BOLIVIA: SENAPI Launches Fully Digital Office and “Zero Paper” Registration System

Bolivia’s National Intellectual Property Service (SENAPI) has inaugurated its first fully digital branch. This new office, located in an affluent and economically important area of La Paz, marks a significant transition for SENAPI toward an integrated digital service model. It is the first public entity under the supervision of the Ministry of Productive, Rural and Water Development to implement a completely paperless system for intellectual property (IP) services. It opened on February 2, 2026.

The new digital framework allows users to manage IP registrations, including trademarks and copyrights, through an entirely electronic interface. A key feature of this modernization is the implementation of online payment portals, which aim to reduce bureaucracy by eliminating the requirement to present physical bank deposit slips or visit financial institutions in person to initiate the registration process. The change significantly benefits users in remote or rural areas.

This “Zero Paper” initiative reduces the administrative burden on both the office and the applicant. Much of the IP registration process in Bolivia still depends on physical interaction and the manual filing of documents. But applicants can use the new online system to upload required documentation, track the status of their files in real time, and receive official resolutions via email.

Government officials say this technological shift is intended to provide greater legal certainty for rights holders. By centralizing and digitizing the registration database, the system aims to offer a more reliable environment for both domestic entrepreneurs and international brand owners. The digital infrastructure is designed to streamline the defense of intangible assets against unauthorized use or plagiarism by providing verifiable, time-stamped digital records of authorship and ownership.

Even though the method of filing has been shifting to a digital platform, the substantive requirements for trademark registration in Bolivia remain governed by Decision 486 of the Andean Community, to which Bolivia is a member. That is, the appointment of a local representative is still required, with a legal domicile in the territory and a power of attorney (Article 138, Section (c) DEC 486 CAN) for the purpose of notifications and administrative proceedings.

The opening of this office is part of a broader national strategy focused on “debureaucratization.” The initiative positions the modernization of the IP system as a central component for fostering technological development across all regions of the State.

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