Costa Rica 

Costa Rica

Note: Inventa does not operate directly in this jurisdiction. Instead, we rely on a long standing network of colleagues and agents to handle incoming service.

Paths to protection

Ways to protect your invention

Patents are a way of protecting your inventions. By filing a successful patent you will be awarded a monopoly to exploit your invention for a period of time.

National Patents are the most effective way of defending your invention if you only require protection in a single jurisdiction. If this is not enough for your needs, this country has signed international agreements on patents, which facilitate their internationalization:

PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty)

The PCT system allows simplified international patent applications which in turn eases national filings.

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Additional Information

Discuss your Intellectual Property Protection strategy with us

If you need to protect your Intellectual Property abroad, through our Global Network of offices and associates, we can make your Intellectual Property assets expand to every nation you desire, ensuring full legal protection of your rights.

If you have further questions, we would be delighted to schedule a conference call and answer any questions you may have.

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Costa Rica

Patent Details and Timeframes

Priority claim

Available

Substantive Examination

Available

Body responsible for non-use cancellations

IP Office

Time until registration

5 years

Opposition Period

3 months

Use Requirement Period

3 years

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National Filing Requirements

  •  Applicant data.
  •  Inventor(s) data.
  •  International Publication.
  •  International search report.
  •  International preliminary examination report.
  •  Information about how the applicant derives the right to apply for a patent from the inventor.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Patent title, description, claims and drawings.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Deed of Assignment.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Certificate of change of name.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.

Remarks: Deed of Assignment and certificate of changes must be accompanied with a certified copy of said document or of an extract thereof, with apostille or legalized by a Costa Rican Consulate.

PCT Filing

  •  Applicant data.
  •  Copy of priority document (if applicable).
  •  Inventor(s) data.
  •  Patent title, abstract, description, claims and drawings.
  •  Information about how the applicant derives the right to apply for a patent from the inventor.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Deed of Assignment.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Certificate of change of name.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.
  •  License agreement.
  •  Power of attorney, notarized.

Remarks: Deed of Assignment and certificate of changes must be accompanied with a certified copy of said document or of an extract thereof, with apostille or legalized by a Costa Rican Consulate.

Latest news

ANNOUNCEMENT

The protection of European patent: across Laos and Costa Rica

Recently, the EPO announced two European patent validation agreements with Costa Rica and Laos. Details of the agreement have not yet been fully disclosed and are not yet in force. Based on these agreements, European patents validated in these two countries will have the same effects as the respective national patents. The current global coverage of the current European patent includes 39 European contracting countries pf the European Patent Convention (EPC) and the six countries which the EPO has extension or validation agreement (Bosnia, Herzegovina, Moldova, Georgia, Tunisia, Morocco, and Cambodia). The entry of Costa Rica and Laos into the coverage of the European patent will add around 13 million more habitants to the market potentially covered by the European Patent, which currently includes around 700 million people. Although Costa Rica is the first country in America to sign an agreement validating the European patent, given its historical ties with some European countries that are EPO member states, other territories in America and in other continents are also already covered by the European patent. The overseas territories of the Netherlands (Saint Martin, Curaçao, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba in the Caribbean) and France (Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean; Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean; Réunion and Mayotte in the Indian Ocean; French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna in the Pacific Ocean) are also covered by the European patent. Similarly, the overseas territories of the United Kingdom (Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Montserrat in the Caribbean; Falkland Islands and Gibraltar) and some member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations (Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu) are also within the geographical coverage of the European patent. In addition to these, the European patent can also be validated in Hong Kong. The European patent increasingly contributes to strengthening the patent system globally, based on a substantive examination process of high quality and reliability, encourages investment in research and development and promotes economic growth.   For more information about the European Patent System contact us at info@inventa.com

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