While the trademark process in South Africa is not very complicated in itself, you might want to call in the help of the experts to ensure that the application is submitted without any problems and that everything that needs to be protected is submitted correctly. This includes the following steps in the trademark process:
Determining the uniqueness of you trademark
Before you can register your trademark, you need to know that you are not infringing on the rights of an already existing trademark. We are able to have the national registry checked to ensure this is not the case. We recommend doing an international trademark search in each of the countries in which you wish file a trademark registration.
Register your trademark
We would require you to provide us with a copy of your intended trademark – be it a simple name or slogan, or a stylised logo. We would also require details of all products or services that you intend applying the trade mark to. This is necessary, as one has to file a separate trade mark application in each of the international classes relating to your product(s) or service(s).
Renewal of trademark:
A registered trademark is valid for ten years in South Africa, and then it has to be renewed in order to stay legitimate.
Your mark should be registered in the countries in which you offer your products or services under that mark. You should also consider filing in countries where you intend to use the mark in the future, but some countries do have use requirements. Trademarks are registered at the South African Trade marks Office and foreign trade mark registrations may be obtained should you wish to market your product in foreign countries.