Country trademark guide · Updated 11 October 2026

Trademark registration in Tanzania

In Tanzania you file through a local agent: on the mainland with the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), in Zanzibar with the Business and Property Registration Agency (BPRA); the two registrations do not cover each other. Tanzania is not a Madrid member, and after a 2025 court ruling ARIPO has suspended designations of Tanzania.

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Five questions first

Which route?Madrid is not available and ARIPO designations of Tanzania are suspended: file directly through a local agent, with BRELA for the mainland and BPRA for Zanzibar; neither registration covers the other.Details ↓

What do I need?The applicant's name and address, the mark (with a transliteration and translation for non-Latin script), goods or services by Nice class, and a power of attorney for the local agent (mainland Form TM/SM 1, Zanzibar Form 25).Details ↓

How are official fees charged?Mainland: filing TZS 50,000 per class, then publication TZS 15,000 and registration TZS 60,000 on acceptance; Zanzibar: filing TZS 150,000 per class, registration TZS 100,000. Service fees are quoted separately.Details ↓

How long does it take?BRELA's service charter promises registration within 90 days of a complete filing, including the 60-day opposition period; in Zanzibar a 2-month opposition period follows publication, then payment and registration. Neither office publishes statistics.Details ↓

What are the main risks?The mainland first term is only 7 years and renewal needs a declaration of use in the last 3 years; Zanzibar's first term is 10 years, renewals 7 years, and a lapsed mark cannot be restored; ARIPO marks are unenforceable on the mainland.Details ↓

Key facts

Trademarks in Tanzania: key facts

Offices	Mainland: the Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA), an executive agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Zanzibar: the Industrial Property Office within the Zanzibar Business and Property Registration Agency (BPRA). Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
Legal basis	Mainland: the Trade and Service Marks Act (Cap. 326, Revised Edition 2023) and the Trade and Service Marks Regulations 2000 (G.N. No. 40 of 2000); Zanzibar: the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008 (Act No. 4 of 2008) and the Zanzibar Industrial Property Regulations 2014 (in force since 17 April 2015)
Two registers	Within the United Republic of Tanzania, the mainland (Tanganyika) and Zanzibar each have their own law and their own register; a registration in one does not extend to the other. To protect a mark in both, file and pay separately in each
Madrid System	Not a member (checked against WIPO's list of contracting parties): Tanzania cannot be designated through Madrid, and only direct filing is possible
ARIPO	Tanzania is a contracting state of the Banjul Protocol (since 1 September 1999), but the mainland Court of Appeal ruled on 26 September 2025 that ARIPO marks are not enforceable on the mainland; at BRELA's request, ARIPO has suspended designations of Tanzania since 24 October 2025 until further notice
Multi-class applications	Mainland: one application can cover one or more classes, fees are charged per class, and each class is legally treated as a separate application and registration; Zanzibar: one application lists goods and services grouped by Nice class, with the filing fee paid per class
Local agent and address for service	Mainland: foreign applicants must give an address for service in Tanzania and file through a trademark agent registered with BRELA, using Form TM/SM 1 for the power of attorney; Zanzibar: applicants whose residence or principal place of business is abroad must be represented by an advocate resident or admitted to practise in Zanzibar, the power of attorney (Form 25) is filed with the application or within 1 month afterwards, and an address for service in Zanzibar is required
Scope of examination	Both offices examine formalities and registrability and search earlier identical or similar registrations and applications; on the mainland an examination report must be answered, or a hearing requested, within 1 month, in Zanzibar within 60 days, otherwise the application is deemed withdrawn
Opposition period (statutory)	Mainland: 60 days from publication in the Trade and Service Marks Journal, with a counter-statement due within 60 days of receiving the opposition; Zanzibar: 2 months from publication in the monthly journal (the Registrar may extend by 1 month), with a counter-statement due within 60 days of service of the opposition
Term and renewal	Mainland: a first term of 7 years from the filing date, then renewals of 10 years each, and renewal requires a declaration of genuine use in Tanzania during the last 3 years; Zanzibar: 10 years from the filing date, then renewals of 7 years each, a 6-month grace period with a surcharge, and no restoration once the registration has lapsed
Consequences of non-use (statutory)	In both jurisdictions a mark unused for 3 or more consecutive years can be removed on application; on the mainland no removal for non-use is possible within 5 years of first publication
Fee currency	Official fees in both jurisdictions are in Tanzanian shillings (TZS), at the same rates for local and foreign applicants; BRELA fees are paid through the Online Registration System (ORS) by mobile money or bank transfer
Filing fees	Mainland: filing fee TZS 50,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 15,000, a registration fee of TZS 60,000 and a file maintenance fee of TZS 5,000; Zanzibar: filing fee TZS 150,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 30,000 and a registration fee of TZS 100,000
Recordal of marks on imported goods	The Finance Act 2025 inserted section 11A into the Merchandise Marks Act: trademarks on goods imported into mainland Tanzania, wherever registered, must be recorded with the Chief Inspector of Merchandise Marks as prescribed

