Country trademark guide · Updated 16 October 2026

Trademark registration in Zimbabwe

Three routes: direct filing with the Companies and Intellectual Property Office (CIPZ) through a local agent, one class per application; a Madrid designation (Protocol member since 2015, individual fee, 18-month refusal period); or an ARIPO designation, ARIPO being based in Harare and its marks equal to a national registration. Term 10 years, renewable.

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Five questions first

Which route?A home filing and several countries to cover? Designate Zimbabwe through Madrid. Zimbabwe only? File directly through a local agent, one class per application. Several southern African countries at once? An ARIPO application can designate Zimbabwe.Details ↓

What do I need?The applicant's name, address, nationality and trade description; the mark (non-Latin script with a transliteration and translation, signed by the applicant); goods or services in one class; a power of attorney. No notarisation or legalisation.Details ↓

How are official fees charged?In US dollars, by applicant category: for a company, filing fee USD 200 per application (one class); on acceptance, publication fee USD 40 and registration fee USD 80, USD 320 in all. Service fees are quoted separately.Details ↓

How long does it take?No official statistics. Statutory points: reply to an examination report within 2 months; after acceptance the applicant publishes, and oppositions may be filed within 2 months of publication; then request registration. The registration date is backdated to filing.Details ↓

What are the main risks?With a priority claim the 10-year term runs from the priority date; 6-month renewal grace period, restoration within 3 years of removal with a declaration of use; 5 consecutive years of non-use allows cancellation; foreign applicants always pay in US dollars.Details ↓

Key facts

Trademarks in Zimbabwe: key facts

Office	The Companies and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe (CIPZ, formerly the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office, ZIPO), under the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, in Harare; under the Trade Marks Act the receiving office is the Trade Marks Office, where the Registrar of Trade Marks examines and registers marks. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
Legal basis	Trade Marks Act [Chapter 26:04] (in force since 1 January 1975, amended in 2001 and 2016); Trade Marks Regulations, 2005 (S.I. 170 of 2005); official fees in the Trade Marks (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (No. 6) (S.I. 37 of 2025, gazetted on 18 April 2025)
Madrid System	Member of the Madrid Protocol (in force since 11 March 2015), not of the Madrid Agreement; Zimbabwe has declared an individual fee and an 18-month refusal period, and refusals based on an opposition may be notified after the 18 months; section 97B of the Trade Marks Act gives the Protocol force of law in Zimbabwe
ARIPO	Contracting state of the Banjul Protocol (since 6 March 1997); ARIPO is headquartered in Harare; a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Zimbabwe has, under section 97A of the Trade Marks Act, the same effect and the same protection as a national registration
Agent and address for service	Only trademark agents, patent agents or legal practitioners registered in Zimbabwe may act; an applicant not resident or carrying on business in Zimbabwe must give an address for service in Zimbabwe, and renewals by foreign proprietors must be filed through an agent; the power of attorney is on Form T.M. 43 or in any other written form the Registrar accepts
One class per application	Each application may cover only one class of the Third Schedule to the Trade Marks Regulations (Nice classes 1–45); the same mark in other classes is a separate application for each class, with official fees charged per application
Register in Parts A and B	Distinctive marks are entered in Part A; marks that are merely "capable of distinguishing" may be entered in Part B, and the examiner may suggest that a Part A application be treated as a Part B application; non-distinctive elements must be disclaimed
Priority	Can be claimed within 6 months of the first application filed abroad; a copy of the earlier application certified by the office where it was filed must be lodged within 3 months of the Zimbabwean filing date, with a verified English translation within 3 months for documents in another language; a registration with a priority claim takes the priority date as its registration date
Replying to an examination report (statutory)	Within 2 months of the Registrar's notice of refusal or conditional acceptance, reply in writing or apply for a hearing, otherwise the application is deemed abandoned
Publication and opposition period (statutory)	After acceptance the applicant advertises the mark in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal; anyone may oppose within 2 months of publication, and the applicant must file a counter-statement within 2 months of receiving the opposition or is deemed to have abandoned the application; the periods can be extended on request
Term and renewal	The registration date is the filing date (or the priority date where priority is claimed); 10 years, renewable for 10 years at a time; renewal can be filed within the year before expiry and, with a surcharge, within a 6-month grace period after expiry; a removed mark can be restored within 3 years, with a declaration of genuine use in Zimbabwe during the period of removal or an explanation of the non-use
Non-use cancellation (statutory)	A mark not genuinely used in Zimbabwe for a continuous period of 5 years or more up to 1 month before the application may be removed on the application of any interested person; so may a mark registered without a genuine intention to use it and never used; non-use due to government action or other circumstances beyond the proprietor's control is excepted
Filing fees	In US dollars, by applicant category: filing fee for a company USD 200 per application (one class), for an individual USD 30, for a small or medium-sized enterprise USD 50; foreign applicants pay in US dollars in all cases (in force since 18 April 2025)
Legalisation of documents	Section 101 of the Trade Marks Act provides that documents lodged with the Trade Marks Office need not be authenticated; the power of attorney is simply signed by the applicant, with no notarisation or consular legalisation

