Online Patents, Trademarks and Designs
Use this free NDA to disclose your invention to engineers, designers and potential investors and to prototype your invention before patenting it.
A South African provisional patent reserves your right to file patents in most countries of the world. The next step is to file an international / “PCT patent”. This must be done within 12 months of filing the provisional patent, and extends your right to register patents in 158 countries for a further 18 months. By 30 months from filing your provisional patent, you must file “national phase patents” in your target countries (i.e. South Africa, Nigeria, EU, US). Following examination (which typically takes between 6 and 24 months), your patent should be registered and annual renewal fees will be payable.
A trademark protects your brand. Protect your name by filing a word trademark (e.g. “Nike”). Protect your logo by filing a device trademark (e.g. Nike’s Swoosh). Trademarks even protect pay-off lines (e.g. “just do it”). Registration typically takes 12-24 months.
COST (excl. vat): SA registrability search R2,500; SA trademark R4,090; renewal fees R1,295.
A South African registered design will prevent others within South Africa from making, importing, selling and using a copy of your product for up to 15 years.
Why use us to renew your patent?
I recommend IdeaNav to anyone getting into this field. I have found that they render a high level of service at a reasonable fee.
I have used Paulo Lopes and IdeaNav to register all my patents and designs. I will trust Paulo with my life, that’s how much I trust Paulo and IdeaNav.
I filed my first provisional patent using the IdeaNav toolkit and Paulo Lopes. What a breeze. I was guided with great efficiency. Thank you IdeaNav for the fantastic toolkit.
Thank you for the professional, yet informal and patient way you have explained the whole patent process to me. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to my associates or to use you again in the future.