How do I Get a Patent in Panama?

Application for a Panamanian patent requires documetnation.

Panama is a member of the Paris Convention on Patents, which means the country follows the same rules as most other countries when it comes to patents.

Patents in Panama are granted by the Dirección General del Registro de Propiedad Intelectual (DIGERPI), a government agency.

Things You'll Need

• A document stating the name, address, and place of incorporation of the applicant, and the name, citizenship, and address of the inventors. If the applicant is a private person, the place of incorporation is not required.
• Legal assignment agreement (in Spanish), if inventor and applicant are different.
• A certificate of incorporation from the Panamanian Consulate. To find a Panamanian Consulate, see Reference 1.
• A specification document in Spanish. If the original document is in another language than Spanish, it has to be translated by an Authorized Public Local Translator, according to Panamanian law. The specification should state the following:
• * The invention title
• * A summary of the invention
• * A design or utility model
• * A description of the invention, with utility model or design specification and description
• * Claims
• * Drawings (formally executed)
• A certified document of priority in Spanish, and the original document. The priority document has to contain the priority number and country of origin, and priority can not be claimed if the filing outside Panama was done later than 12 months before the application date, and it has to be submitted within six months of the original application.
• Power of Attorney that is notarized and has been legalized in the Panamanian consulate.
• Funds to pay for the fees to the DIGERPI.

Instructions

Apply for the patent

1. Submit the application with the required documentation to the Panamanian patent office (DIGERPI)

2. Wait for the Preliminary Examination result.

3. Request the result of the Preliminary Examination and Technical Examination Report after 14 months.

4. Review the publication in the Intellectual Property Bulletin (usually when the preliminary examination and the technical examination are finished).

5. Oppose the publication (if applicable) within 60 days.

6. Receive the final acceptance or rejection.

7. Pay the final fees.

8. Pay maintenance fees every 5 years.

References

• Embassy of Panama: List of Consulates
• Patent Area: Patent Requirements in Panama
• Dirección General del Registro de Propiedad Intelectual (DIGERPI)

Resources

• Asociación Panameña de Derecho de la Propiedad Industrial