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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Ghana

To register a trademark in Ghana, file with the Registrar-General's Department (RGD) through a lawyer practising in Ghana, or designate Ghana through the Madrid System. Each application covers one class only; fees are set in US dollars and paid in cedis. Ghana is an ARIPO member, but an ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Ghana.

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Trademark registration in Ghana

Five questions first

Which route?File directly with the RGD through a Ghanaian lawyer if you only need Ghana and few classes; designate Ghana through Madrid if you have a home application or registration and need several classes or countries.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name and address, the mark, goods or services for one class per application and a declaration of use or intention to use; non-Latin characters, such as Chinese, need an English translation.Details ↓How are official fees charged?USD 240 per class to file and, after publication without opposition, USD 240 per class to register, both paid in the cedi equivalent. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?The RGD publishes no examination-time statistics. Statutory time limits: 2 months to reply to an examination report; a 2-month opposition period after publication, after which you request registration.Details ↓What are the main risks?The RGD searches earlier marks and can refuse on that basis; each class needs its own application; foreign applicants must appoint a Ghanaian lawyer; ARIPO trademarks do not cover Ghana.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Ghana: key facts

OfficeThe Trade Marks Registry of the Registrar-General's Department (RGD), under the Ministry of Justice; also referred to as the Ghana Industrial Property Office (GHIPO). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrade Marks Act, 2004 (Act 664), as amended by the Trade Marks (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act 876); procedure still governed by the Trade Marks Regulations, 1970 (L.I. 667)
Madrid SystemMember since 16 September 2008; Ghana can be designated through Madrid
ARIPOA member of the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), but not of the Banjul Protocol on marks, so an ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Ghana
One class per applicationEach application can cover only one Nice class; file one application for each class you need
RepresentationApplicants whose residence or principal place of business is outside Ghana must be represented by a lawyer resident and practising in Ghana
ExaminationAbsolute grounds such as distinctiveness, plus a search of earlier marks; an application identical or similar to an earlier mark can be refused on that basis
Response to an examination report (statutory)Reply or request a hearing within 2 months, otherwise the application is treated as withdrawn
Opposition period (statutory)2 months from publication; if opposed, file a counter-statement within 2 months, otherwise the application is treated as abandoned
Term and renewal10 years from the filing date; renewable every 10 years, and for a surcharge within 6 months after expiry
Non-use (statutory)After 5 consecutive years of non-use, an interested person can apply to the Registrar for removal
Official feesUSD 240 per class to file and USD 240 per class to register, paid in the cedi equivalent (L.I. 2512, in force since 13 November 2025)

Checked on 2026-10-06; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Both routes lead to protection in Ghana. They differ in prerequisites, class arrangements, fee structure and dependency risk. Ghana is not part of the ARIPO trademark system: an ARIPO application can only cover Banjul Protocol states, and Ghana is not one of them.

ItemDirect filing with the RGDMadrid designation of Ghana
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
ClassesOne class per application; several classes need separate applications, each with its own feesOne international registration can cover several classes; the fee for Ghana is charged per class
Official feesUSD 240 per class to file and, after publication without opposition, USD 240 per class to register, paid to the RGD in the cedi equivalentBasic fee and a Ghana individual fee (per class, in Swiss francs; see the WIPO fee calculator) paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Representative and address for serviceA lawyer practising in Ghana must be appointed from filingNot needed to file; when you reply to the RGD about a provisional refusal or an opposition, the Registrar can require an address for service in Ghana
Examination and publicationAbsolute grounds plus a search of earlier marks; once accepted, published for 2 monthsSame examination and publication; the RGD must notify WIPO of any refusal within 18 months, otherwise protection is deemed granted
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Ghana designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Ghana and few classes; you have no home filingYou have a home filing, need several classes or are filing in several countries

Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will recommend a route based on the search results.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

For a direct application to the RGD, prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as a power of attorney are provided following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name (for a company, its full legal name as registered, in English)
  • Address, nationality or place of incorporation, and contact details

Representative

  • A lawyer resident and practising in Ghana; the RGD sends documents to the representative

The mark

  • Word mark: the wording
  • Figurative or combined mark: a clear image, identical to the one on the application form
  • Marks containing non-Latin characters, such as Chinese, need a signed English translation; for other foreign words, the Registrar can ask for a translation

