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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Sudan

To register a trademark in Sudan, a Sudanese agent recognised by the Registrar General of Intellectual Property files one application per class; accepted marks are published in the Gazette, with an opposition period of 6 to 8 months. Sudan can be designated through Madrid but has not joined ARIPO's Banjul Protocol on marks.

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Five questions first

Which route?File directly through a Sudanese agent if you only need Sudan or have no home filing; designate Sudan through Madrid if you already have a home application or registration and want several countries. ARIPO does not cover Sudan.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name, address and proof of nationality (certificate of incorporation, with a certified Arabic or English translation), the mark, the specific goods in one class, and a power of attorney for a Sudanese agent.Details ↓How are official fees charged?In Sudanese pounds, one class per application: filing fee SDG 50,000; after acceptance, publication fee SDG 10,000 and registration and certificate fee SDG 10,000, SDG 70,000 per class in total. Service fees are quoted after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?The law sets no examination period and the office publishes no statistics; after publication, the opposition period is 6 months for parties in Sudan and 8 months for parties abroad (statutory), and registration follows once it expires and fees are paid.Details ↓What are the main risks?One registration cannot cover a whole class in general terms; a sworn declaration of unchanged nationality is needed before the certificate; assignments and licences not recorded within 6 months are void; religious, sectarian and tribal signs and portraits of leaders are refused.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Sudan: key facts

OfficeThe Registrar General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Justice (المسجل العام للملكية الفكرية), separated from the commercial registry by a decision of the Minister of Justice in 2001; it has trademark, patent and industrial design sections headed by the Registrar General. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawTrade Marks Act, 1969 (Act No. 8 of 1969, passed on 29 March 1969) and the Trademarks Regulations, 1969; official fees under the Minister of Justice's Trademark Fees Rules 2021 (Official Gazette No. 1917 of 5 August 2021)
Madrid SystemParty to the Madrid Agreement since 16 May 1984 and the Madrid Protocol since 16 February 2010, so Sudan can be designated through Madrid; Sudan has declared neither an 18-month refusal period nor an individual fee: a designation of Sudan costs only the CHF 100 complementary fee (plus a supplementary fee for more than 3 classes) and the refusal period is 12 months, whatever your office of origin; for offices bound by both the Agreement and the Protocol (e.g. China), Article 9sexies of the Protocol leads to the same result
ARIPOSudan is an ARIPO member state (Lusaka Agreement 1978; Harare Protocol on patents and industrial designs 1984) but not a contracting state of the Banjul Protocol on marks (ARIPO's list as at 1 January 2026), so an ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Sudan
One class per application (statutory)Registration of the same mark in several classes is treated as separate applications, each with its own fee (Regulation 17; the application form notes that a separate form is used for each class); a single registration cannot cover all the goods in a class in general terms and must list specific goods (section 5 of the Act)
Local agent (statutory)Applicants based abroad must file applications, oppositions and other documents through an agent recognised in Sudan (sections 9 and 14); eligible agents are Sudanese advocates practising in Sudan, Sudanese chartered or registered accountants, or persons approved in writing by the Minister (section 15); if the agent is not a member of the Bar Association, a power of attorney signed by the applicant is attached
Proof of nationality and translations (statutory)The application must state the applicant's nationality and attach supporting documents such as the certificate of incorporation or an extract from the commercial register, with a certified translation if not in Arabic or English (section 10); the office's requisition form requires the certificate of incorporation to be legalised by a Sudanese embassy; if the mark contains words in a language other than Arabic or English, the Registrar may require an accurate translation (Regulation 20)
Completing the application (statutory)An incomplete application that is not completed within 3 months of filing may be treated as abandoned after written notice from the Registrar (section 9(3)); Regulation 29 gives 30 days from the notice to complete it
Publication and opposition (statutory)Accepted applications are published in the Official Gazette at the applicant's expense (section 17; Regulation 28); interested parties in Sudan may oppose within 6 months of publication, and parties abroad within 8 months (section 18)
Registration date and termThe registration date is backdated to the filing date; the term is 10 years from the registration date, renewable within the 6 months before expiry for 10 years each time; a 6-month grace period after expiry carries a late fee (sections 18(7) and 19)
Non-use (statutory)If a registered mark is not used in Sudan for 5 consecutive years without good reason, an interested party or the Registrar may ask the High Court to cancel the registration (section 24)
Recording assignments and licences (statutory)Assignments and licences (registered users) must be filed for recording with the Registrar within 6 months of the date the document is signed, otherwise they are void (sections 21 and 22)
Registrable signsA trademark must be a visible sign and may consist of words, names, devices, letters, numerals, slogans, packaging or containers (section 3); the Act applies equally to service marks (section 25)
Official feesIn Sudanese pounds, in force since 27 July 2021: filing fee SDG 50,000, publication fee SDG 10,000, registration and certificate fee SDG 10,000; one class per application, SDG 70,000 per class in total

