Free South African trademark watch service

GlobalIPCo (powered by SimTM technology) offers a free South African trademark watch service, alerting trademark owners to similar recently published trademarks they may with to oppose.

As at 2026, GlobalIPCo monitors +60,000 South African trademarks.

Historical trademark watch service results are available for all marks – search for “mark” and “class”.

However, you will need to follow the following steps to view recent trademark watching service results (i.e. including trademarks published within the last 3 months):

Step 1 – Add your trademark to payAnnuity renewal system

Register on PayAnnuity and add your trademark.

There is no cost associated with creating an account on PayAnnuity or with uploading a trademark to your renewal portfolio. You only pay PayAnnuity if you instruct a trademark renewal.

PayAnnuity renewal cost: $49 per South African trademark renewal (10 years, inclusive of professional fees and official fees).

Even if your trademark was filed by another firm, you can renew the trademark through PayAnnuity. Renewing a trademark through PayAnnuity does not change the recorded agent (“address for service”) on the trademark register.

Alternatively, file your trademark through GlobalIPCo. All trademarks filed through GlobalIPCo are automatically added to PayAnnuity.

Step 2 – Ask GlobalIPCo to activate trademark watch services

Contact GlobalIPCo by email and ask them to activate your PayAnnuity account for free trademark watch services.

Once activated, you will:

• receive monthly trademark watch service emails alerting you to recently published trademarks that are similar to trademarks in your PayAnnuity renewal portfolio; and
• be able to search for / view your trademark watch service report webpage, which includes similar published trademarks within the 3-month opposition period.

Activation of accounts is at the discretion of GlobalIPCo.

Step 3 – Wait for publication of the next South African trademarks journal

Once your account is activated, publication of the next South African trademark journal will automatically:

• send you a single trademark watch service email including details of recently published trademarks that are similar to trademarks in your PayAnnuity renewal portfolio; and
• update your trademark webpage with trademark watch service results for the last three months.