Industrial Design Registration and Protection in Mexico

We register and enforce industrial designs in Mexico, protecting the visual appearance of your products, packaging and components before IMPI. Whether you are filing directly or claiming a foreign priority, our team delivers efficient prosecution and strategic enforcement.

What You Need to Know About Industrial Designs in Mexico

What is protectable

An industrial design protects the ornamental or aesthetic aspect of a product - its shape, configuration, pattern or surface ornamentation. Mexico recognizes two categories: industrial drawings (two-dimensional patterns) and industrial models (three-dimensional forms). Protection covers the appearance, not the function.

Term

Five years from the filing date or priority date, renewable for consecutive five-year periods up to a maximum of 25 years.

Priority

A design application claiming conventional priority under the Paris Convention must be filed within 6 months of the priority date.

Hague Agreement

Mexico is a member of the Hague Agreement (Geneva Act) since June 2020.

Multiple designs

A single application may include more than one design (a 'principal' design and 'related' designs) provided all designs share the same name and product type, contain the same novel features, and differ only in minor or irrelevant details. Additional official fees apply for each related design.

Small entity discount

IMPI offers a 50% reduction on official fees for small entities, universities and independent designers.

Examination timeline

Industrial design applications typically take 12 to 18 months from filing to grant.

Priority restoration (2026 reform)

The reformed LFPPI allows restoration of a priority right if the Mexican filing is made after the 6-month Paris Convention deadline, provided the restoration request is filed within two months of the original deadline's expiration.

Our Industrial Design Services

Filing and prosecution

We prepare and file industrial design applications before IMPI, including the preparation or review of technical drawings and photographs, the description of the design, classification, and management of the examination process through grant.

Renewals

We monitor all renewal deadlines and handle the filing of renewal applications every five years to maintain design protection up to the maximum 25-year term. Our docketing system ensures no registration lapses due to a missed deadline.

Design audits

We review our clients' product lines to identify protectable designs that are not currently registered - packaging, product housings, containers, accessories, components and other visual elements that contribute to brand identity and competitive differentiation.

Enforcement

We enforce registered designs through administrative infringement actions before IMPI, seeking the cessation of imitation, the seizure of infringing products and the imposition of sanctions. We also handle design-related enforcement on e-commerce platforms.

Are you a law firm?

See our Mexico Local Agent Services