A practice manual for renewing South African trade mark registrations. South Africa is not party to the Madrid system. It cannot be designated through an international registration, so every case is a direct filing renewed with the South African office. Where African cases are otherwise managed through an international registration, this is the one that falls outside.
1. At a glance
- System type
- Ten-year renewal cycle
- Anchor date
- Filing date
- Due date rule
- Tenth anniversary of the filing date
- Renewal window
- 6 months before expiry
- Grace period
- 6 months with a modest surcharge
- Restoration
- Available where the failure was not intentional
- Madrid
- Not a member — the country cannot be designated
- Fee
- Around ZAR 520 per class, to be confirmed
- Representation
- Foreign proprietors act through a local agent
- Risk level
- Standard
2. Anchor date and due-date calculation
The anchor is the filing date. Renewal falls due on its tenth anniversary, with the window opening six months earlier.
Worked example
For a registration filed 2020-06-15.
| Item | Formula | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Window opens | Expiry − 6 months | 2029-12-15 |
| Renewal due | Filing + 10 years | 2030-06-15 |
| Grace ends | Due date + 6 months | 2030-12-15 |
| Restoration | After grace, where the failure was not intentional | Decided on the circumstances |
| Next due date | Every 10 years thereafter | 2040-06-15 |
3. The renewal window
- The window opens six months before expiry.
- Renewal completes on payment and requires no proof of use.
- Foreign proprietors proceed through a local agent.
- Classes may be dropped at renewal, reducing the per-class fee accordingly.
4. Grace period and surcharge
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grace period | 6 months from the due date |
| Surcharge | A modest amount applies, to be confirmed |
| If missed | Removal — though restoration remains available |
5. Lapse and restoration
After the grace period the registration is removed. South Africa leaves the door to restoration open: where it is shown that the failure to renew was not intentional, restoration may be granted, and practice is reported to be comparatively accommodating.
6. Official fees
The renewal fee is understood to be around ZAR 520 per class, though the published schedule was not verified directly. Confirm the current amount with the local agent before quoting.
7. Management checklist
- The filing date, from which expiry is derived.
- Every South African case is a direct filing; no international registration substitutes for it.
- The class count, since fees are per class.
- Begin client confirmation when the window opens six months before expiry.
- Restoration is available but requires showing the circumstances — treat the end of grace as the working standard.
- Confirm both the official fee and the agent's rate when quoting.
Sources, cut-off date and disclaimer
This manual is based on iphere's August 2026 survey of country-by-country overseas maintenance rules, together with values produced by the deadline engine that runs on those same rules. Official fees and deadline rules change by office notice, so please confirm against the official source and your local agent before any actual payment or filing.