Checked on 2026-10-15; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Two routes lead to a Sudanese registration: direct filing with the Registrar General of Intellectual Property through an agent recognised in Sudan, or a Madrid designation of Sudan. Sudan joined the Madrid Agreement in 1984 and the Protocol in 2010 and has made no declaration of an 18-month refusal period or an individual fee.

ARIPO is not available: Sudan has joined only ARIPO's Lusaka Agreement and the Harare Protocol on patents and industrial designs, not the Banjul Protocol on marks, so an ARIPO trademark application cannot designate Sudan. For the contracting states, see ARIPO trademark registration.

ItemDirect filing with the Registrar GeneralMadrid designation of Sudan
PrerequisiteNoneA basic application or registration at your office of origin
ClassesOne class per application: each class is a separate application with its own fee; a problem in one class does not affect the othersOne international application can cover several classes
Official feesFiling fee SDG 50,000 per class; after acceptance, publication fee SDG 10,000 and registration and certificate fee SDG 10,000, paid to the Registrar GeneralBasic fee paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), plus only the CHF 100 complementary fee for Sudan (and a supplementary fee for more than 3 classes): Sudan has declared no individual fee, so this applies whatever your office of origin, and for offices bound by both the Agreement and the Protocol (e.g. China) Article 9sexies of the Protocol leads to the same result. See the WIPO fee calculator
Agent and documentsA Sudanese agent is appointed at filing, with proof of nationality, translations and the power of attorney; an incomplete application is completed within 3 monthsFiled through WIPO without a Sudanese agent; if a provisional refusal or an opposition needs a reply, appoint a Sudanese agent as your agent advises
Examination and refusal periodThe law sets no examination period; after searching earlier marks, the Registrar refuses, accepts or accepts subject to conditions, and a refusal can be appealed to the High CourtSudan must notify a provisional refusal within 12 months; publication and opposition still follow Sudanese law
Dependency riskNoneIf the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the Sudanese designation falls with it
Best forYou only need Sudan; you have no home filing to rely on; you want a local agent to follow the whole processYou already have a home filing and want protection 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 through a Sudanese agent, applicants based abroad usually prepare the following information and documents. Provide the power of attorney and other signed documents as your agent instructs.

Applicant

  • Name, address and nationality; for a company, the registered name as it appears on the certificate of incorporation and its English name
  • Proof of nationality: certificate of incorporation, extract from the commercial register or another document accepted by the Registrar (section 10); if not in Arabic or English, attach a certified Arabic or English translation; the office's requisition form requires this certificate to be legalised by a Sudanese embassy
  • Before the certificate is issued, a sworn declaration that the nationality has not changed since filing (section 10(4)), arranged by the agent

Agent and power of attorney

  • Appoint a recognised agent: a Sudanese advocate practising in Sudan, a Sudanese chartered or registered accountant or another person approved by the Minister (section 15); applicants based abroad cannot file themselves
  • The power of attorney is signed by the applicant; the law does not prescribe notarisation or legalisation, so follow your agent's instructions

The mark

  • The representation is affixed to the application form, with 4 further identical copies (Regulations 14 and 15); registration can be limited to specific colours (section 7(3))
  • If the mark contains words in a language other than Arabic or English (such as Chinese characters), the Registrar may require an accurate translation certified by a notary, a chamber of commerce or a person recognised by an embassy or consulate (Regulation 20); the office's requisition form also asks for the meaning of the words

