Trademarks in Mexico

Trademark registration in Mexico

In Mexico, trademark rights are granted to whoever files first, not to whoever used the mark first.

What registration gives you


Exclusive use in Mexico

No one else may use your mark for the same goods or services for ten years, renewable.

A legal basis to act

Without a registration there is nothing to enforce. With it you can act against imitations and counterfeits.

A blocking effect

IMPI will refuse third-party applications identical or confusingly similar to yours in your class.

A transferable asset

A registered mark can be licensed, franchised, pledged or sold. It stops being a name and becomes property.

Timeline


  1. 1

    Search and opinion

    Week 1. We search MARCANET and deliver a written registrability opinion.

  2. 2

    Filing before IMPI

    Weeks 1 to 2. Correct Nice classification and filing of the application.

  3. 3

    Examination and publication

    Months 1 to 5. Formal and substantive examination, publication in the Gazette, responses to office actions.

  4. 4

    Registration certificate

    Months 4 to 6, absent refusals or oppositions.

Timelines are estimates and depend on IMPI workload and on whether third parties oppose.

What the service includes

Key facts

Are you an IP firm looking for a Mexican associate? See our associate services for foreign counsel — separate scope, separate fees.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Mexican company to file?

No. Foreign individuals and foreign companies can own a Mexican trademark. You do need a Mexican address for service, which we provide as your representatives, and a power of attorney.

Can I use the Madrid Protocol instead?

Yes, Mexico is a member. Whether a Madrid designation or a direct national filing suits you better depends on how many countries you are covering and how much control you want over prosecution.

What happens if IMPI refuses my application?

IMPI issues an office action stating the ground for refusal, usually likelihood of confusion or lack of distinctiveness. We analyze it and file a reasoned response.

Does a Mexican registration protect me elsewhere?

No. It covers Mexico only. For other jurisdictions we coordinate national filings or a Madrid Protocol application from your Mexican base.

Free guide

The 7 costliest mistakes when registering a trademark in Mexico

The seven that cost a business the most, with the legal basis for each. Leave your email and we send it now.

Your brand has value. Protect it today.

Start with a free availability search. No commitment.

Request the free search

Flat fee

File your trademark before IMPI

USD 500.00

Per mark, per Nice class. Official IMPI fees included. No later charges.

Would you rather check whether your mark is viable first? Request the free search.

Free, no commitment

Find out if your trademark can be registered

Four out of every ten marks that reach us cannot be registered as they stand. Send us the name and we come back with a straight answer on whether it has an obvious problem. No cost, no commitment. Need the full analysis, signed and in writing? That is the registrability opinion: USD 49 per mark and class, credited against your fees if you then file with us.

Prefer to write? Message us on WhatsApp.

THE NEXT STEP

Need more than a quick opinion?

The free search tells you whether your mark has an obvious problem. The registrability opinion goes deeper: it is the document you need before investing in identity, packaging or advertising.

  • MARCANET search for every Nice class you care about
  • Likelihood-of-confusion analysis against the marks we find
  • Use-declaration check: which registrations are alive and which have lapsed
  • Traffic-light rating per conflict and a written strategy recommendation
  • Delivered in 3 business days, signed by the attorney who prepared it

USD $49.00

per mark and class

If you later file the application with us, this amount is credited against your fees.