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Country trademark guide · Updated

Trademark registration in Lebanon

To register a trademark in Lebanon, file directly with the Intellectual Property Protection Office of the Ministry of Economy and Trade through a local agent; Lebanon is not a Madrid member. The office carries out limited examination and has no opposition procedure, so registration is quick, but prior users can challenge it for 5 years.

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Trademark registration in Lebanon

Five questions first

Which route?Lebanon is not a Madrid member, so you can only file directly with the Ministry of Economy and Trade through a local agent; if your first application was filed less than 6 months ago, you can claim Paris Convention priority.Details ↓What do I need?The applicant's name, nationality, address and line of business, a representation and brief description of the mark, goods or services listed under the Nice Classification, and the original power of attorney.Details ↓How are official fees charged?Per class: LBP 8,000,000 for an individual mark (one 10-year term), plus a 10% reconstruction fee, paid at filing. Service fees are quoted by the agent after you submit the order.Details ↓How long does it take?Statutory: the certificate is issued within 15 days of entry in the register, and there is no opposition period. The ministry publishes no average time; actual timing varies from case to case.Details ↓What are the main risks?The office does not check earlier marks, so search before filing; prior users can claim the mark within 5 years of filing; marks with national emblems or contrary to public order are refused.Details ↓
Key facts

Trademarks in Lebanon: key facts

OfficeIntellectual Property Protection Office of the Ministry of Economy and Trade; trademark applications can be filed online through the ministry's e-portal, which also offers an online trademark search. Website and search links: IP Toolbox.
LawResolution No. 2385 of 1924 on commercial and industrial property (amended in 1946); current official fees are set by Article 32 of Law No. 324 of 2024 (the 2024 Budget Law)
Madrid SystemNot a member; Lebanon cannot be designated through a Madrid international registration, so applications are filed directly
International treatiesMember of the Paris Convention since 1 September 1924, so 6-month priority can be claimed; member of the Nice Agreement since 8 April 1961
Foreign applicantsMust file through a person residing in Lebanon (Article 77), with the original power of attorney (Article 79)
Scope of examinationThe office only checks whether the sign contains national or foreign emblems or is contrary to public order or morality (Articles 71 and 81); it does not examine conflicts with earlier marks, and there is no opposition procedure
Refusal and appeal (statutory)A proposed refusal is referred to the Minister, who decides within 15 days; a refusal can be challenged before the supreme administrative court within 30 days of notification
Certificate (statutory)The registration certificate is issued within 15 days of entry in the register; the mark is then published in the Official Gazette
Multi-class applicationsAllowed; official fees are charged per class, one set for each class in the application
Prior-use challenge period (statutory)Within 5 years of filing, a prior user can claim ownership of the mark with written evidence; after 5 years, only by proving that the applicant knew of the prior use
Term and renewalSince 15 February 2024, registration and renewal fees for individual marks are paid per 10-year term; Resolution No. 2385 originally set a 15-year term, and for earlier registrations the expiry date on the certificate applies
Filing feesLBP 8,000,000 per class for an individual mark, plus a 10% reconstruction fee (in force since 15 February 2024)

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

Which route

Direct filing: whether to claim priority

Lebanon is not a member of the Madrid System, so it cannot be designated through a Madrid international registration; applications are filed directly with the ministry through a local agent. The real choice is whether to claim priority from an earlier application filed abroad.

ItemDirect filing (no priority claim)Claiming priority from an earlier application
PrerequisiteNone; use this route if you have no earlier application or it was filed more than 6 months agoFile in Lebanon within 6 months of your first application, for the same mark and for goods or services within the scope of that application
Filing dateThe date of filing with the ministryUnder the Paris Convention, applications filed by others in Lebanon during the priority period cannot defeat your priority
Extra stepsNoneDeclare the date and country of the earlier application at filing and submit the earlier application documents following the agent's instructions
RiskLebanon registers in order of filing without checking earlier marks; if someone else files first in the gap between your home application and your Lebanese application, you may face a disputeNo priority if more than 6 months have passed or the declaration is incomplete
Best forYou have not yet filed at home, or your home application is more than 6 months oldYou filed at home less than 6 months ago, especially if you are worried that someone may register first in Lebanon

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

What to prepare

Documents checklist

For an application in Lebanon, prepare the following information and documents. Signed documents such as the power of attorney are provided after the order is accepted, following the agent's instructions.