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

Which route

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Zimbabwe accepts three kinds of application: direct filing, a Madrid designation and an ARIPO designation. Most foreign applicants compare the first two: if you already have a home application or registration and are covering several countries at once, a Madrid designation saves the local agent and the country-by-country formalities; if Zimbabwe is your only target, or you want Part A entry, disclaimers and similar details handled within one application, direct filing through a local agent is the more direct way.

The ARIPO route: Zimbabwe is a contracting state of the Banjul Protocol, ARIPO is headquartered in Harare, and a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Zimbabwe has, under section 97A of the Trade Marks Act, the same effect as a national registration. One ARIPO application can designate Botswana, Mozambique, Uganda and other contracting states at the same time; from 1 March 2026 the electronic filing fee is USD 160, and for each designated state there is a designation fee of USD 50 for the first class and a registration fee of USD 150, with several classes allowed; each designated state examines under its own law and protection takes effect state by state. If you need several southern African countries at once and have no home filing to rely on, this route is worth considering; see ARIPO trademark registration.

Item	Direct filing (through a local agent)	Madrid designation of Zimbabwe
Prerequisite	None; priority can be claimed within 6 months of an earlier application filed abroad	A basic application or registration at your office of origin
Classes	One class per application; several classes mean separate applications and separate fees	One international registration can cover several classes, with the individual fee charged per class
Official fees	Paid in US dollars directly to CIPZ: filing fee for a company USD 200 per application; on acceptance, publication fee USD 40 and registration fee USD 80	Basic fee paid to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) plus Zimbabwe's individual fee, in Swiss francs (see the WIPO fee calculator); as Zimbabwe is party to the Protocol only, the individual fee applies whatever your office of origin
Agent	A trademark agent, patent agent or legal practitioner registered in Zimbabwe must be appointed, with an address for service in Zimbabwe	Filed through your office of origin, with no local agent at filing; if Zimbabwe issues a refusal or an opposition is filed, the reply must go through a local agent
Examination period	No statutory examination period and no official statistics	Zimbabwe must notify a refusal within 18 months, and refusals based on an opposition may be notified after that; if none is notified, protection is deemed granted
Dependency risk	None; it is an independent application	If the basic application or registration is refused or cancelled within 5 years, the international registration falls with it
Best for	Zimbabwe only; no home filing; marks containing Chinese characters or other non-Latin script, where a local agent should handle the translation, disclaimers and similar details	You already have a home filing and are covering several countries in Africa and elsewhere

After a Madrid designation of Zimbabwe, CIPZ examines absolute and relative grounds in the same way and publishes the accepted mark in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal for opposition.

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 CIPZ, applicants based abroad usually prepare the following information and documents. Under section 101 of the Trade Marks Act, documents lodged need not be authenticated; the power of attorney is simply signed by the applicant.

Applicant

Name (for a company, the name on its certificate of incorporation, with an English version), full business address and nationality
The application form must state the applicant's trade or business description and, where there is one, its trading style
A statement that the applicant is using or proposes to use the mark and claims to be its proprietor

Agent and address for service

A power of attorney for the Zimbabwean agent (Form T.M. 43, or any other written form the Registrar accepts), signed by the applicant, with no notarisation or legalisation
An address for service in Zimbabwe, usually provided by the agent

Mark

A representation of the mark; a word mark in plain type is printed as such, any other mark comes with 10 additional representations
Marks containing Chinese characters or other non-Latin script: state the transliteration and translation on the application form and name the language, signed by the applicant; the Registrar may require an exact translation of words not in English
A series of marks must be identified at filing, with a representation of each

Goods and services

Specific goods or services in one class of the Third Schedule to the Trade Marks Regulations (Nice classes 1–45); several classes mean separate applications
If a whole class or an excessive range of goods is claimed, the Registrar may require a statement of the goods actually used or intended to be used, and may otherwise refuse the specification

