terms DIGERPI sets, and the regulation accepts the form on paper or through DIGERPI’s electronic site. Until an adequate system is in place, the earlier procedures continue.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, article 2-C, added by Law 61 of 2012; Executive Decree 85 of 2017, articles 3, 4 and 176
If DIGERPI refuses your application
You have two remedies, each within ten business days of notice: reconsideration before DIGERPI, or an appeal filed with DIGERPI that goes to the Minister of Commerce and Industries. Once the appeal is decided, the administrative route is exhausted and the court route opens.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, article 163, as amended by Law 61 of 2012
The online search
DIGERPI’s public trademark search is free, and DIGERPI itself warns that its phonetic search is only for reference. A formal search of prior marks costs B/. 6, which is the B/. 5 fee plus the 20% surcharge.
Source: Law 35 of 1996, articles 200 and 202
Where to find DIGERPI
These are the details DIGERPI publishes on its own contact page, last updated in October 2024. Check them before you visit.
- Address: Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro, Edison Plaza, second floor, Panama City.
- Phone: +507 560-0600.
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Email: [email protected]
Source: DIGERPI contact page, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, consulted on October 28, 2026
Questions people ask
Does DIGERPI decide oppositions?
No. In Panama an opposition is a lawsuit before the courts that hear industrial property cases.
Who decides an appeal against DIGERPI?
The Minister of Commerce and Industries.
Can I deal with DIGERPI directly from abroad?
Yes. The application must name an address in Panama for notices, and an attorney can file it under your power of attorney.
What the law does not say
- What the formal search covers, whether it is charged per class, and how long it takes. We have asked DIGERPI in writing.
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.