A trademark is any sign or combination of signs that distinguishes the goods and services of one person from another's, as they are considered to be sufficiently distinct and capable of identifying the goods and services to which they are applied from those of their same species or kind. It is possible to claim a Paris Convention Priority in Costa Rica.

Applications/Registrations: Trademarks can be registered for a term of 10 years, which will be counted from the registration date. Trademark registrations can be renewed indefinitely for successive terms of 10 years each.

Renewals: Renewal applications can be filed within one year prior to the expiration date of the trademark.As well, Costa Rican law grants a six month grace period (from the expiration date) to file the renewal application. Nevertheless the renewal term will always begin on the prior expiration date.

A commercial name is a word sign or a word and figurative sign that identifies and distinguishes a determined company or commercial establishment.

The term of protection for commercial names is indefinite, but such protection is tied to the existence of the company or commercial establishment protected by the name. The permanent closing of the establishment or liquidation of the owner implies the lapsing of the commercial name.

A slogan is any legend, advertisement, motto, phrase, combination of words, device, engraving or any similar media, as long as it is original, characteristic and is used to attract the consumers or users attention regarding a certain product, service, company, facility or commercial establishment.

The term of protection for slogans is indefinite, but such protection is tied to the existence of the trademark used in conjunction with the slogan. The lapsing of the trademark registration implies the lapsing of the slogan registration.

he grounds for an opposition against a corporate name can be either:

1- A registered trademark in Costa Rica; or

2- A trademark that has not been registered in Costa Rica, by alleging the notoriety of the foreign trademarK.

Patents can be protected for a term of 20 years, which will be counted from the date of filing of the patent application in its country of origin. It is possible to file a Patent Cooperation Treaty application in Costa Rica. The validity of the patent is subject to evidence that the invention is exploited in Costa Rica on a permanent and stable basis. Otherwise the patent will be subject to compulsory public license or the patent grant will be terminated.

INDUSTRIAL DRAWINGS: Industrial Drawings can be protected for a term of 10 years, which will be counted from the date of registration in Costa Rica.

UTILITY MODELS: Industrial Drawings can be protected for a term of 10 years, which will be counted from the date of registration in Costa Rica.

Copyrights refer to the rights authors have over their original intellectual creations, whether they are literary, scientific or artistic creations. In Costa Rica, copyright law protects the way in which ideas are expressed but not the ideas themselves, the procedures, the operational methods, or mathematical concepts themselves.

Copyrights can be obtained for literary works (books, novels, short stories, plays, essays, etc.), art works (paintings, portraits, pictures, drawings, sculptures, etc.), computer programs, software, maps and topographic maps, phonograms, motion picture films, among others.

Domain names can be registered for a term of 1 to 10 years, depending on the fee paid. Domain name registrations can be renewed indefinitely for successive terms of 1 to 5 years each, depending on the fee paid.