Algeria's economic scale ranks fourth in Africa, following South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt.
The Algerian National Industrial Property Office uniformly manages trademark matters, with Arabic as the official language and French commonly used.
Algeria adopts the 'first-to-file' principle for trademark registration.
Currently, Algeria uses the 11th edition of the Nice Classification for descriptions of goods and services and accepts multi-class applications. Elements that can be registered as trademarks in Algeria include words, names, graphics, three-dimensional signs, color combinations, slogans, etc.
Application Routes
Algeria is a signatory to international intellectual property treaties such as the Paris Convention and the Nice Agreement, and a member of the Madrid Agreement and the Madrid Protocol. Therefore, trademark registration can be processed either through 'direct national registration' or 'Madrid international registration.'
Required Documents for Trademark Registration
- Applicant’s name and address
- List of goods or services
- Trademark specimen
- Power of Attorney (no notarization or legalization required; must be submitted within 2 months from the filing date)
- Priority document (if priority is claimed, can be submitted within 3 months after the filing date)
Trademark Registration Process
- Submission of application
- Formal examination
- Substantive examination
- Approval and issuance of certificate
Validity Period and Renewal
The validity period is 10 years from the filing date. Renewal can be filed within 6 months before expiration, with a 6-month grace period (additional fees apply for grace period renewal). Each renewal extends the validity by 10 years.
Important Notes
※ Algeria does not allow joint applications (only one applicant’s name can be filled in).
※ Algeria does not have a publication opposition system.