Paraguay Trademark & IP Registration 2026
How to register trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and copyright in Paraguay through DINAPI - process, costs, timelines, and why it matters for your business.
10 yrs
Trademark Validity
20 yrs
Patent Validity
45
IP Classes (Nice)
12-18 mo
Registration Timeline
Quick Answer
DINAPI (Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual) handles all IP registrations in Paraguay. Trademarks are protected for 10 years (renewable indefinitely) and take 12-18 months to register. Patents last 20 years. Copyright is automatic on creation. You must use a registered DINAPI IP agent for trademark filings. Start IP registration early - ideally alongside company formation - so protection is in place when your business scales.
See Trademark ProcessDINAPI - The IP Authority
The Dirección Nacional de Propiedad Intelectual (DINAPI) is an autonomous entity responsible for all intellectual property registrations in Paraguay. It administers trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and maintains the national IP registry.
DINAPI operates under four main legal frameworks:
- Law 1294/98 - Trademarks
- Law 1630/00 - Patents
- Law 868/81 - Industrial designs
- Law 1328/98 - Copyright and related rights
Trademarks (Law 1294/98)
Paraguay trademark protection is territorial - it only covers Paraguay. Registration follows the Nice Classification system with 34 product classes and 11 service classes.
Key details:
- Validity: 10 years from registration, renewable indefinitely for additional 10-year periods
- Requirement: Must use a registered DINAPI IP agent (mandatory - direct filing not permitted)
- Cost: Approximately 2 minimum daily wages plus bank commissions (roughly Gs. 150,000-200,000 government fee)
- Timeline: 12-18 months from filing to registration
Registration process:
- File application through a registered DINAPI IP agent, specifying the Nice class(es)
- Form examination - DINAPI reviews the application for completeness
- Publication - Published in a newspaper of the capital (3 days)
- Opposition period - 60 days for third parties to file opposition
- Substantive examination - DINAPI evaluates registrability and resolves any oppositions
- Registration - If approved, the trademark is registered and a certificate issued
Patents (Law 1630/00)
Patents protect inventions and utility models that have industrial applicability.
- Validity: 20 years from filing, non-renewable (invention becomes state property after expiry)
- Requirements: Novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability
- Not patentable: Discoveries, scientific theories, mathematical methods, software alone (without industrial application), business methods, aesthetic creations, diagnostic methods
Patent applications are filed with DINAPI and require a detailed technical description of the invention, claims defining the scope of protection, and any necessary drawings or examples.
Industrial Designs (Law 868/81)
Industrial designs protect the visual form, shape, pattern, or ornamentation applied to a product. Registration grants exclusive rights to reproduce, import, sell, and license the design.
- Registration with DINAPI required
- Can be licensed to third parties
- Protects against unauthorized copying of the design appearance
Industrial designs are particularly relevant for consumer products, packaging, and branded goods where visual appearance is a competitive differentiator.
Copyright (Law 1328/98)
Copyright protection in Paraguay is automatic upon creation - no registration required, though registration with DINAPI is available for evidentiary purposes.
- Duration: Life of the author plus 70 years
- Moral rights: Perpetual - right to attribution and integrity of the work
- Scope: Literary, artistic, musical works, software (as literary work), audiovisual works, databases
- Registration: Optional but useful as evidence in disputes
Practical Guidance for Businesses
When to register: Begin trademark registration before or alongside company formation, especially if the brand name is critical. The 12-18 month timeline means early filing is essential.
Why it matters:
- Banking: Banks may ask for trademark registration when evaluating business accounts
- Contracts: Registered IP strengthens your position in licensing, distribution, and partnership agreements
- Investor credibility: IP registration demonstrates that the business protects its assets
- Law 60/90: Trademarks can qualify as part of an investment under Law 60/90
Common mistakes:
- Not searching existing marks before filing - DINAPI will reject conflicting applications
- Registering in the wrong Nice class - protection only covers registered classes
- Waiting too long - someone else may register your mark first
- Not renewing on time - trademarks lapse if not renewed at the 10-year mark