Goods and services

  • List them by Nice class, with one class per application
  • If the list is very broad or copies a whole class, the Registrar can ask about your existing or planned use

Basis of the application

  • A statement that the mark is in use or that you have a bona fide intention to use it
  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months; the Registrar can ask for a certified copy of the earlier application

If the mark shows another person's name or likeness, the Registrar can ask for that person's consent; marks containing a head of state, Ghana's coat of arms or national flag can be refused.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search for similar marks and settle the class and wording of the goods; you can also pay the RGD for an official search per class

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    The lawyer files Form TM No. 2 and the representation of the mark for each class and pays the filing fee; you receive an application number and filing date

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    Absolute grounds and a search of earlier marks; the law sets no deadline for examination, and the RGD publishes no statistics on timing

  4. Step 4

    Response to the examination report

    If needed: reply in writing or request a hearing within 2 months (statutory); otherwise the application is treated as withdrawn

  5. Step 5

    Publication

    Published in the Industrial Trade Marks Bulletin; 2-month opposition period (statutory)

  6. Step 6

    Registration

    With no opposition, you request registration and pay the registration fee; the registration runs for 10 years from the filing date

If registration is not completed within 12 months of filing through the applicant's default, the Registrar sends a notice; if it is still not completed within 14 days, the application is treated as abandoned (statutory). If the application is opposed, you must file a counter-statement within 2 months, followed by evidence and a hearing, which takes considerably longer.

How to read the periods: "statutory" = set by law; "official statistics" = averages published by the office; "estimate" = typical cases. Actual timing varies.

How much

Official fees

Official fees are charged per class, and each application covers only one class. They are set in US dollars and paid in the cedi equivalent: the filing fee on filing, and the registration fee when you request registration after the opposition period ends without opposition. The table below shows the current fees under L.I. 2512.

ItemChargedAmountApprox. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (per class; one class per application, payable in the cedi equivalent)Per class240 USDUSD 240
Paid on registration
Registration fee (per class; payable when requesting the certificate after an unopposed publication, in the cedi equivalent)Per class240 USDUSD 240
Keeping the registration
Renewal (every 10 years; per registration, i.e. per class, payable in the cedi equivalent)Per class470 USDUSD 470
Late renewal additional fee (within the 6-month grace period, per registration)Per class220 USDUSD 220
Restoration fee (after removal for non-renewal, per registration; renewal fee also payable)Per class250 USDUSD 250
Other
RGD trade mark search (per class, optional; without advice on distinctiveness)Per class135 USDUSD 135
Recording an assignment (single mark, filed within 6 months of acquiring ownership)Per application220 USDUSD 220
Change of the proprietor's name (single mark)Per application135 USDUSD 135

Source: Registrar-General's Department (RGD), Ghana; Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (L.I. 2512), Industrial Property · current fees in force since 2025-11-13 · checked on 2026-10-07

Official fees are as published by the office; the service fee is quoted by an agent after you submit, and you pay only after accepting the quote.

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Example: to cover classes 9 and 35 you file 2 applications, paying 2 × USD 240 = USD 480 on filing; once both are accepted, registration adds 2 × USD 240 = USD 480, for USD 960 in total (in the cedi equivalent).

L.I. 2512 also lists a classification fee charged by word count where the list of goods or services goes beyond the class heading or is long; whether it applies is determined by the RGD.

Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Ghana and common refusals

These are the most common issues in Ghanaian examination, along with Ghana-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

One class per application

Ghana's regulations allow only one class per application, and the application form states that each class needs a separate form. To cover goods and retail services in several classes, you file and pay for a separate application in each class, each examined and published on its own; budget by multiplying the fees per application by the number of classes.

ARIPO trademarks do not cover Ghana

Ghana is an ARIPO member but has joined only the Harare Protocol on patents and industrial designs, not the Banjul Protocol on marks. An ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Ghana; for protection in Ghana, file directly or designate Ghana through Madrid.

Earlier marks can lead directly to refusal

After filing, the RGD searches registered and pending marks. A mark identical to an earlier mark, or similar enough to cause confusion, can be refused under section 5 of the Trade Marks Act; the earlier owner is not merely notified. A clearance search before filing and, where needed, the earlier owner's consent reduce this risk.