Checked on 2026-10-11; general information only — the office's published rules and fees prevail.

Which route

Mainland (BRELA) or Zanzibar (BPRA) registration

Tanzania is not a member of the Madrid System, so an international registration cannot be extended to Tanzania; the ARIPO route via a designation of Tanzania has been suspended since 24 October 2025 (see below). The only route that works in practice is direct filing through a local agent, and within the United Republic there are two registers that do not cover each other: the mainland (Tanganyika), where BRELA registers under the Trade and Service Marks Act, and Zanzibar, where BPRA registers under the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008. If your goods enter through Dar es Salaam or other mainland ports and are sold on the mainland, register on the mainland first; if you run hotels, tourism or retail in Zanzibar, add a Zanzibar registration.

Status of the ARIPO route: Tanzania joined the Banjul Protocol in 1999, but the mainland never transposed the Protocol into national law. On 26 September 2025 the Court of Appeal of Tanzania held in Lakairo v KenAfrica that a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Tanzania is not enforceable on the mainland; on 24 October 2025 ARIPO announced that, at BRELA's request, it had suspended designations of Tanzania until further notice. The Written Laws (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2026, published by the government on 15 January 2026, would insert section 28A into the Trade and Service Marks Act, deeming marks registered through ARIPO with a designation of Tanzania after 1 September 1999 to be registered under that Act; the bill was tabled in Parliament on 1 September 2026. As at the date of checking there was no record of the amendment having been gazetted as law, and ARIPO had not announced that designations had resumed. If you hold an ARIPO registration and do business on mainland Tanzania, you should still file a national application with BRELA. For the other ARIPO contracting states, see ARIPO trademark registration.

Item	Mainland: filing with BRELA	Zanzibar: filing with BPRA
Legal basis	Trade and Service Marks Act (Cap. 326) and Trade and Service Marks Regulations 2000	Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008 and Zanzibar Industrial Property Regulations 2014
Territory covered	Mainland Tanzania (Tanganyika)	Zanzibar
Agent and power of attorney	Must be filed by a trademark agent registered with BRELA (the agent must be a Tanzanian citizen, be domiciled or have a place of business in Tanzania, or be an advocate of the High Court); the power of attorney is Form TM/SM 1, with no fee; an ORS account requires a Tanzanian national ID, so foreign applicants file through the agent's account	Applicants whose residence or principal place of business is abroad must be represented by an advocate resident or admitted to practise in Zanzibar; the power of attorney is Form 25, filed with the application or within 1 month afterwards; BPRA publishes a list of registered agents
Classes and official fees	One application can cover several classes, charged per class: filing fee TZS 50,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 15,000, a registration fee of TZS 60,000 and a file maintenance fee of TZS 5,000	Charged per class: filing fee TZS 150,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 30,000 and a registration fee of TZS 100,000, payable within 90 days
Examination and publication	Examination of formalities and registrability plus a search for earlier marks; an examination report must be answered within 1 month; accepted applications are published in the Trade and Service Marks Journal, with a 60-day opposition period	The same examination and search for earlier marks; an examination report must be answered within 60 days; accepted applications are published in the monthly Zanzibar Industrial Property Journal, with a 2-month opposition period
Term and renewal	First term of 7 years from the filing date, then 10 years at a time; renewal requires a declaration of genuine use in the last 3 years and is filed within the 3 months before expiry; a mark not renewed within 1 month after expiry may be removed, with restoration available on request	First term of 10 years from the filing date, then 7 years at a time; renew from 6 months before to 6 months after expiry, with a surcharge in the grace period; no restoration once lapsed
Best for	Goods entering the mainland market, factories or distributors on the mainland; the first choice for almost every exporter to Tanzania	Hotels, tourism, retail or restaurants in Zanzibar, or goods sold in Zanzibar

If you need both, you can file in each on the same day; priority from an earlier application filed abroad can be claimed in both within 6 months of that application.