Basis of the application

Priority from an earlier application filed abroad: lodge a copy certified by the office of first filing within 3 months of the Zimbabwean filing date, with a verified English translation within 3 months for documents in another language
Applicants paying at the SME, academic or student rate: file the declaration form prescribed by the Regulations with the application

Today the agent files, and the representation is supplied as an electronic file as the agent instructs. If the mark contains the name of goods or services, the Registrar may accept it for those goods or services only; if it contains the name or likeness of a living person, that person's consent must be filed.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application through an agent with CIPZ, with no opposition. CIPZ publishes no statistics on examination time, so only the statutory points are given below.

Step 1
Clearance search (recommended)
Search for earlier marks and settle the class and the wording of the goods; on receiving the application the Registrar searches earlier registrations and pending applications of its own motion
Step 2
Filing
The agent files Form T.M. 5, one class per application, and pays the filing fee (USD 200 for a company); the registration date is backdated to the filing date
Step 3
Examination
Absolute and relative grounds: distinctiveness and conflicts with earlier marks; if a refusal or conditional acceptance is notified, reply in writing or apply for a hearing within 2 months (statutory), otherwise the application is deemed abandoned
Step 4
Publication
After acceptance the applicant advertises the mark in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal (publication fee USD 40); the advertisement states any conditions and limitations attached to the acceptance
Step 5
Opposition period
2 months from publication (statutory); if an opposition is filed, a counter-statement is due within 2 months of receiving it, otherwise the application is deemed abandoned
Step 6
Request for registration and certificate
After the opposition period, file the request for registration (Form T.M. 12) and pay the registration fee of USD 80; the Registrar enters the mark in the register and issues the certificate of registration

If, through the applicant's default, registration is not completed within 12 months of the filing date, the Registrar gives notice and the application is deemed abandoned unless it is completed within the time stated. No official examination times are published; outside the statutory points, timing depends on the case.

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 Zimbabwe are in US dollars and fall into three applicant categories (individuals, universities, research institutions and students; small and medium-sized enterprises; companies); foreign applicants pay in US dollars in all cases. The current rates are in the schedule to the Trade Marks (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 (No. 6), gazetted and in force on 18 April 2025. Each application covers one class, so every class counts as one application.

Item	Charged	Amount	Approx. USD
Paid on filing
Application fee (per application = one class; corporate-body rate; individuals US$30, SMEs US$50)	Per application	200 USD	USD 200
Series of marks, each further mark (corporate-body rate)	Per application	40 USD	USD 40
Paid on registration
Advertisement fee in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal (payable on acceptance, per application; corporate-body rate)	Per application	40 USD	USD 40
Request for registration after the opposition period (per application, Form T.M. 12; corporate-body rate)	Per application	80 USD	USD 80
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (every 10 years, per registration; corporate-body rate)	Per application	200 USD	USD 200
Late renewal additional fee (grace period, per registration; corporate-body rate)	Per application	40 USD	USD 40
Restoration of a mark removed for non-payment of renewal fee (within 3 years; renewal fee payable in addition; corporate-body rate)	Per application	400 USD	USD 400
Other
Official search (per class; corporate-body rate; search with preliminary advice US$120)	Per class	80 USD	USD 80
Recordal of assignment / subsequent proprietor (1–5 marks; corporate-body rate)	Per application	200 USD	USD 200
Recordal of registered user / licence (1–5 marks; corporate-body rate)	Per application	200 USD	USD 200
Correction or change in the Register (per mark or class; corporate-body rate)	Per application	40 USD	USD 40
Notice of opposition (corporate-body rate; the Schedule also lists 'Filing an Opposition' at US$200, to be clarified with the office)	Per application	80 USD	USD 80
Counter-statement in opposition (corporate-body rate)	Per application	80 USD	USD 80
Application for removal for non-use or rectification of the Register (corporate-body rate)	Per application	80 USD	USD 80
Extension of time up to 3 months (per class; corporate-body rate; 6 months US$120, 12 months US$150)	Per application	50 USD	USD 50

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: a company applies in 1 class. At filing, the filing fee of USD 200; on acceptance, the publication fee of USD 40 and the registration fee of USD 80: USD 320 in official fees in all. 3 classes are 3 applications, USD 960 in all. An official search before filing costs a further USD 80 per class (USD 120 with a preliminary opinion).

