Trademark Registration and Protection in Mexico

We handle the full lifecycle of trademark protection in Mexico, from filing through prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and portfolio management. Whether you are a foreign law firm sending correspondent instructions or a company protecting your brand in the Mexican market, we deliver fast, accurate execution with direct attorney communication in English.

What You Need to Know About Trademarks in Mexico

First-to-file system

Mexico grants rights to the first person to file, not the first to use. If you plan to do business in Mexico, register your mark before someone else does.

Single-class filing

Mexico does not allow multi-class applications. Each class requires a separate filing. Madrid Protocol designations covering multiple classes are split into individual national applications upon entering Mexico.

Declaration of use

Trademark owners must file a declaration of actual and effective use within three months following the third anniversary of the registration grant date. Failure to file results in automatic cancellation. IMPI does not send reminders. This requirement applies to all registrations granted since August 10, 2018.

Ten-year term

Registrations are valid for ten years from the grant date and are renewable indefinitely for consecutive ten-year periods, provided a declaration of use is filed with each renewal.

Examination timeline

Straightforward applications are typically resolved within 4 to 8 months. Applications facing office actions or oppositions may take 12 to 18 months.

New trademark types (2026 reform)

Mexico now expressly recognizes position marks, motion marks and multimedia marks in addition to word marks, figurative marks, mixed marks, three-dimensional marks, sound marks, scent marks and holograms.

Our Trademark Services

Clearance searches

We provide a professional opinion on the availability and registrability of a mark before filing. A thorough search significantly reduces the risk of office actions and refusals.

Filing and prosecution

We prepare and file trademark applications before the Mexico Trademark Office (IMPI), monitor the examination process, and respond to any office actions, oppositions or objections that arise during prosecution.

Madrid Protocol

We manage the national phase of international registrations designating Mexico, including examination, office action responses, declarations of use and renewals for each national registration derived from the international registration.

Declarations of use and renewals

We monitor all deadlines for our clients' portfolios and handle the filing of third-year declarations of use and ten-year renewals, ensuring no registration is lost to a missed deadline.

Portfolio management

For clients with multiple registrations in Mexico, we provide ongoing portfolio administration - deadline tracking, status reporting, strategic reviews and coordination with your home-country counsel.

Oppositions

We file oppositions against third-party applications that conflict with our clients' rights, and we defend our clients' applications against oppositions filed by others.

Enforcement

We handle administrative infringement actions before IMPI, cancellation proceedings for non-use, nullity actions, preliminary injunctions, cease-and-desist letters and online brand protection on platforms such as Amazon and Mercado Libre.

Domain name disputes

We file and prosecute UDRP proceedings before WIPO and .mx dispute proceedings to recover domain names registered in bad faith.

Are you a law firm?

See our Mexico Local Agent Services