Not sure? Run a free search first, then submit an order online; the agent will advise, based on the search results, which register to start with.

What to prepare

Documents checklist

A foreign company or individual filing directly with BRELA or BPRA normally prepares the following information and documents. Signed documents such as the power of attorney are provided as the agent instructs.

Applicant

Name (for a company, the name on its certificate of incorporation, with an English version), address, and nationality or country of incorporation
A mainland application must state the applicant's trade or business description
E-mail address and mobile number of the applicant and contact person (required by BRELA's online system)

Agent and address for service

Mainland: a power of attorney for a BRELA-registered agent (Form TM/SM 1), signed by the applicant; the address for service in Tanzania is provided by the agent
Zanzibar: a power of attorney for a Zanzibar advocate (Form 25), filed with the application or within 1 month afterwards; an address for service in Zanzibar

Mark

A representation of the mark; if colour is claimed, state the colours (in Zanzibar a colour representation must also be filed)
Marks containing non-Latin script such as Chinese characters: attach a transliteration and state the language; the mainland may require a translation for languages other than English and Swahili, and Zanzibar requires both a transliteration and a translation
Series marks must be identified as such at filing

Goods or services

Goods or services specified under the Nice Classification, with the class numbers
On the mainland one application can cover several classes, charged per class; in Zanzibar the goods are grouped by class, charged per class

Basis of the application

A mainland application must declare that the applicant (or a proposed registered user) is using or intends to use the mark in Tanzania; no evidence of use is filed
An earlier application filed abroad: priority can be claimed within 6 months; both offices may require a certified copy of that application from the office of first filing, with an English translation (in Zanzibar within 3 months of the Registrar's request)

The mainland regulations require 6 copies of the representation with the application (Form TM/SM 3) and Zanzibar requires 5 black-and-white copies; both offices now take filings through their online systems, so upload the image files as the agent instructs.

Zanzibar filings are in English or Swahili; documents in other languages need a certified English translation.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application through an agent with BRELA (mainland) with no opposition; differences in Zanzibar are in the notes.

Step 1
Clearance search (recommended)
Search for earlier marks and settle the classes and wording of the goods; BRELA searches earlier registrations and applications of its own motion, so a search matters more here
Step 2
Filing
The agent files Form TM/SM 2 through the Online Registration System (ORS) and pays the filing fee (TZS 50,000 per class); the registration date is backdated to the filing date
Step 3
Examination
Examination of formalities, registrability and earlier marks; an examination report must be answered, or a hearing requested, within 1 month (statutory), otherwise the application is deemed withdrawn
Step 4
Publication
Accepted applications are published in the Trade and Service Marks Journal
Step 5
Opposition period
60 days from publication (statutory); if an opposition is filed, a counter-statement is due within 60 days of receiving it (statutory)
Step 6
Registration fee and certificate
After the opposition period, pay the registration fee of TZS 60,000, the publication fee of TZS 15,000 and the file maintenance fee of TZS 5,000 (Form TM/SM 8); the certificate is issued to the ORS account. BRELA's service charter promises registration within 90 days of a complete filing

If registration is not completed within 12 months of the filing date for reasons attributable to the applicant, BRELA issues a notice and the application is treated as abandoned if not completed within 30 days. BRELA publishes no statistics on examination time; the 90 days above is the commitment in its Client's Service Charter, and cases with an examination report or opposition take longer (estimate).

Zanzibar: an examination report must be answered within 60 days; accepted applications are published in the Zanzibar Industrial Property Journal, issued on the 3rd of each month, with a 2-month opposition period; after it expires the Registrar calls for the registration and publication fees, payable within 90 days or the application is refused. BPRA publishes no service standard or statistics.

