Patent registration in Morocco – Any company that owns a patent and plans to expand its business in the Moroccan market or create long-term value and find investors for their patent or license their patents in the future should use the Moroccan patent system. It is paramount for businesses to file a patent application in Morocco for inventions, even if the launch of the respective product on the Moroccan market has not yet commenced.
Deadline for filing a patent application in Morocco
Patent applications requesting ordinary priority must be filed within 12 months of the priority date. It is not possible to restore this deadline.
The deadline to participate in the national PCT phase in Morocco is 31 months from the priority date. It is not possible to restore this deadline.
Patent application in Morocco
The official language of patent registration in Morocco is French. Applications can be submitted in any other language. Translations must be submitted within three months.
The following information and documents need to be provided in the application for patent registration in Morocco:
patent request with the name of the invention and applicant information;
proof of payment of the application fee.
The preferred document translated into French must be filed with the Patent Office within three months of the filing date of the patent application in Morocco.
A signed copy of the Power of Attorney must be submitted within 2 months from the date of application. There is no need to legalize/notarize this document.
Examination of patent applications in Morocco
The substantive examination should be requested concurrently with the filing of a Moroccan patent application.
The prescribed renewal period for patent applications in Morocco is 12 months prior to the filing date.
Patent validity and renewal
Patents in Morocco are valid for twenty years from the date of filing. The annual patent maintenance fee will be due on the filing date or priority date each year. However, they are payable only after the patent is granted for subsequent years and not for the years that have expired prior to the patenting. Payment must not be made more than 12 months prior to the due date. Late payment is possible up to 6 months after due, subject to a surcharge.
Represented by a patent attorney
An international applicant for a patent in Morocco should do a patent search in Morocco through a law firm, or an experienced patent attorney.
You can find the list of Morocco IP firms here.