Sri Lanka — Intellectual Property
Sri Lanka is a member of both the Paris Convention and the PCT, enabling both conventional priority applications and PCT national phase filings. It is, however, not a member of the Madrid Protocol, meaning trademark applications must be filed directly before the Sri Lanka Intellectual Property Office (SLIPO). Sri Lanka follows the Nice Classification for trademarks, though multi-class filing is not permitted — a separate application is required for each class.
- Ordinary Application — filed with complete specification; no priority claim
- Conventional Application — claims Paris Convention priority; must be filed within 12 months of the earliest priority date
- PCT National Phase — must be filed within 30 months from the earliest priority date
Sri Lanka is a PCT Contracting State, making it accessible via the international filing route. Typical registration takes approximately 3–4 years to complete.
Mandatory documents for a patent application in Sri Lanka:
The first annual fee falls due within 2 years after the grant certificate is issued. From the second year onward, renewal fees are due annually before the anniversary of the filing date. Late payment is permitted within a 6-month grace period with a surcharge.
| Application Type | Patent Term | First Annual Fee Due |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary / Conventional | 20 years from filing date | Within 2 years of grant certificate |
| PCT National Phase | 20 years from PCT filing date | Within 2 years of grant certificate |
Sri Lanka follows the Nice Classification for all 45 classes of goods and services. Multi-class filing is not permitted — a separate application must be filed for each class. Sri Lanka is not a member of the Madrid Protocol; all trademark protection must be secured by direct filing before the Sri Lanka Intellectual Property Office (SLIPO).
- Conventional priority applications must be filed within 6 months of the priority filing date
- Certified copy of priority document required within 3 months of filing (scanned copy sufficient)
- Certified English translation required if priority document is not in English
- Opposition window is 3 months from date of publication in the Trade Marks Journal
A straightforward trademark registration in Sri Lanka takes approximately 2 years from the date of application. Early clearance searches are strongly recommended.
- Full name, address, status and nationality of the applicant(s); names of all partners if applicant is a partnership firm
- Trademark representation
- International class and full description of goods or services
- Date of first use of the trademark in Sri Lanka (if any)
- Translation/transliteration if mark is in a language other than English
- Priority details (application number, country and date), if claiming conventional priority
- Certified copy of priority document — within 3 months of filing (scanned copy sufficient)
- Certified English translation of priority document (if not in English)
- Power of Attorney — within 3 months of filing (scanned copy sufficient; two witnesses required; notarisation required only if no company seal or witnesses unavailable)
| Item | Period |
|---|---|
| Initial registration term | 10 years from filing date |
| Renewal | Every 10 years thereafter (unlimited) |
| Advance renewal window | Up to 6 months before expiry |
| Late renewal (with surcharge) | Up to 6 months after expiry |
If the registration certificate is issued after 10 years from the filing date, renewal fees are payable within 1 year of issuance of the certificate.
Sri Lanka is a member of the Paris Convention, allowing applicants to claim conventional priority when filing industrial design applications. The priority application must be filed within 6 months of the first filing date — restoration of the term is not possible.
- Design must be absolutely novel and original
- Locarno Classification applies for class and subclass
- All views (front, back, top, side, bottom, perspective) must be clearly provided
- Statement as to novelty and any disclaimer required
Where the applicant is not the author/creator of the design, a brief explanation of how the applicant acquired the right to registration must be provided along with the author's details.
If the applicant is the author, the application must include a statement confirming authorship. If not, the author's name and address must be provided along with an explanation of how the applicant acquired the right to registration.
| Period | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial term | 5 years from date of registration |
| Renewal | Two further terms of 5 years each |
| Maximum total term | 15 years |
| Late renewal (with surcharge) | 6-month grace period available |
IP services in Sri Lanka.
From initial filing through registration, renewal and enforcement — explore our practice guides for a detailed look at each service.
Filing & Prosecution
Registration
Designs
Protection
Technology Transfer
& Disputes
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