Panama is one of Latin America's most strategic jurisdictions for brand protection. Its dollarized economy, the Colón Free Zone — the largest free-trade hub in the Americas — and its role as a global logistics crossroads mean that goods bearing your mark move through the country whether or not you sell there directly. For any brand with regional ambitions, a Panamanian trademark is not a formality; it is a defensive perimeter.
Here is where trademark registration in Panama stands in 2026, and what foreign applicants should know before filing.
The legal framework
Trademarks in Panama are governed by Law 35 of 1996 on Industrial Property, as substantially amended by Law 61 of 2012, and complemented by Panama's obligations under the WTO/TRIPS Agreement (adopted through Law 23 of 1997) and the Paris Convention. The registry is administered by the General Directorate of the Registry of Industrial Property (DIGERPI), a body of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI).
DIGERPI examines applications, grants and administers registrations, hears oppositions and cancellations in the administrative stage, and maintains the public registers of marks, trade names, patents, and industrial designs.
Key features of the Panamanian system
First-to-file. Rights flow from registration, not from use. The party that files first generally prevails, which makes early filing critical — especially in a market where third parties monitor foreign brands entering the region.
Nice Classification, one class per application. Panama follows the International (Nice) Classification. Each application covers a single class; protection across several classes requires a separate filing (or an additional form) for each.
Ten-year term, renewable indefinitely. A registration lasts ten years from the filing date and may be renewed for successive ten-year periods without limit.
Use is not required to register — but matters later. You need not prove prior use to obtain a registration, but a mark left unused for five consecutive years becomes vulnerable to cancellation for non-use.
Opposition window. Once an application is published in the official bulletin, third parties have two months to file an opposition (extendable), after which DIGERPI resolves the matter administratively.
Well-known marks and enforcement. Panama protects well-known marks and trade names, and offers robust enforcement tools — including customs recordation — which are particularly valuable given the volume of goods transiting the Colón Free Zone.
The one point every foreign applicant must understand
Panama is not a member of the Madrid Protocol. You cannot reach Panama through a WIPO international registration or designate it as part of a multi-country Madrid filing. Every trademark must be filed nationally, directly before DIGERPI, and a foreign applicant must act through a locally admitted attorney or agent. There is no shortcut around local representation — which is precisely why choosing the right Panamanian counsel is the single most important decision in the process.
How the process works
Clearance search. Before filing, we run phonetic and figurative availability searches against the DIGERPI register to gauge the risk of refusal or opposition.
Filing. We prepare and file the application, claiming Paris Convention priority where a prior foreign filing exists (within six months).
Formal and substantive examination. DIGERPI reviews the application for compliance and for conflicts with earlier marks.
Publication and opposition. The application is published; the two-month opposition window opens.
Grant. Absent objections, DIGERPI issues the registration certificate, valid for ten years.
Uncontested applications typically proceed to registration within several months; timelines lengthen where an office action or opposition arises.
Why act now
In a first-to-file jurisdiction that sits astride global trade routes, delay is the real cost. Bad-faith filings and trademark squatting target recognizable foreign brands precisely at the moment they begin expanding into the region. Securing your mark in Panama early — and maintaining a watch on new applications — is far cheaper than recovering a mark someone else registered first.
Work with local counsel
We are a Panamanian law firm with a dedicated intellectual property practice. We handle clearance searches, filing and prosecution before DIGERPI, oppositions and cancellations, renewals, assignments and licensing, and trademark watch and enforcement — for both direct clients and foreign associates who need a reliable agent on the ground in Panama.
If you are protecting a brand in Panama, or coordinating a multi-jurisdiction strategy that includes it, we would be glad to help.
Contact us
Email: contacto@iurispa.com
WhatsApp: +507 6465-5839
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ospinasern
Web: iurispa.com
This article is general information on Panamanian law as of July 2026 and is not legal advice. For advice on a specific matter, contact us directly.