Individuals pay the lowest rate: filing fee USD 30, publication fee USD 10, registration fee USD 15. The SME rate (filing fee USD 50) requires the declaration form to be filed with the application; the Regulations define SMEs by number of employees and assets and do not say whether foreign companies qualify, so confirm with 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 Zimbabwe and common refusals

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

With a priority claim, the 10-year term runs from the priority date

Section 97 of the Trade Marks Act provides that a registration with a Convention priority claim is dated "as of the date of the application in the Convention country", and the 10-year term runs from the registration date; so if you claim priority from an earlier application filed abroad, the first term is up to 6 months shorter than without the claim, and the renewal date comes forward accordingly. Priority buys an earlier date and is worth claiming, but set your renewal reminder from the priority date.

One class per application, and the applicant arranges publication

Regulation 11 of the Trade Marks Regulations allows only one class per application, so several classes mean separate applications, separate fees and separate renewals. After acceptance, section 22 of the Act requires the applicant to advertise the mark in the Patent and Trade Marks Journal "as soon as possible" and pay the publication fee; the Registrar does not publish automatically. If registration is not completed within 12 months of the filing date, the application is deemed abandoned after notice. Your agent must watch for the notice of acceptance.

A 6-month renewal grace period; restoration within 3 years of removal, with a declaration of use

Renewal can be filed within the year before expiry, and foreign proprietors must renew through an agent. If the expiry date is missed, there is a 6-month grace period with a surcharge; a removed mark can be restored within 3 years, but you must declare genuine use in Zimbabwe during the period of removal or give reasons for the non-use that the Registrar accepts, and the restoration fee is USD 400 plus the renewal fee. For 1 year after removal, the mark is still cited against other parties' applications.

5 consecutive years of non-use allows cancellation, and the intention to use at filing is also examined

Under section 31 of the Trade Marks Act, a mark not genuinely used for a continuous period of 5 years or more up to 1 month before the application may be removed on the application of an interested person; a further ground is that the mark was registered without a genuine intention to use it and has never been used. Only special circumstances beyond the proprietor's control, such as government action, are a defence. A defensive registration needs a genuine plan to export to Zimbabwe, and keep dated evidence of use.

The register has Parts A and B, and non-distinctive elements must be disclaimed

Strongly distinctive marks are entered in Part A and marks that are merely "capable of distinguishing" in Part B; a Part B registration gives weaker protection in infringement proceedings, and the examiner may suggest treating a Part A application as a Part B application. If the mark contains generic or descriptive words or the name of goods, the Registrar may require a disclaimer of those elements, and may accept a mark containing the name of goods for those goods only. Separate the descriptive elements from the main device before filing.

Chinese characters need a signed transliteration and translation; familiar foreign marks can stop bad-faith filings

A mark containing non-Latin script must state the transliteration, translation and language on the application form, signed by the applicant, and the Registrar assesses distinctiveness and similarity on the translation. If someone has filed your mark in bad faith, section 9E of the Trade Marks Act protects a "familiar foreign mark" known to the public in Zimbabwe: the proprietor can seek an order against its use, but must apply to register the mark within 1 month of starting proceedings. The safer course is to register first.

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Zimbabwe requires no periodic declarations of use; a registration expires 10 years from the filing date (or the priority date where priority is claimed) and is renewed for 10 years at a time. The official fees below are the company rates.

When	What to do	Official fee
Continuously after registration	Use the mark genuinely in Zimbabwe and keep dated evidence of use; 5 consecutive years of non-use allows an application for removal	None
Within the year before expiry (first term 10 years, then every 10 years)	Renewal (Form T.M. 15), filed through an agent for foreign proprietors	USD 200
Within the 6-month grace period after expiry	Late renewal with a surcharge	Renewal fee USD 200 plus a surcharge of USD 40
Within 3 years after removal	Apply for restoration (Form T.M. 16), with a declaration of genuine use during the period of removal or the reasons for non-use, together with renewal	Restoration fee USD 400 plus the renewal fee of USD 200
At any time	Recording an assignment (registration of the subsequent proprietor); recording a licence (registered user); changes of address and other register entries	Assignment and licence recordal USD 200 each (1–5 marks); change of register entries USD 40 per mark

Customs recordal and e-commerce platform complaints require proof of registration as each body prescribes; the Trade Marks Act provides a procedure for customs to detain suspected counterfeit goods, which the agent handles case by case.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Zimbabwe

How much does trademark registration in Zimbabwe cost?