Foreign applicants must appoint a Ghanaian lawyer

Section 17 of the Trade Marks Act requires applicants whose residence or principal place of business is outside Ghana to be represented by a lawyer resident and practising in Ghana. For a direct application this applies from filing; for a Madrid designation of Ghana, the Registrar can require an address for service in Ghana when you reply to a refusal or an opposition.

Trade names, descriptive signs and non-Latin script

A company or trade name on its own, signs in the public domain and words that directly describe the goods cannot be registered, unless already accepted as a trademark. Marks in Chinese or other non-Latin characters need a signed English translation, which the examiner uses to assess their meaning.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Ghanaian registration needs no periodic declarations of use, but a mark that is not used can be removed, and one not renewed by the end of the grace period is taken off the register.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
Throughout the registrationKeep using the mark genuinely in Ghana and keep evidence; after 5 consecutive years of non-use, an interested person can apply for removalNone
Within 3 months before expiry, then every 10 yearsRenew; the term runs from the filing dateUSD 470 (per registration, i.e. per class)
Within 6 months after expiryRenew with a surcharge so the registration is not removedRenewal fee plus USD 220
After removalApply for restoration and renewal; the Registrar decides whether to restoreUSD 250, plus the renewal fee
Any timeRecord an assignment; record a change of nameAssignment USD 220 (if requested within 6 months of acquiring the rights; more afterwards); change of name USD 135

All fees above are paid in the cedi equivalent. Under section 28 of the Trade Marks Act, you can give customs written notice of the number of packages, their markings, the means of transport and the expected date of arrival, and ask for suspected infringing goods to be detained; customs can require a deposit or security. E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Ghana

How much does a Ghana trademark cost?

Official fees are charged per class: USD 240 per class to file and, once the opposition period ends without opposition, USD 240 per class to register, both paid in the cedi equivalent. One class costs USD 480 in total; 2 classes need 2 applications, USD 960 in total. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Ghana take?

The RGD publishes no statistics on examination times, and the law sets no deadline for examination. What is fixed are the statutory steps: 2 months to reply to an examination report, a 2-month opposition period after publication and then, with no opposition, a request for registration with the registration fee. Opposed applications take considerably longer.

Can I protect a trademark in Ghana through ARIPO?

No. Ghana has not joined the Banjul Protocol, ARIPO's trademark system, so an ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Ghana. For protection in Ghana, file directly with the RGD or designate Ghana through the Madrid System. For the countries an ARIPO trademark does cover, see ARIPO trademark registration.

How many classes can one Ghana application cover?

Only one. You file one application per class, each paid for, examined and published separately. With a Madrid designation of Ghana, one international registration can cover several classes, with the Ghana individual fee charged per class.

Do foreign applicants need a local representative in Ghana?

Yes. Applicants whose residence or principal place of business is outside Ghana must be represented by a lawyer resident and practising in Ghana, and the RGD sends documents to that representative. For a Madrid designation of Ghana, no local representative is needed to file, but the Registrar can require an address for service in Ghana when you reply to a refusal or an opposition.

How long does a Ghana trademark last?

10 years from the filing date, renewable every 10 years. You can renew within 3 months before expiry, and within 6 months after expiry with a surcharge. If the mark is not used for 5 consecutive years after registration, an interested person can apply for its removal.

Other IP rights

Patents: Ghanaian patents are examined by the RGD and last 20 years from the filing date, kept in force by annual fees. PCT applications can enter the Ghanaian national phase (since 26 February 1997), and an ARIPO application under the Harare Protocol can designate Ghana. In July 2026 the RGD and the United States Patent and Trademark Office signed a statement of intent on an Accelerated Patent Grant arrangement; implementation guidelines have yet to be published (see Ghana advances a USPTO fast-grant arrangement).

Designs: registered industrial designs are protected for 5 years from the filing date, renewable twice, up to 15 years; Ghana can also be designated through the Hague Agreement (since 16 September 2008).

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Nigeria · Kenya · South Africa · Morocco · Algeria · African Regional Intellectual Property Organization · African Intellectual Property Organization

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