Register a Commercial Business Name in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica, you can apply for a commercial business name in any of the following ways.

1. In person at the office in the capital (address below), ie after having gotten your completed form authenticated by any lawyer or notary  OR 
2. digitally via the Registro Nacional website (using your company's digital signature)    OR
3. via a lawyer that specializes in intellectual property rights who is anywhere in the country and who can submit to the Registro Nacional on your behalf (with their digital signature). If you need a specialist lawyer, request an emailed copy of their 'lista de agentes en propiedad intelectual' from the Intellectual Property branch of the Registro Nacional. Their contact details, including the direct telephone number line for the department is below.

            Costs associated with the options above.

• You register at the Registro Nacional without a lawyer to submit the application:
• Banco de Costa Rica. This applies to options 1 and 2 above: 
• Stamp duty, approximately CRC 275.00
• Commercial name: approximately USD 50.00. (One-off cost, ie without renewal fees each year or, like brands, each decade)
• Brand name: approximately USD 50.00
• Lawyer to authenticate your signature: approximately USD 40.00 (If you do not have a lawyer, there is an unrelated legal office opposite of the head office of the Registro Nacional branch, address below). This relates to option 1 above.   
• A lawyer registers at the Registro Nacional on your behalf: approximately USD 1,200. This relates to option 3 above.

STEP 1: Research Names LOCALLY (at the local registry).

Even if you will use option 3 above (ie to use a specialist lawyer), follow this step as your last step in this list before approaching him or her. While you may proceed with this step as follows, you may also ask an attendant at the Registro Nacional for help in doublechecking the availability of the business name. Some attendants may do a preliminary search to save you the trouble of having your aplication rejected. Note however, regardless of where you are in the world, it is often said that the results of preliminary research can never guarantee the success of your application.

• Ensure that your proposed name causes no confusion among your market. This includes from a Spanish-speaking perspective as the registry will check meanings of words as per the RAE dictionary. Ensure that the connotations of your proposal accurately represent the product or service. For instance, do NOT suggest a name that starts "eco" if the product has nothing to do with ecological products or services. However, if your product is in fact ecological, ensure that your description of your offering in #12 of the RPI-03 application form includes that meaning to signal its accurate, non-confusing alignment.   
• RAE dictionary. Consult this dictionary to verify the officially accepted definitions of words.
• Online. Beware that online searches can not render thorough results regarding the phonetic matching with pre-existing names. Phonetic matches are done only after you have submitted the formal application. However, at this preliminary stage, you may complete a basic name search just as you would a brandname search as follows.
• Visit the Registro Nacional website
• If creating an account for the first time, select 'Registrarse por Primera Vez' / which means 'First time registration'. (top left corner of the screen) to complete the registration form.)
• 'Inicio'
• Enter your login account details and click 'Ingresar'
• 'Sistema de Certificaciones & Consultas Gratuitas' (Menu on top left corner of the screen)
• 'Consultas Gratuitas' (Menu on left side of the screen)
• (Bottom of page in the 'Propiedad Industrial' section), select 'Consulta de Marca'
• In the 'Tipo de Consulta' menu, select 'por nombre del titular'. 
• Enter the name you are researching.
• BEWARE. Doing this search alone at home is not very reliable because some brandnames may exist but not appear for one reason or other, possibly the name is in procress somehow. If possible, it is better to go to the office in person for better access to their database. 
• In Person ('presencialmente' in Spanish) & via Telephone.
• Go into their office in person in order to have more access to their database than is possible online. Otherwise or at least during the Covid-19 pandemic, you may request that a phone attendant check certain business names. Part of the reason that you must check the local Registro Nacional database is that, some names may not appear otherwise because they are in some type of process to become used or available again to the public. I found the office stressed that applicants should do the preliminary search themselves. For instance, they speak of offering applicants the tools and help to perform the searches themselves. This may be an attempt to distance themselves from potential conflict as there might be some gray areas regarding interpretation of what is the same or similar when compared with other brands.

STEP 2: Research Names INTERNATIONALLY. (optional if you wish to export your goods or services.) Even if you will use option 3 above (ie to use a specialist lawyer), follow this step as your last step in this list before approaching him or her. 

• Do preliminary online searches using the following databases: 
• https://euipo.europa.eu/ec2/
• https://www3.wipo.int/branddb/en/
• Find a lawyer that specializes in intellectual property in your target country. 

STEP 3: Complete the RPI-03 form. 

• (See sample of a completed RPI-03 form of application for a business name.) 

STEP x (Optional). Get additional help  

• If you need help, contact or visit to ask the Intellectual Property branch of the Registro Nacional. Direct line for the department: 2202-0623 / 2202-0746 from Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm or RegistroPropiedadIntelectual@rnp.go.cr.

STEP 4: Pay via Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) 

• Make payments via Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) for the following. 
1. the updated 'personeria juridica'. If done online, this can be updated online with a validity period of only 15 days. When done in person, the validity period is longer.
2. Each business name costs the CRC equivalent of USD 50. 
3. Stamp duties of roughly CRC 275.

STEP 5: Get legal authentication of the completed form and your signature.

• Visit a a notary or lawyer for authentication at a cost of roughly USD 40.

STEP 6: Submit the application to the Registro Nacional

• Go to the Registro Nacional office (Address and opening hours below). 
• Submit the completed form. If you are doing this in person and all is in order, this process should take roughly 15 minutes.
• Wait for the result over the following 3 months. You will be notified via the means you provided on the application form.

