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Patenting criteria

1. Novelty: new to be patentable
2. Inventive Step: extraordinary, unique, beyond obvious
3. Industrial Applicability: is technologically practical

More in the patenting Act 1994

Documents needed

  • Abstract
  • A request to patent
  • A description of the invention
  • One or more claims
  • One or more drawings of the invention
  • Where necessary and an abstract. Of the invention
  • Other details to be prescribed by the regulation made under the Patent Act

Applications are made to the registrar

Contacts:

Main land

Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA)
Ushirika Building Mnazi Mmoja
P.O.BOX 9393 Dar es Salaam-Tanzania
Telephone: +255 735 332 001
E-Mail: maoni@brela.go.tz


Zanzibar

ZANZIBAR BUREAU OF STANDARDS
P.O.Box: 1136,Zanzibar
Tel: +255-24-2232225
Fax: +255-24-2232225
E-mail: info@zbs.go.tz
Website: www.zbs.go.tz

 

Patenting in the United Republic of Tanzania

Individuals in Tanzania have a legal right to patent their own creation or invention through the Business Registration and Licensing Authority (BRELA) for Tanzania mainland; or Zanzibar Business and Property Registration Agency (ZBPRA) for Zanzibar.
 

Importance of patenting 

  1. An inventor can use her/his invention for income related purposes such as mass production and selling
  2. Alternatively, she/he can license the patent to others to use it or sell for revenue 
  3. If invention is patented, the owner has the right to stop others from copying, manufacturing, selling or importing her/his invention without her/his permission.
  4. Once granted, patenting gives the owner a protection for 20 years, allowing the owner to keep competitors at stop.

Patent cost

Patent service requires the applicant to pay. To know the cost, visit the registration and annual fees portal of BRELA. For Zanzibar visit Business and Property Registration Agency ZBPR portal

  1. registration fees depends on the nature of the invention.

Payment for annual fees starts in the second year after the date of the filing of the application.
 

Application process

The application can be done online through BRELA portal and the:

  • Applicant has to fill in an online form and attach the necessary documents
  • Registrar analyses the submitted documents and order a verification by BRELA or ZBPRA

Read more in the patenting section of BRELA.

After having the invention classified by using International Classification, the registrar examines if the application complies with requirements mentioned above and the regulations pertaining to those requirements described in the Patent Act.

Other services provided by authorities in charge

  • Register companies
  • Register and give business names
  • Grant intellectual property rights such as patents of inventions and industrial designs
  • Grant industrial license and trade/service marks
  • Register NGOs, Cooperatives, Documents and Property