Trademark registration in South Africa

Questions about trademarks in South Africa

What do the top South African trademark applicants' pages show?

Each page is a trademark profile of one of the companies that file the most trademarks in South Africa. It shows how the company's South African trademark portfolio has grown since 1970, the classes it has expanded into, the brands and logos it protects most, and how quickly its marks were examined and registered. It compares the company with its main competitors and with the biggest filers in its main class, and – for companies that sell goods – shows where South Africa exports those goods and which countries matter most for protecting its brands, with weightings you can adjust. It also lists word marks of other companies that come close to its top brands, with short videos, frequently asked questions and a PDF version of the report. The information is a general overview based on the trademark and trade data available to S&Z and is not legal advice.

How much does it cost to register a trademark in South Africa?

Our estimate is about US$154 for one class, from filing to registration: about US$36 in official fees and about US$118 in professional (law firm) fees. Each further class costs about as much again (US$154). Responses to office actions and oppositions are not included. These are estimates only: the actual cost depends on the law firm and the application. Request a quote from a law firm on this site for an exact price.

Can I use the Madrid System for South Africa?

South Africa is not a member of the Madrid System, so a trademark must be filed directly with its office.

For which goods is South Africa an important market?

South Africa's 10 largest import markets by trademark class are electronics and software (class 9, US$12.6bn), machines (class 7, US$10.7bn), vehicles (class 12, US$8.7bn), clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$3.0bn), pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$2.5bn), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$1.6bn), chemicals (class 1, US$1.2bn), medical apparatus (class 10, US$1.2bn), rubber and plastics (class 17, US$1.2bn) and metal goods (class 6, US$1.1bn). Within its region, it stands out for firearms and fireworks (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa), chemicals (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa), fuels and lubricants (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa), machines (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa), hand tools (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa) and wines and spirits (#1 in Sub-Saharan Africa). Imports are growing fastest for firearms and fireworks (25% a year), tobacco and smokers' articles (22% a year) and beer and soft drinks (6% a year). Foreign applicants filed 14,270 trademark classes in South Africa in 2024 - #1 in Sub-Saharan Africa - a sign of how many brand owners already protect their marks there.

What does South Africa export, and why does that matter for my trademark?

South Africa's exports of goods came to US$152.2bn in 2024. Its 10 largest exports were gold (US$29.0bn, 19% of its exports, #4 in the world), platinum (US$15.2bn, 10% of its exports, #1 in the world), cars (US$9.0bn, 6% of its exports, #21 in the world), chromium ore (US$7.2bn, 5% of its exports, #1 in the world), coal (US$6.9bn, 5% of its exports, #7 in the world), iron ore (US$6.6bn, 4% of its exports, #4 in the world), trucks (US$5.9bn, 4% of its exports, #12 in the world), ferro-alloys (US$4.9bn, 3% of its exports, #2 in the world), manganese ore (US$3.1bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world) and precious metal articles (US$2.8bn, 2% of its exports, #1 in the world). By trademark class, its 10 largest exports were vehicles (class 12, US$16.3bn, #24 in the world), machines (class 7, US$5.5bn, #32 in the world), electronics and software (class 9, US$2.6bn, #51 in the world), cosmetics and cleaning (class 3, US$1.4bn, #27 in the world), meat, dairy and preserved foods (class 29, US$1.1bn, #36 in the world), coffee, tea, bakery and confectionery (class 30, US$992m, #39 in the world), wines and spirits (class 33, US$940m, #15 in the world), metal goods (class 6, US$732m, #33 in the world), clothing, footwear and headwear (class 25, US$599m, #61 in the world) and pharmaceuticals (class 5, US$544m, #47 in the world). Where goods are made and exported, copies are often made too: a registered trademark there lets you act against counterfeits at the source, including with the help of customs.