 

1. SUSCRITO (Debe indicar nombre completo del solicitante, calidades, número de cédula u otra identificación, domicilio exacto. Si la solicitud se presenta a título personal pasar al punto 8.):	·         JANE DOE ·         PASAPORTE: 123456 ·         COSTADO NORTE DEL PARQUE DE ABC, PORTON COLOR AZUL, A LA PAR DE LA SODA TUBBIES, [DISTRICT], [CANTON], [PROVINCE], COSTA RICA, [ZIPCODE]
2. EN CONCEPTO DE APODERADO: Debe indicar si es: apoderado general, apoderado generalísimo, apoderado especial o si se apersona como gestor de negocios (debe aportar pagaré según artículo 286 Código Procesal Civil):	GESTOR DE NEGOCIOS [ADD THE CURRENT “PERSONERIA JURIDICA” CERTIFICATE]
3. Debe marcar si adjunta la certificación de personería o el poder especial 3. You must check if you attach the certification of legal status or the special power of attorney.	X
4. Debe indicar en qué expediente aportó la certificación de personería o el poder especial (número de expediente, número de registro o indicar la marca junto con la clase). 4. You must indicate in which file you provided the certification of legal status or the special power of attorney (file number, registration number or indicate the trademark along with the class).	[LEAVE BLANK]
5. De la sociedad denominada (Indicar el nombre completo de la sociedad solicitante y el número de cédula jurídica si la solicitud es nacional.	A CORPORATION’S NAME; 1-234-56789
6. Organizada y existente bajo las leyes de (Debe indicar el país en el que fue constituida la sociedad).	COSTA RICA
7.  Domiciliada en (Debe indicar el DOMICILIO SOCIAL EXACTO de la sociedad solicitante):	[BUSINESS ADDRESS]
8. Hace constar que el solicitante es titular de un establecimiento ubicado en: (Debe indicar el DOMICILIO (S) EXACTO (S) en Costa Rica del establecimiento(s) comercial, fabril o de servicios.)	A LADO SUDESTE DE LA ENTRADA DE LA PLAYA XYZ, PORTON COLOR AZUL, [DISTRICT], [CANTON], [PROVINCE], COSTA RICA, [ZIPCODE]
9. Solicito la inscripción del Nombre Comercial (nombre con logotipo o sin éste) (Debe indicar en el recuadro inferior el nombre comercial a proteger. Si éste es con diseño debe adherir uno en el espacio correspondiente del recuadro)	A PROPOSED BUSINESS NAME   [IF YOU ALSO HAVE ART, ALSO STICK IT HERE WITHIN THE BOX. OTHERWISE, ONLY WRITE THE NAME.]
10. Traducción de la parte denominativa (Aportar traducción del signo cuando esté constituida por algún elemento denominativo con significado en un idioma distinto del castellano.)	[IF THE NAME IS CLEARLY NON-SPANISH, TRANSLATE THE NAME]
11. Reservas (Indicar si hace reserva o no de los colores contemplados en el diseño solicitado. Señalar si no se hace reserva sobre algún término que contenga el nombre comercial o el diseño que sea genérico o de uso común.)	ESPECIFICACIONES DE RESERVAS DEL LOGOTIPO LA FUENTE: ‘ARIAL ROUNDED’ COLOR (‘[NAME PART 1]’): AZUL COLOR (‘[NAME PART 2]’): NARANJA   ESPECIFICACIONES DE RESERVAS DE TERMINO ·         APOYAMOS NUESTROS CLIENTES!
12. Para proteger y distinguir (Debe indicar que el nombre comercial protege un establecimiento comercial dedicado a: (señalar el giro o la actividad a la que éste se dedica).)	MARCAS Y LÍNEAS DE PRODUCTOS
Un establecimiento comercial dedicado a:	PRODUCCIÓN Y VENTA DE ZAPATOS
13. País de Origen (del nombre comercial.)	COSTA RICA
14. Se aporta el comprobante de pago (art.9 inciso j) y art.10 inciso e) de la Ley de Marcas) (Debe aportar el comprobante de pago de derechos equivalente a $50 en timbres del Registro Nacional.)	[ADJUNTO COMPROBANTE DE BCR]
15. Señalo para atender Notificaciones sobre esta gestión. (Los medios que indica la ley.)	JANEDOE@GMAIL.COM
El día	[TODAY’S DATE]
Firma del solicitante o representante	[YOU SIGN HERE]
16. Timbres (Aportar ¢20 en timbres de Archivo Nacional y ¢250 en timbres del Colegio de Abogados.)	[STAMPS BOUGHT FROM BANCO DE COSTA RICA]
17. Sello de abogado o notario.	[BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE REGISTRO NACIONAL, GET A LAWYER TO AUTHENTICATE THE DOCUMENT.]

 

CONTENT RELATED TO REGISTERING A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS NAME IN COSTA RICA

• Downloadable application forms (brand names, commercial names, etc). 
• See sample of a completed RPI-03 form of application for a business name.
• Contact details of the Intellectual Property department of the Registro Nacional: Frente a Price Smart, 500 metros este de Iglesia Católica de ZAPOTE, San Jose (privince). Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm (for documentation) or 3:30pm (for anything else). The department's direct telephone number is 2202-0623.
• See how to apply to register a brand name correctly, even without a lawyer.