The DIY Trade Mark Playbook (South Africa)

Most founders never register their trade mark. They assume it is expensive, or that they need a lawyer for the whole thing. Neither is true. CIPC now runs the entire process online, and for a straightforward brand name you can lodge it yourself.

This playbook shows you exactly how. It starts by teaching you what actually counts as a trade mark and what makes one strong enough to register, then walks you through every step on the real CIPC portal: creating your profile, paying, searching, choosing your class, and lodging. The links are live. The language is plain. There is no legal jargon to decode.

It also tells you, honestly, where doing it yourself stops paying off, so you know the exact moments to bring in a lawyer instead of guessing.

What you get A complete, attorney-written guide covering: what a trade mark is and what can be registered, the distinctiveness test that decides whether your mark will pass, the seven-step CIPC online filing walkthrough with live links, a filing tracker to record your application, and a clear map of what happens after you lodge.

Who this is for South African founders and SME owners ready to protect a brand name, logo, or slogan, who want to understand the process and file it themselves.

Who this is not for Anyone facing an objection, an opposition, or a search result that looks too close to an existing brand. Those moments need a lawyer, and the playbook tells you so. When you hit one, book a call.