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 in both jurisdictions are in Tanzanian shillings (TZS), at the same rates for local and foreign applicants, charged per class and paid in two stages, at filing and at registration. Mainland fees are set in the First Schedule to the Trade and Service Marks Regulations and BRELA's published fee table; Zanzibar fees in the BPRA (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2025, published and in force on 18 July 2025.

Item	Charged	Amount	Approx. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (per class)	Per class	50,000 TZS	≈ USD 19
Paid on registration
Publication fee in the Journal (payable on acceptance, per class)	Per class	15,000 TZS	≈ USD 6
Registration fee (payable after the opposition period, per class, Form TM/SM 8)	Per class	60,000 TZS	≈ USD 23
File maintenance fee (paid with the registration fee, per class)	Per class	5,000 TZS	≈ USD 2
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (after the first 7-year term, every 10 years, per class, Form TM/SM 9)	Per class	30,000 TZS	≈ USD 11
Additional fee for late renewal (paid with the renewal fee after removal, Form TM/SM 10)	Per class	30,000 TZS	≈ USD 11
Restoration fee (after removal, in addition to renewal and additional fees, Form TM/SM 11)	Per class	30,000 TZS	≈ USD 11
Other
Recordal of assignment (single mark, Form TM/SM 12)	Per application	50,000 TZS	≈ USD 19
Change of proprietor's name (single mark, Form TM/SM 18)	Per application	20,000 TZS	≈ USD 8
Change of trade or business address (Form TM/SM 15)	Per application	20,000 TZS	≈ USD 8
Notice of opposition (per application opposed, Form TM/SM 5)	Per application	60,000 TZS	≈ USD 23
Counter-statement in opposition (per application, Form TM/SM 6)	Per application	50,000 TZS	≈ USD 19

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.

Mainland example: for 1 class you pay a filing fee of TZS 50,000 at filing; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 15,000, a registration fee of TZS 60,000 and a file maintenance fee of TZS 5,000, TZS 130,000 in total. Several classes are multiplied accordingly, and each class is treated as a separate application and registration.

Zanzibar example: for 1 class you pay a filing fee of TZS 150,000 at filing; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 30,000 and a registration fee of TZS 100,000, TZS 280,000 in total. Each additional mark in a series costs TZS 80,000.

Protecting 1 class in both jurisdictions costs TZS 410,000 in official fees. The power of attorney carries no fee on the mainland; in Zanzibar the agent's registration fee is borne by the agent.

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

Watch out

Rules specific to Tanzania and common refusals

These are the rules specific to Tanzania that are easy to overlook, and the most common problems in examination.

The mainland and Zanzibar are two registers, and neither covers the other

Within the United Republic of Tanzania, BRELA registers marks for the mainland under the Trade and Service Marks Act and BPRA registers marks for Zanzibar under the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008; each law has its own rules on agents, terms and fees. A mark registered only with BRELA has no effect against hotels or shops in Zanzibar, and vice versa. A brand covering both must be filed, and renewed, separately in each.

ARIPO marks are unenforceable on the mainland, and designations of Tanzania are suspended

On 26 September 2025 the Court of Appeal of Tanzania held that a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Tanzania cannot be enforced on the mainland because the Protocol was never transposed into national law; since 24 October 2025 ARIPO no longer accepts designations of Tanzania. A 2026 amendment bill would recognise such registrations, but as at the date of checking it had not come into force as law. If you hold an ARIPO registration, file a national application with BRELA; Zanzibar's law has no provision for ARIPO designations either.

The mainland first term is only 7 years, and renewal requires a declaration of use in the last 3 years

A mainland registration expires 7 years from the filing date and is then renewed for 10 years at a time. On renewal you must file a declaration of the goods or services on which the mark has been genuinely used in Tanzania during the last 3 years, with specimens of use, or show special circumstances that prevented use without any intention to abandon the mark; the renewal is effective only for the goods or services declared. File within the 3 months before expiry; a mark still unpaid 1 month after expiry is removed and can only be restored on payment of a surcharge and a restoration fee. After 3 consecutive years of non-use, anyone can apply to have the mark removed.

