Cuba Trademark Protection
Register and maintain your trademark in Cuba through a Madrid Protocol designation or a national application with the Oficina Cubana de la Propiedad Industrial (OCPI). We manage the filing, the deadlines, and the U.S. sanctions review that goes with it.
Is a Cuban trademark filing still permitted?
Yes. A long-standing general license in the U.S. Cuban Assets Control Regulations, 31 C.F.R. § 515.528, authorizes persons who are not designated nationals to:
- file and prosecute trademark applications in Cuba, and renew registrations;
- receive the registration;
- file and prosecute oppositions and infringement proceedings, and defend against them; and
- pay the fees due to the Cuban government and the reasonable fees of attorneys or representatives in Cuba.
Those payments may not be made from a blocked account. OFAC’s September 30, 2026 amendments did not change this section.
Two ways to file
Madrid Protocol designation
Cuba is part of the Madrid System administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization. If your company has an application or registration with an office in the Madrid System, such as the USPTO or the EUIPO, Cuba can be designated in an international registration, either at filing or later by subsequent designation.
National filing with OCPI
A direct application in Cuba, filed through an authorized representative in Cuba and coordinated by us. This route can suit owners without a Madrid basis, or marks and goods that need a filing tailored to Cuba.
What we handle
- Review of the mark, the goods, and the best filing route
- Madrid designations and subsequent designations of Cuba
- National applications with OCPI, coordinated with representatives in Cuba
- Responses to official actions, and oppositions
- Renewals and recordals of assignments and name changes
- A U.S. sanctions check of each filing and payment, including screening against the current Cuba Restricted List and SDN List
Fees
Fees are quoted on request. They depend on the filing route, the number of classes, and official fees.
If your brand has a history in Cuba
Many cigar and spirits names trace back to Cuba. For U.S. trademark registrations, OFAC rules restrict transactions involving a mark that is the same as or substantially similar to a mark used with a business or assets that were confiscated, unless the original owner or a bona fide successor-in-interest has expressly consented (31 C.F.R. § 515.527(a)(2)).
If your brand has Cuban history, tell us at the start so we can review it before anything is filed.
Ask for a quote.
Tell us the mark, the products, and where it is already registered.
This page is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes OFAC’s published rules as of September 30, 2026. Sanctions rules change, sometimes without advance notice, and the facts of each situation matter. No attorney-client relationship forms until you and the firm sign an engagement letter. Please do not send confidential information before then.
Rules as published September 30, 2026. Page reviewed October 1, 2026.