Intellectual Property Ep. 2: Registering personally your commercial brand in Costa Rica

Registering your trademark with the Intellectual Property Department of Costa Rica’s Registro Nacional Institution, is not a luxury—it is an essential step in protecting your business or project and a key differentiator on the path to success.

A registered trademark provides security and confidence to your consumers. It strengthens your company’s presence and credibility while protecting it from third parties who may attempt to exploit it unlawfully.

In the previous article of our Intellectual Property series, we covered the requirements that must be completed before beginning the trademark registration process—everything you need to understand and prepare in advance. In this second blog post, we will focus on the in-person registration process, carried out directly at the offices of Costa Rica’s National Registry.

Steps to register a trademark or commercial sign in-person

Once all requirements are in place—such as ensuring there are no conflicts with previously registered trademarks or signs, completing the payment of required fees, and determining the categories of the products and services to be reserved—you may proceed with the registration of your trademark.

Since this process is completed in person, it is recommended to pay the fees directly at the bank so you can present physical payment receipts along with your application.

Submitting the in-person trademark registration application

To submit your trademark registration application, you must download the appropriate form from the official website of the Registro Nacional de Costa Rica. Keep in mind that different types of intellectual property require different forms, so it is important to select the correct one. Remember that for purpose of these articles we are focusing on the registration of a commercial name and its logo.

If you are registering a commercial trademark and logo as an individual, you should use form RPI-MC-03 “Commercial Name Application.” If the application is submitted on behalf of a legal entity, you must use form RPI-MC-02.

On the Registro Nacional’s Official website, under the Intellectual Property tab, you will find a section titled: Manuales y formularios (Manuals and Forms). From there, access the Intellectual Property Registration category, where you will find various forms and guides, including Commercial Trademark Forms intended exclusively for in-person submission at physical service windows.

Once the form has been completed, print it and submit it along with:

• Proof of payment
• A clear image of the logo or commercial symbol to be registered
• A copy of your identification document
• If the application is submitted on behalf of a company, you must also provide the company’s legal representation certificate.

If, after submission, you receive an email from Costa Rica’s National Registry Institution with observations or required corrections, you must address them, pay any indicated fees at the bank, and resubmit the corrected information before the registration process can continue.

Once all documentation is submitted correctly and no inconsistencies are found, the Registro Nacional de Costa Rica will notify you so you can collect the official notices (edictos) that must be published in Costa Rica’s Official Journal, “La Gaceta”. This publication process will be covered in the fourth and final blog post of our Intellectual Property series, but before that, we will address the online trademark registration process.

If you would like additional information or professional assistance with registering your trademark in Costa Rica, feel free to contact Endemic Media. We will be happy to guide you through every step of the process.