Zanzibar renewals last only 7 years, and a lapsed mark cannot be restored

A Zanzibar registration runs 10 years from the filing date and is renewed for 7 years at a time; renewal can be filed from 6 months before to 6 months after expiry, with a surcharge of TZS 150,000 in the grace period. Once the grace period passes the registration lapses, the law expressly excludes restoration, and the only option is a new application. An invalidation request in Zanzibar must be filed within 5 years of issue of the certificate, except for bad-faith registrations.

Marks on goods imported into the mainland must be recorded with the Chief Inspector

The Finance Act 2025 inserted section 11A into the Merchandise Marks Act: trademarks on goods imported into mainland Tanzania, wherever registered, must be recorded with the Chief Inspector of Merchandise Marks as prescribed; the procedure is set out in the Merchandise Marks (Recordation) Regulations 2025 and recordals are handled by the Fair Competition Commission (FCC). Recordal presupposes a valid trademark registration, so exporters to Tanzania should plan the BRELA registration and the recordal together.

Earlier similar marks are refused of the office's own motion, and non-Latin marks need a transliteration

BRELA searches earlier registrations and applications on receipt of an application; where a similar mark exists for identical or similar goods it raises a refusal directly, without waiting for the earlier owner to oppose, and you have only 1 month to respond. If the mark contains non-Latin script such as Chinese characters, both the mainland and Zanzibar require a transliteration with the language stated, and Zanzibar also requires a translation. Descriptive words often have to be disclaimed.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Neither jurisdiction requires periodic declarations of use, but mainland renewal requires a declaration of use; renewal deadlines differ, and once you miss the Zanzibar grace period the registration cannot be restored.

When	What to do	Official fee
Continuously after registration	Use the mark genuinely in Tanzania and keep evidence; in both jurisdictions a mark unused for 3 or more consecutive years can be removed on application	None
Mainland: within the 3 months before expiry (first term 7 years, then every 10 years)	Renewal (Form TM/SM 9), with a declaration of the goods or services genuinely used in the last 3 years and specimens of use	TZS 30,000
Mainland: after removal for non-payment 1 month after expiry	Apply for restoration and renewal, at the Registrar's discretion	Renewal fee TZS 30,000 plus a surcharge of TZS 30,000 and a restoration fee of TZS 30,000
Zanzibar: from 6 months before to 6 months after expiry (first term 10 years, then every 7 years)	Renewal (Form 16); a surcharge applies if filed within 6 months after expiry, and no restoration is possible after that	TZS 80,000; plus TZS 150,000 in the grace period
At any time (mainland)	Recording an assignment (TM/SM 12); change of name (TM/SM 18); change of address (TM/SM 15); change of address for service (TM/SM 27)	Assignment TZS 50,000; change of name TZS 20,000; change of address TZS 20,000; change of address for service TZS 10,000
At any time (Zanzibar)	Change of the owner's name; recording a change of ownership (Form 24); amendment of the register (Form 28)	Change of name TZS 50,000; other items under the BPRA (Fees and Charges) Regulations 2025

If your goods are imported into the mainland, after registration you also record the mark with the Chief Inspector of Merchandise Marks (handled by the FCC); see the rules specific to Tanzania above. Brand registries of e-commerce platforms usually also require a registered or pending mark.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Tanzania

How much does a trademark registration in Tanzania cost?

Official fees are in Tanzanian shillings, at the same rates for local and foreign applicants. Mainland (BRELA): a filing fee of TZS 50,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 15,000, a registration fee of TZS 60,000 and a file maintenance fee of TZS 5,000, TZS 130,000 in total for one class. Zanzibar (BPRA): a filing fee of TZS 150,000 per class; on acceptance, a publication fee of TZS 30,000 and a registration fee of TZS 100,000, TZS 280,000 in total for one class. Registering in both means adding the two together. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.

How long does trademark registration in Tanzania take?

BRELA publishes no average examination time; its Client's Service Charter promises registration within 90 days of a complete filing, which already includes the 60-day statutory opposition period; cases with an examination report or opposition take longer (estimate). Zanzibar publishes no time limits: applications are published in the journal issued on the 3rd of each month, the opposition period is 2 months, and the fees are paid within 90 days after it expires.

Can I protect a mark in Tanzania through Madrid or ARIPO?

