Global Trademark GO - Morocco - Introduction to Moroccan Trademark Application

Applications for trademark registration in Morocco can be completed at the OMPIC headquarters in Casablanca or at one of the 28 regional offices across the country. The three regions of France, Spain and Tangier each implement their own trademark laws. Moroccan trademark registration can apply for word trademarks, graphic trademarks, mixed trademarks, sound trademarks, smell trademarks and three-dimensional trademarks in combination with words, letters and numbers.

1. Trademark authority:

• Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property, OMPIC
• Website: Office Marocain de la Propriété Industrielle et Commerciale | (ompic.org.ma)
• Trademark Search: Trademarks | Office Marocain de la Propriété Industrielle et Commerciale (ompic.org.ma)

2. How to apply for trademark registration:

• Electronic application

3. Trademark registration application language:

• French

4. Documents required for trademark registration application:

• Trademark registration application
• Four black and white copies of the trademark
• Four color copies of the trademark, if color is requested
• Payment receipt or certificate
• The power of attorney can be submitted within 6 months from the date of application.
• The priority document and its French translation, original, need to be certified, and can be supplemented within 6 months from the date of application.

5. Moroccan trademark registration application process:

• OMPIC conducts substantive examination of trademark applications on absolute grounds. The formal review is completed 3 months after the trademark registration application is submitted. The trademark applicant needs to respond after receiving the supplementary notice from OMPIC. The response period can be extended by up to 2 months. Trademark applications that have completed substantive examination will be announced in the official trademark directory on the OMPIC website and DirectIfo.ma for two months. If there is no objection within this period, the trademark can be authorized for registration.

6. Documents required for trademark change/transfer:

• Name/address change information
• transfer agreement

7. Trademark cancellation

• If a registered trademark has not been used for five consecutive years, anyone can request for cancellation of the published trademark.

8. Trademark objections

• Anyone can file an objection request against the announced trademark within 60 working days from the date of trademark announcement. The applicant can only file an objection based on one prior trademark. If the applicant has more prior trademarks, he needs to file multiple objections separately.

9. Authorization, validity period and trademark renewal

• The validity period of a registered trademark is 10 years, calculated from the date of registration. A request for trademark renewal can be made 6 months before the end of the term, and an application for renewal can be made within 6 months after the expiration of the trademark.

10. Average time for trademark authorization

• If the registration goes smoothly, the average time for trademark registration in Morocco is 10-12 months.