Trademark Registration in Colombia

Registering your trademark in Colombia gives you exclusive, enforceable rights over your brand in the local market. A valid registration helps you stop imitators, negotiate licensing deals, and build long-term commercial value around your name, logo, or product identity. It also prevents others from registering your brand first and blocking your business expansion.

To obtain rights over a trademark in Colombia, it must be registered. The country follows a first-to-file system, meaning that only the party who files first acquires legal rights. If you do not register your trademark, third parties may register it before you and effectively block your ability to use or defend your brand.

Trademark protection in Colombia is obtained by filing an application with the **Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) SIC. Colombia is also a member of the Madrid Protocol, which allows you to extend an existing international registration to Colombia through the Madrid System. We provide dedicated support for this pathway through our Madrid System trademark filing services.

If you register a combined trademark in Colombia (one that includes both word and figurative elements), your exclusive rights will only cover the exact configuration as filed. If you want to protect the word element and the logo separately, it is advisable to submit additional applications for each element.

To register a trademark in Colombia, you will generally need:

• Scanned copy of a signed Power of Attorney. No notarization or legalization required.
• The name or logo you want to register
• The applicant’s details

Your iGERENT consultant will confirm the exact requirements for your case and guide you through each step.

The average processing time for the SIC trademark filing in Colombia is around 12 months in straightforward cases.

This is an estimated timeframe based on current practice and may vary significantly if there are office actions, oppositions, or other procedural issues.

In any scenario, your dedicated agent will monitor your application closely and keep you informed at every stage, so you don’t have to worry about deadlines or missing important updates.

Once your trademark is registered, it will be valid for 10 years. If the mark is registered locally, this 10-year term runs from the registration date; if it is obtained through the Madrid System, it runs from the international registration date.

Trademarks can be renewed indefinitely every 10 years. Renewal can be requested up to 6 months before the expiration date and also during a 6-month grace period after expiration, subject to late renewal fees. Letting a renewal deadline pass can put your rights at serious risk.

Once registration is granted, the SIC issues a digital registration certificate (no physical certificate is provided). To keep your protection active over time and avoid issues with deadlines, you can use our Trademark Renewal Service to manage renewals in Colombia and coordinate them with your other countries.

Yes. If a third party attempts to register a trademark that includes elements similar to your registered mark for related goods or services, you may file an opposition action based on likelihood of confusion.

Oppositions in Colombia can be filed within 30 business days from the date the application is published in the local trademark gazette. The chances of success will depend on the specific circumstances of each case.

Proof of use is not required to file or obtain a trademark registration in Colombia.

However, if a registered trademark is not used for more than three (3) consecutive years, third parties may file cancellation actions based on non-use.

Colombia is part of the Andean Pact, which means that trademark use in other Andean Community member countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador, or Peru may, in some cases, be sufficient to defend your registration against non-use actions.

If use or proof of use becomes relevant in your case, your iGERENT consultant will guide you on what evidence may be required and help you prepare and present it properly.

Colombia recognizes three-dimensional (3D) trademarks, which allow brand owners to protect distinctive product shapes or packaging. The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) is responsible for examining these applications.

To register a 3D mark, you must provide clear graphical representations of the shape from at least three different angles, and the sign must be distinctive rather than purely functional. Colombia also uses a multi-class application system, so a single application can cover several classes, subject to a full formal and substantive examination by the SIC before registration is granted.

If you want to protect a 3D shape, packaging, or product design, contact us for a free, no-obligation review of your case and we’ll guide you through your options.