Goods or services

  • One class per application; list the specific goods or services item by item within that class, without claiming the whole class in general terms (section 5)
  • The office's requisition form requires an Arabic translation of the list of goods; ask your agent to prepare it before filing

Basis of the application

  • Earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months of the first filing (section 12), with a priority fee; the office's requisition form lists a copy of the home registration certificate legalised by a Sudanese embassy, and whether it is needed depends on your agent's instructions

A mark similar to an earlier application or registration can be registered with the consent of the earlier right holder (section 8(2)); the Registrar may also require the applicant to disclaim non-distinctive elements (Regulation 26).

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application through an agent, with no refusal or opposition.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    Search for similar marks and settle the class and wording of the goods; after filing, the Registrar searches earlier registrations and pending applications ex officio (Regulation 21)

  2. Step 2

    Filing

    The agent files the application form and pays the filing fee, receiving a filing receipt; an incomplete application is completed within 3 months (statutory), otherwise it is treated as abandoned

  3. Step 3

    Examination

    The Registrar examines the grounds for refusal and earlier marks and may refuse, accept or accept subject to conditions; a hearing can be requested within 1 month of an examination report (Regulations 23 and 24), and a refusal can be appealed to the High Court (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Acceptance and publication

    Accepted applications are published in the Official Gazette on payment of the publication fee; the notice states any conditions and limitations attached to acceptance

  5. Step 5

    Opposition period

    From publication, interested parties in Sudan have 6 months and parties abroad 8 months to oppose (statutory); after receiving a copy of an opposition, the applicant must file a counter-statement within the prescribed period, otherwise the application is treated as abandoned

  6. Step 6

    Registration and certificate

    Once the opposition period has expired, any opposition has been decided and the registration and certificate fee has been paid, the mark is entered in the register and the certificate issued (Regulation 30); before issue, the sworn declaration of unchanged nationality is filed; the registration date is backdated to the filing date

Sudanese law sets no examination period and the office publishes no statistics on average processing times, so this page gives no estimate. What is certain is the 6 to 8-month opposition period after publication: registration comes at least that long after publication, and later if there is an examination report or an opposition.

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 in Sudanese pounds (SDG) under the Trademark Fees Rules 2021, signed by the Minister of Justice and in force since 27 July 2021. One application covers one class, and the fees for each class are paid in three stages: the filing fee at filing, the publication fee after acceptance, and the registration and certificate fee at registration once the opposition period has expired. Renewal, assignment and licence recordal are charged as separate items.

ItemChargedAmount
Paid on filing
Application fee (per application; one class per application)Per class50,000 SDG
Paid on registration
Publication fee (Official Gazette, after acceptance; per application)Per class10,000 SDG
Registration certificate fee (on registration after the opposition period; per application)Per class10,000 SDG
Payable when applicable
Priority claim fee (per application, only if priority is claimed)Per class10,000 SDG
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (every 10 years, per registration)Per class20,000 SDG
Late renewal surcharge (within the 6-month grace period, in addition to the renewal fee)Per class10,000 SDG
Other
Recordal of assignment (per registration)Per class50,000 SDG
Recordal of a licence / registered user (per registration)Per class50,000 SDG
Change of owner's name (per registration)Per class20,000 SDG
Change of owner's address (per registration)Per class20,000 SDG
Official search fee (per class)Per class5,000 SDG
Opposition fee (per opposition)Per class10,000 SDG
Certified copy of a certificate issued by the Registrar (per copy)Per class10,000 SDG

Source: Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 1；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 2；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 3；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 19；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 4；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 13；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 5；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 9；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 7；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 6；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 10；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 15；Ministry of Justice of Sudan, Trade Marks Fees Rules 2021, Official Gazette No. 1917 item 18 · current fees in force since 2021-07-27 · checked on 2026-10-15 · The Bank of China publishes no rate for this currency, so fees are shown in the original currency only

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.