Applicant

  • Name, nationality and address
  • The applicant's line of commerce or industry (the law requires it to be stated in the application)

The mark

  • Representation of the mark, with colours and dimensions where needed
  • A brief description of the mark

Goods and services

  • Classes and specific goods or services under the Nice Classification
  • One application can cover several classes; official fees are charged per class

Power of attorney and priority

  • Original power of attorney (filed by an agent residing in Lebanon)
  • If the mark is already registered abroad, proof of the foreign registration can be attached
  • Priority claims: date, number and country of the earlier application; the earlier application documents are provided following the agent's instructions

Follow your agent's instructions on whether the power of attorney needs to be notarised or authenticated. The ministry's application forms are in Arabic and are completed and filed by the local agent.

How long

Process and timeline

Example: a direct application with no refusal.

  1. Step 1

    Clearance search (recommended)

    The office does not examine earlier marks, so search for similar marks first and settle the classes and description of goods

  2. Step 2

    Filing and payment

    File through a local agent and pay the registration fee for the first 10-year term and the reconstruction fee at filing

  3. Step 3

    Limited examination

    Only emblems, public order and morality are checked; for a proposed refusal, the Minister decides within 15 days (statutory)

  4. Step 4

    Entry in the register and certificate

    The registration certificate is issued within 15 days of entry in the register (statutory)

  5. Step 5

    Publication in the Official Gazette

    The mark is published in the Lebanese Official Gazette; publication is charged separately

  6. Step 6

    5-year challenge period

    Within 5 years of filing, a prior user can claim ownership (statutory)

The ministry publishes no statistics on average registration times, so only statutory deadlines are listed above; requests for missing documents, refusals or appeals take 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: the registration fee for the first 10-year term is paid in full at filing, plus a reconstruction fee of 10% of the registration fee. The table below shows the current rates set by the 2024 Budget Law; each additional class in the same application adds one more registration fee and reconstruction fee.

ItemChargedAmount
Paid on filing
Registration fee (individual mark, 10 years, per class)Per class8,000,000 LBP
Reconstruction levy (10% of the registration fee, per class)Per class800,000 LBP
Keeping the registration
Renewal fee (individual mark, every 10 years, per class)Per class8,000,000 LBP
Reconstruction levy on renewal (10% of the renewal fee, per class)Per class800,000 LBP

Source: Lebanese Parliament, Law No. 324 of 12 February 2024 (Budget Law 2024), Article 32 الموازنة العامة للعام 2024 · current fees in force since 2024-02-15 · checked on 2026-10-07 · 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.

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Example: an application for an individual mark covering 2 classes pays 2 × LBP 8,000,000 = LBP 16,000,000 in registration fees plus a 10% reconstruction fee of LBP 1,600,000: LBP 17,600,000 in total.

The registration certificate also carries revenue stamps under the stamp duty schedule, LBP 4,600,000 per certificate; publication in the Official Gazette is charged separately.

Service fees, including the Lebanese local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

Watch out

Rules specific to Lebanon and common refusals

Lebanon has a registration system with very narrow examination, so many risks must be ruled out before filing. These are Lebanon-specific rules that are easy to overlook.

No check of earlier marks and no opposition procedure

The office only examines emblems, public order and morality (Articles 71 and 81), so an application identical or similar to someone else's earlier mark may also be registered. Registration does not rule out disputes; a clearance search before filing helps you avoid being sued later.

Prior users can claim the mark for 5 years (Articles 73–75)

Within 5 years of filing, anyone who can prove prior use with written evidence can claim ownership of the mark. After 5 years, no claim is possible unless there is written proof that the applicant knew the mark belonged to the prior user; the prior user can still continue using it for up to 15 years from the filing date.