Not through Madrid: Tanzania is not a member of the Madrid System, so an international registration cannot designate Tanzania. Not through ARIPO at present either: Tanzania is a contracting state of the Banjul Protocol, but the Court of Appeal ruled in September 2025 that ARIPO marks are unenforceable on the mainland, and since 24 October 2025 ARIPO has suspended designations of Tanzania; a 2026 amendment bill would recognise such registrations, but as at the date of checking it had not come into force as law. For now the only route is direct filing with BRELA or BPRA through a local agent. For the other ARIPO contracting states, see ARIPO trademark registration.

Is a mainland registration valid in Zanzibar?

No. The mainland applies the Trade and Service Marks Act, with BRELA as the registry; Zanzibar applies the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008, with BPRA as the registry; neither registration covers the other. If you run hotels, tourism or retail in Zanzibar or sell goods there, you must file separately with BPRA; to protect both, file and renew in each.

Does a foreign company need a local agent in Tanzania?

Yes. Mainland: the Trade and Service Marks Act requires foreign applicants to give an address for service in Tanzania, and applications are filed through a trademark agent registered with BRELA (the agent must be a Tanzanian citizen, be domiciled or have a place of business in Tanzania, or be an advocate of the High Court); a BRELA online account also requires a Tanzanian national ID. The power of attorney is Form TM/SM 1, with no fee. Zanzibar: section 114 of the Industrial Property Act requires applicants whose residence or principal place of business is abroad to be represented by an advocate resident or admitted to practise in Zanzibar; the power of attorney (Form 25) is filed with the application or within 1 month afterwards.

How long does a Tanzanian trademark last, and how is it renewed?

Mainland: a first term of 7 years from the filing date, then renewals of 10 years each; file the renewal within the 3 months before expiry, with a declaration of the goods or services genuinely used in the last 3 years; a mark still unpaid 1 month after expiry is removed and can be restored on payment of a surcharge and a restoration fee. Zanzibar: 10 years from the filing date, then renewals of 7 years each; renew from 6 months before to 6 months after expiry, with a surcharge in the grace period; after that the registration cannot be restored.

Other IP rights

Patents: mainland patents are handled by BRELA under the Patents (Registration) Act (Cap. 217); you can enter the Tanzanian national phase through the PCT (since 14 September 1999) or file through ARIPO under the Harare Protocol with a designation of Tanzania (since 1 September 1999); patents and utility models for Zanzibar are handled separately by BPRA under the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008.

Industrial designs: Tanzania is not a member of the Hague Agreement; for the mainland you can file through ARIPO under the Harare Protocol with a designation of Tanzania, and in Zanzibar BPRA registers designs under the Zanzibar Industrial Property Act 2008.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization　·　Kenya　·　South Africa　·　Nigeria　·　Ghana　·　Mozambique

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Order online · Tanzania trademark registration

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Notice: the services described on this page are carried out by locally licensed partner firms; J&C is your point of contact and coordinates and delivers the work. Fees shown are estimates; official fees are those actually charged by the office and the final quote is confirmed by an agent. Examination times are set by each office and the outcome depends on official examination; we make no promise as to results. By submitting an order you agree that the information needed for the work is shared with the relevant partner firm (which may be outside your country). This page is general information, not legal advice.

Trademark registration in Tanzania

Five questions first

Trademarks in Tanzania: key facts

Mainland (BRELA) or Zanzibar (BPRA) registration

Documents checklist

Applicant

Agent and address for service

Mark

Goods or services

Basis of the application

Process and timeline

Clearance search (recommended)

Filing

Examination

Publication

Opposition period

Registration fee and certificate

Official fees

Rules specific to Tanzania and common refusals

The mainland and Zanzibar are two registers, and neither covers the other

ARIPO marks are unenforceable on the mainland, and designations of Tanzania are suspended

The mainland first term is only 7 years, and renewal requires a declaration of use in the last 3 years

Zanzibar renewals last only 7 years, and a lapsed mark cannot be restored

Marks on goods imported into the mainland must be recorded with the Chief Inspector

Earlier similar marks are refused of the office's own motion, and non-Latin marks need a transliteration

Keeping the registration

Trademark registration in Tanzania

Other IP rights

Other countries and territories in the region

Ready to file?

Questions first?