Brazil · INPI · Guide
How to search Brazil’s INPI trademark register (in English)
Brazil’s trademark office, INPI, runs a free public database called pePI. You can search it without an account: leave the login blank and press “Continuar”, choose “Marca”, and use the “Radical” search on the core word of your name. The screens are in Portuguese; this guide explains each step.
General information, not legal advice. For a decision about your own name, please talk to a trademark lawyer.
1. Open the database
Go to busca.inpi.gov.br/pePI. The first screen asks for “Login” and “Senha” (password). INPI notes these are optional: press Continuar to search anonymously. A login only adds extra services, such as access to case documents. The database holds documents published from 2000 onward.
INPI is also testing a new search portal at servicos.busca.inpi.gov.br/marcas, with an English interface and proximity search. It is labelled an evaluation version, so results may differ from pePI.
2. Choose the trademark search
Pick Marca (trademark). The main options are search by name (“Marca”), by application number (“Nº do Processo”), by owner (“Titular”) and an advanced search.
3. Use the “Radical” search on the core word
INPI’s own guidance recommends the Radical search type, which finds similar and approximate marks, rather than “Exata” (exact). It also suggests searching the central word of a name on its own. INPI’s example: for “Bruxas Festas”, search “Bruxas”, without the word that describes the activity.
4. Read the classes
Brazil uses the Nice Classification: 45 classes, with goods in classes 1 to 34 and services in 35 to 45, plus INPI’s own auxiliary lists. INPI notes that, except in special cases, a mark is protected for the economic segment of its class, so look at the class of each result next to yours.
5. Check sound-alikes and translations
INPI states that examination looks at how a mark sounds, not only how it is written. Its own illustration: “McDuck” could confuse a consumer looking for “McDonalds”. Try spellings that sound the same when read in Portuguese, and the Portuguese translation of any English word in your name.
6. Follow decisions in the RPI
Official decisions are published in the weekly Revista da Propriedade Industrial (RPI). INPI says pePI shows publications too, but the RPI is the official record.
Official fees
| Service (INPI code) | Standard | Eligible applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Application, pre-approved goods or services (389) | R$880 per class | R$440 |
| Application, free-text specification (394) | R$1,720 per class | R$860 |
| Grant and first 10-year certificate (372) | R$0 | R$0 |
| Opposition (332) | R$520 | R$260 |
Source: INPI fee table for trademarks. Reduced rates apply to groups INPI lists, including individuals, micro and small companies, cooperatives, teaching and research institutions and non-profits. INPI warns that it never sends payment slips or collects payments by email.
How long it takes
A Federal Court of Accounts audit, Acórdão 2203/2026-Plenário (session of 19 Aug 2026), found that decisions on unopposed trademark applications took about 19 months in 2025, up from about 7 months in 2020, and about 34 months for opposed ones.
Filing from outside Brazil
Applicants domiciled abroad must appoint a representative domiciled in Brazil (Law 9.279/1996, art. 217). Applicants domiciled in Brazil can file themselves through INPI’s e-Marcas system. Lightfathom does not file or represent anyone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I search INPI without an account?
Yes. On the pePI login screen, leave the login and password blank and press “Continuar”. INPI says a login is optional and only unlocks extra services, such as access to case documents.
Which INPI search type should I use for a brand name?
INPI’s own guidance recommends the “Radical” search, which looks for similar and approximate marks, and suggests searching the core word of the name on its own, not only the full phrase.
Does INPI compare how names sound?
Yes. INPI states that examination considers a mark’s sound as well as its spelling, so sound-alikes written differently can matter.
How much does a Brazilian trademark application cost?
Under INPI’s fee table in force since 2025, filing with a pre-approved list of goods or services (code 389) is R$880 per class, or R$440 for eligible applicants. Free-text specification (code 394) is R$1,720 per class, or R$860. Grant and the first 10-year certificate cost R$0. Check the official table before paying.
How long does INPI take?
A Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) audit, Acórdão 2203/2026-Plenário, found that decisions on unopposed applications took about 19 months in 2025, up from about 7 months in 2020, and about 34 months when there was an opposition.
Can a company outside Brazil file at INPI directly?
Applicants domiciled abroad must appoint a representative domiciled in Brazil (Law 9.279/1996, art. 217). Applicants domiciled in Brazil can file themselves through e-Marcas.
Searching more than Brazil?
Lightfathom is building one plain-English report across the US, Brazil and the UK (USPTO and INPI searched, the UK searched by hand), with official search links for EUIPO and WIPO. Join the waitlist or read the Portuguese version of our INPI guide.
A preliminary check, not legal advice.