National emblems and public order (Article 71)

Marks may not contain national emblems of Lebanon or other countries, or words, signs or symbols that are revolutionary or contrary to public order or morality. A refusal by the Minister can be challenged before the supreme administrative court within 30 days.

Foreign applicants must use a local agent

Applicants not domiciled in Lebanon must file through a person residing in Lebanon (Article 77), and the application must include the original power of attorney (Article 79); an application with missing documents is invalid.

The term is now 10 years

Since 15 February 2024, registration and renewal fees for individual marks are paid per 10-year term. A renewal must be filed like a new application, with the same documents and the fee paid in advance, or it is invalid (Article 87).

Assignments must be recorded with the office

An assignment must be notified to the office and recorded before it can be relied on against third parties; late recording incurs a surcharge for every two months of delay (Article 76).

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After registration

Keeping the registration

Lebanese registrations can be renewed without re-examination. A renewal is filed in the same format as the original application, with the same documents, and the renewal fee is paid in advance.

WhenWhat to doOfficial fee (per class)
Before each term expires (10-year terms since 15 February 2024)File the renewal (with the original registration certificate) and collect the renewal certificate within 15 daysLBP 8,000,000, plus a 10% reconstruction fee
Registrations made before 15 February 2024Renew by the expiry date on the registration certificate; renewal fees are then paid per 10-year termLBP 8,000,000, plus a 10% reconstruction fee
After an assignmentRecord the assignment with the office; late recording incurs a surcharge for every two months of delayThe ministry's current rates apply

E-commerce brand registries usually require a registered or pending trademark. Counterfeiting of a mark can be prosecuted under Articles 105–107 of Resolution No. 2385.

FAQ

Trademark registration in Lebanon

How much does a Lebanese trademark cost?

Official fees are charged per class: LBP 8,000,000 per class in registration fees for an individual mark, plus a 10% reconstruction fee, LBP 8,800,000 per class in total, paid at filing. The registration certificate also carries revenue stamps of LBP 4,600,000. Service fees, including the local agent's fee, are quoted by the agent after you submit the order; you pay only after accepting the quote.

How long does trademark registration in Lebanon take?

Statutory deadlines: the Minister decides on a proposed refusal within 15 days, and the certificate is issued within 15 days of entry in the register; Lebanon has no opposition period. The ministry publishes no statistics on average times, so actual timing varies from case to case.

Can I designate Lebanon through a Madrid international registration?

No. Lebanon is not a party to the Madrid Protocol, so you must file directly with the ministry through a local agent. If your first application was filed less than 6 months ago, you can claim priority under the Paris Convention.

Is a Lebanese trademark valid for 15 or 10 years?

Resolution No. 2385 originally set 15-year terms. The 2024 Budget Law (Law No. 324, in force since 15 February 2024) changed registration and renewal fees for individual marks to 10-year terms. For registrations made before 15 February 2024, the expiry date on the certificate applies, and later renewals are for 10-year terms.

Can someone take my Lebanese trademark after registration?

It is possible. The office does not examine earlier marks and there is no opposition procedure; within 5 years of filing, anyone who can prove prior use with written evidence can claim ownership. After 5 years, no claim is possible unless it is proved that the applicant knew of the prior use. A clearance search and early filing therefore matter.

What documents do I need to register a trademark in Lebanon?

The applicant's name, nationality, address and line of business, a representation of the mark (with colours and dimensions where needed) and a brief description, the goods or services listed under the Nice Classification, and the original power of attorney. For a priority claim, also have the date and number of the earlier application ready.

Other IP rights

Patents: under Law No. 240 of 2000, invention patents last 20 years from the filing date; patents are granted without any guarantee of novelty, inventive step or other requirements (there is no substantive examination). Lebanon is not a PCT member, so patent applications must be filed directly with the Ministry of Economy and Trade.

Industrial designs: under Resolution No. 2385, protection lasts 25 years from the first filing and can be extended for a further 25 years; Lebanon is not a member of the Hague Agreement.

Patent applications are handled through an affiliated patent agency.

Other countries and territories in the region

United Arab Emirates · Jordan · Qatar · Egypt · Iran

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