Example: for 1 class, the filing fee of SDG 50,000 at filing; after acceptance, the publication fee of SDG 10,000; at registration, the registration and certificate fee of SDG 10,000: SDG 70,000 in official fees in total. Claiming priority adds SDG 10,000; 3 classes are 3 applications, so the official fees are multiplied by 3.

These amounts are the current schedule published in the Official Gazette; agents report that the office issued a new schedule when it resumed work in February 2024, but no official publication could be found and this page does not use it. The official fees stated in the agent's quote, at the office's rate at that time, prevail.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Sudan and common refusals

These are rules specific to Sudan that are easy to overlook, along with common grounds for refusal in examination.

One class per application, and no general claim to a whole class

Regulation 17 treats registration of the same mark in several classes as separate applications, each on its own form with its own fee. Section 5 of the Act adds that a single registration cannot validly cover all the goods in a class, and the office's requisition form has a specific item requiring applications that claim "all goods" to be amended to specific goods. Filing class by class and listing the goods item by item is the first step to avoiding delays in Sudan.

An opposition period of 6 to 8 months

After acceptance and publication, interested parties in Sudan have 6 months, and parties abroad 8 months, to oppose (section 18), far longer than in most countries; Regulation 30 also provides that registration takes place only after 6 months from publication. If no counter-statement is filed within the prescribed period after receiving a copy of the opposition, the application is treated as abandoned. Build this period into your timetable.

A sworn declaration of unchanged nationality before the certificate, with legalised and translated documents

Section 10 requires the application to state the applicant's nationality and attach the certificate of incorporation or an extract from the commercial register, with a certified translation if not in Arabic or English; the office's requisition form requires the certificate to be legalised by a Sudanese embassy. Before the certificate is issued, the applicant also files a sworn declaration that its nationality has not changed since filing. If your name or nationality changes during examination, tell your agent in advance.

Assignments and licences not recorded within 6 months are void

An assignment must be filed for recording with the Registrar within 6 months of the date the assignment document is signed, otherwise it is void (section 21); a licence (registered user) must likewise be recorded within 6 months, or it is void (section 22). The Minister may require licence agreements under which royalties are paid abroad to be approved. When reorganising ownership within a group or authorising distributors to use the mark, keep a close eye on the recording deadline.

Religious, sectarian and tribal signs and portraits of leaders cannot be registered

Besides national emblems, flags, official signs and signs contrary to morality or public order, section 8(1) expressly refuses marks identical or similar to the emblems of purely religious, sectarian or tribal organisations, portraits of religious or tribal leaders and signs with a sectarian character. A mark that reproduces, imitates, translates or transliterates a mark well known in Sudan and is likely to mislead the public is also refused.

Cancellation after 5 years of non-use, and no damages without registration

If a registered mark is not used in Sudan for 5 consecutive years without good reason, an interested party or the Registrar may ask the High Court to cancel the registration; the court decides case by case who bears the burden of proving use (section 24). A mark not registered in Sudan cannot claim damages for infringement (section 27(2)). Register before entering the Sudanese market, and keep evidence of use afterwards.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

A Sudanese registration lasts 10 years from the registration date (backdated to the filing date) and is renewed within the 6 months before expiry; if the 6-month grace period is also missed, the Registrar removes the mark from the register. Official fees in the table follow the Trademark Fees Rules 2021.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee
Continuously after registrationKeep using the mark in Sudan and keep evidence; after 5 consecutive years of non-use, the court can cancel the registrationNone
Within the 6 months before expiry, then every 10 yearsFile the renewal (the mark cannot be changed at renewal; goods can only be deleted)SDG 20,000
Within 6 months after expiryRenew in the grace period with a late feeRenewal fee plus SDG 10,000
Within 6 months of signing an assignment or licenceRecord the assignment; record the licence (registered user); unrecorded, they are voidAssignment SDG 50,000; licence SDG 50,000
Any timeRecord a change of the owner's name or address; request a certified copy of the registration certificateChange of name SDG 20,000, change of address SDG 20,000, certified copy SDG 10,000
When infringement is foundImporting goods bearing an infringing mark is an offence under section 27 of the Act; you can sue in court and ask for the infringing goods and materials to be confiscated and destroyedAs set by the court

E-commerce brand registries usually also require a registered or pending trademark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Sudan

How much does a Sudan trademark cost?