Official fees are in US dollars and depend on the applicant category; foreign applicants pay in US dollars in all cases. For a company: filing fee USD 200 per application (one class); on acceptance, publication fee USD 40 and registration fee USD 80, USD 320 for one class; several classes are separate applications, multiplied accordingly. Individuals pay the lowest rate: filing fee USD 30, publication fee USD 10, registration fee USD 15. A Madrid designation of Zimbabwe costs the WIPO basic fee plus Zimbabwe's individual fee, in Swiss francs. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.

How long does trademark registration in Zimbabwe take?

CIPZ publishes no statistics on examination time, and there is no statutory examination period. The statutory points are: reply to any examination report within 2 months; after acceptance the applicant publishes the mark, and oppositions may be filed within 2 months of publication; then request registration and the certificate. For a Madrid designation, Zimbabwe must notify a refusal within 18 months, failing which protection is deemed granted.

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

Both. Zimbabwe has been party to the Madrid Protocol since 11 March 2015, so you can designate Zimbabwe on the basis of your home application or registration; Zimbabwe has declared an individual fee and an 18-month refusal period. Zimbabwe is also a contracting state of ARIPO's Banjul Protocol, and a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Zimbabwe has, under section 97A of the Trade Marks Act, the same effect as a national registration; see ARIPO trademark registration.

Is an ARIPO trademark valid in Zimbabwe?

Yes. The 2001 amendment of the Trade Marks Act inserted section 97A, giving the Banjul Protocol force of law in Zimbabwe: a mark registered through ARIPO with a designation of Zimbabwe has the same effect and the same protection as a mark registered under the Act, and ARIPO itself is headquartered in Harare. This differs from Tanzania, which has not transposed the Protocol into national law; ARIPO designations of Tanzania have been suspended since October 2025.

Does a foreign company need a local agent in Zimbabwe?

Yes. Sections 58 to 62 of the Trade Marks Act allow only trademark agents, patent agents and legal practitioners registered in Zimbabwe to act in trademark matters; an applicant not resident or carrying on business in Zimbabwe must give an address for service in Zimbabwe, and renewals by foreign proprietors must expressly be filed through an agent. The power of attorney is on Form T.M. 43 or in any written form the Registrar accepts, simply signed by the applicant; under section 101 of the Act, documents lodged need not be authenticated.

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

10 years from the filing date (or the priority date where priority is claimed), then renewable for 10 years at a time; renewal can be filed within the year before expiry, and the company renewal fee is USD 200. After expiry there is a 6-month grace period with a surcharge of USD 40; a removed mark can be restored within 3 years, with a declaration of genuine use in Zimbabwe during the period of removal or the reasons for non-use, for a restoration fee of USD 400 plus the renewal fee. Renewal needs no evidence of use, but 5 consecutive years of non-use allows another party to apply for cancellation.

Other IP rights

Patents: handled by the Companies and Intellectual Property Office under the Patents Act [Chapter 26:03]; you can enter the Zimbabwean national phase through the PCT (since 11 June 1997) or file through ARIPO under the Harare Protocol with a designation of Zimbabwe (since 25 April 1984).

Industrial designs: registered under the Industrial Designs Act [Chapter 26:02]; Zimbabwe is not a member of the Hague Agreement, but designs can be filed through ARIPO under the Harare Protocol with a designation of Zimbabwe.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

African Regional Intellectual Property Organization　·　Zambia　·　Mozambique　·　South Africa　·　Tanzania

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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 Zimbabwe

Five questions first

Trademarks in Zimbabwe: key facts

Direct filing or a Madrid designation

Documents checklist

Applicant

Agent and address for service

Mark

Goods and services

Basis of the application

Process and timeline

Clearance search (recommended)

Filing

Examination

Publication

Opposition period

Request for registration and certificate

Official fees

Rules specific to Zimbabwe and common refusals

With a priority claim, the 10-year term runs from the priority date

One class per application, and the applicant arranges publication

A 6-month renewal grace period; restoration within 3 years of removal, with a declaration of use

5 consecutive years of non-use allows cancellation, and the intention to use at filing is also examined

The register has Parts A and B, and non-distinctive elements must be disclaimed

Chinese characters need a signed transliteration and translation; familiar foreign marks can stop bad-faith filings

Keeping the registration

Trademark registration in Zimbabwe

Other IP rights

Other countries and territories in the region

Ready to file?

Questions first?