Protect your brand name, logo, and slogan through ZIPO
Your brand is one of your most valuable business assets. A registered trademark gives you exclusive legal rights to use your brand name, logo, or slogan in connection with your goods or services across Zimbabwe. Without registration, you have limited legal recourse if a competitor copies your branding.
Here is what trademark registration gives you:
Many Zimbabwe business owners skip trademark registration because the process is unfamiliar and largely offline. This is a mistake. The cost of registration is a fraction of the cost of rebranding if someone else registers your name first, or the legal fees of fighting an infringement case without a registered mark.
Trademarks in Zimbabwe are registered through the Zimbabwe Intellectual Property Office (ZIPO), which falls under the Department of the Registrar of Companies, Intellectual Property and Deeds (DCIP). ZIPO is responsible for the registration and administration of trademarks, patents, and industrial designs in Zimbabwe.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Trade Marks Act (Chapter 26:04) |
| Location | Chester House, 88 Speke Avenue, Harare |
| Filing form | Form T.M. 5 (Application for Registration of a Trade Mark) |
| Filing fee | Approximately $200 per class |
| Total official fees | $400 – $700 (depending on number of classes and additional filings) |
| Online database | None — all searches are conducted manually at the ZIPO office |
| Examination period | 3 – 12 months after filing |
| Opposition window | 2 months from publication in the Government Gazette |
| Registration validity | 10 years, renewable |
The most important thing to understand about ZIPO is that the process is almost entirely offline. There is no searchable online database, no electronic filing system, and no way to check the status of your application remotely. Everything requires physical visits to the ZIPO office in Harare. This is the primary reason most applicants use a local agent.
Zimbabwe follows the Nice Classification system, which divides all goods and services into 45 classes (Classes 1–34 for goods, Classes 35–45 for services). You must specify which class or classes your trademark falls under when filing. Each additional class incurs an extra filing fee.
For example, a restaurant might file under Class 43 (restaurant services) and Class 30 (food products) if they also sell packaged goods. A clothing brand would file under Class 25 (clothing, footwear, headgear). Getting the classification right is important because your protection only covers the classes you register in.
We handle the entire trademark registration process on your behalf, from initial search to collecting your registration certificate. Here is exactly what we do:
Before filing, we conduct a manual search at the ZIPO office in Harare to check whether your proposed mark conflicts with any existing registrations or pending applications. Because there is no online database, this must be done in person by examining the physical register.
The search covers:
We provide you with a written search report and our recommendation on whether to proceed. If conflicts are found, we advise on modifications to your mark that would avoid rejection.
Form T.M. 5 is the official application for registration of a trade mark. We prepare and file this form on your behalf, including:
We pay all government fees on your behalf at the time of filing. This eliminates the need for you to visit the ZIPO office or arrange payment in Zimbabwe. All fees are included in our service package — there are no hidden charges or surprise government levies later.
After filing, ZIPO assigns an examiner to review your application. This examination period typically takes 3 to 12 months. During this time, the examiner checks:
We monitor the progress of your application and respond to any examination queries or objections raised by ZIPO. If the examiner raises an objection, we prepare and file a written response on your behalf.
If the examiner approves your mark, it is published in the Zimbabwe Government Gazette for a period of 2 months. During this window, any third party can file an opposition to your registration.
We monitor the Gazette publication and alert you if any opposition is filed. In the event of an opposition, we advise on the merits of the case and can represent you in opposition proceedings (additional fees may apply for contested oppositions).
If no opposition is filed (or if any opposition is unsuccessful), ZIPO issues the registration certificate. We collect the certificate from the ZIPO office and send it to you by courier or secure digital copy.
| Service | Fee (USD) | What Is Included |
|---|---|---|
| Trademark Search Only | $150 | Manual search at ZIPO office, written conflict report, recommendation on registrability |
| Full Registration | $500 – $800 | Preliminary search, Form T.M. 5 filing, all ZIPO fees, examination monitoring, opposition window management, certificate collection |
| Urgent / Priority Filing | $1,000+ | Same as full registration with expedited search (within 48 hours) and priority handling of all filings |
| Additional Class | $150 per class | Filing in an additional Nice Classification class beyond the first |
| Trademark Renewal | $300 | 10-year renewal filing at ZIPO before expiry date |
Trademark registration in Zimbabwe is not a fast process. The total timeline from filing to receiving your certificate is typically 12 to 18 months. Here is a breakdown of each stage:
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Preliminary search | 5 – 10 working days |
| Filing and acknowledgement | 1 – 2 weeks |
| ZIPO examination | 3 – 12 months |
| Publication in Government Gazette | 2 – 4 weeks after approval |
| Opposition window | 2 months |
| Certificate issuance | 1 – 3 months after opposition period closes |
The Trade Marks Act allows registration of a wide range of marks, provided they are distinctive and capable of distinguishing your goods or services from those of others. The following types of marks can be registered:
A word mark protects the name itself, regardless of how it is written or styled. For example, registering “ZIMALUX” as a word mark would protect that name in any font, colour, or presentation. This is the broadest form of protection for a brand name.
A device mark protects a specific graphic element — your logo, symbol, or icon. Protection is limited to the specific visual representation filed. If you significantly redesign your logo later, you may need to file a new application.
A combination mark protects a specific arrangement of words and graphic elements together. This is the most common type of filing — for example, your company name with your logo above it as a single composite mark.
Slogans can be trademarked if they are distinctive enough. Generic phrases like “Best Quality” would be rejected, but a unique slogan like “Taste the Sunrise” could be registrable.
In rare cases, a specific colour or colour combination can be trademarked if it has acquired distinctiveness through extensive use. These applications are more difficult to register and require strong evidence of public association.
The full process from filing to registration certificate typically takes 12 to 18 months. This includes the examination period by ZIPO and a mandatory 2-month opposition window published in the Zimbabwe Government Gazette. We monitor every stage and keep you updated throughout.
ZIPO official filing fees range from $200 to $700 depending on the number of classes. Our full-service package (search, filing, monitoring, and certificate collection) starts at $500, which includes all government fees. There are no hidden charges.
Yes. You need a local agent to file on your behalf at ZIPO in Harare. We act as your registered trademark agent, handling all in-person filings, correspondence, and follow-up with the office. You do not need to visit Zimbabwe at any point during the process.
You can trademark words, names, logos, slogans, symbols, colour combinations, and any combination of these. The mark must be distinctive and not identical or confusingly similar to an existing registered mark in Zimbabwe.
No. Unlike many countries, Zimbabwe does not have a publicly searchable online trademark database. All searches must be conducted in person at the ZIPO office in Harare, which is why using a local agent is essential for anyone filing from outside Harare or from abroad.
Whether you need a trademark search or full registration, we handle the entire ZIPO process on your behalf. Get started with a free consultation.
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