Official fees are in Sudanese pounds under the Trademark Fees Rules 2021 (in force since 27 July 2021): filing fee SDG 50,000; after acceptance, publication fee SDG 10,000; at registration, registration and certificate fee SDG 10,000, SDG 70,000 for 1 class in total. Sudan allows one class per application, so several classes multiply the fees by the number of applications. Claiming priority adds SDG 10,000. Agents report a new schedule issued by the office in 2024, but no official publication could be found; the current official fees stated in the agent's quote prevail. 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 Sudan take?

Sudanese law sets no examination period and the office publishes no average processing times. The statutory steps that are certain are: an incomplete application is completed within 3 months; accepted applications are published in the Official Gazette; from publication, interested parties in Sudan have 6 months and parties abroad 8 months to oppose, and registration and the certificate follow once the opposition period has expired and the fee is paid. So registration comes at least 6 months after publication, and later if there is an examination report or an opposition.

Can Sudan be covered through Madrid or ARIPO?

Madrid, yes: Sudan has been party to the Madrid Agreement since 1984 and the Protocol since 2010, so an international application can designate Sudan. Sudan has declared neither an individual fee nor an 18-month refusal period: a designation costs only the CHF 100 complementary fee (plus a supplementary fee for more than 3 classes) and Sudan must notify a provisional refusal within 12 months, whatever your office of origin. ARIPO, no: Sudan has not joined the Banjul Protocol on marks, and an ARIPO trademark application can only designate contracting states of that Protocol; see ARIPO trademark registration.

Does a foreign applicant need a local agent in Sudan?

Yes. Sections 9 and 14 of the Trade Marks Act 1969 require the applications, oppositions and other documents of applicants based abroad to be filed through an agent recognised in Sudan; eligible agents are Sudanese advocates practising in Sudan, Sudanese chartered or registered accountants, or persons approved in writing by the Minister (section 15). The power of attorney is signed by the applicant; notarisation and legalisation follow your agent's instructions. The application also attaches proof of nationality such as the certificate of incorporation, with a certified translation if not in Arabic or English; the office's requisition form requires that certificate to be legalised by a Sudanese embassy.

Can one application in Sudan cover several classes?

No. Regulation 17 treats registration of the same mark in several classes as separate applications, each on its own form with its own fee, so official fees are multiplied by the number of applications. Section 5 of the Act also provides that a single registration cannot cover all the goods in a class in general terms, so the goods are listed item by item. The advantage is that a refusal or opposition in one class does not affect the others.

How long does a Sudanese registration last, and how is it renewed?

The term is 10 years from the registration date, which is backdated to the filing date; renewal is possible within the 6 months before expiry, for 10 years each time, at an official fee of SDG 20,000. The mark cannot be changed at renewal, and goods can only be deleted, not added. There is a 6-month grace period after expiry with a late fee of SDG 10,000; if the grace period is also missed, the Registrar removes the mark from the register and publishes the removal in the Gazette. After 5 consecutive years of non-use following registration, others can ask the court to cancel the registration.

Other IP rights

Patents: under the Patents Act 1971, a patent expires 20 years from the filing date and annual fees are payable, with a 6-month grace period and a surcharge for late payment; Sudan has been a PCT member since 16 April 1984, so a PCT application can enter the Sudanese national phase, and Sudan can also be designated in an ARIPO application under the Harare Protocol (since 25 April 1984).

Industrial designs: under the Industrial Designs Act 1974, registration lasts 5 years from the filing date and can be renewed twice for 5 years each; Sudan is not a member of the Hague Agreement, so designs are filed directly with the Registrar General of Intellectual Property or through an ARIPO application under the Harare Protocol designating Sudan.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

Egypt　·　Ethiopia　·　Kenya　·　Tanzania　·　African Regional Intellectual Property Organization　·　Trademark registration in Africa: country guides

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