Mexico’s patent and trademark office is IMPI, the Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial (Mexican Institute of Industrial Property). It is the federal authority that examines and grants patents and registers trademarks in Mexico. If you searched for “the Mexican patent office” or “the Mexico trademark office”, this is the one.
IMPI is a decentralized federal body with its own legal personality, and it is the administrative authority for industrial property under the Federal Law for the Protection of Industrial Property (LFPPI art. 5). Its official page is gob.mx/impi.
What IMPI handles, and what it does not
| IMPI handles | Not IMPI |
|---|---|
| Patents, utility models and industrial designs | Copyright: registered by INDAUTOR, a separate office |
| Trademarks and slogans (avisos comerciales) | Company names: authorized by the Ministry of Economy |
| Trade names, appellations of origin and geographical indications | Domain names: .mx is administered separately |
| Oppositions, nullity and infringement actions before IMPI | Court litigation |
For copyright, see our page on copyright registration in Mexico.
IMPI’s free online tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| MARCia | Trademark search by name or logo, with class and status filters. See how to search Mexican trademarks |
| Marcanet | IMPI’s trademark database, a separate tool from MARCia |
| SIGA | IMPI’s official Gazette: published applications, grants and notices |
| ViDoc | Public file documents for trademarks and patents. See how to search Mexican patents |
| Marca en Línea | Online trademark filing, with a 10% discount on the official fee for new applications |
How foreign companies deal with IMPI
- Usually through a representative in Mexico. Filing directly from abroad is possible, but IMPI’s online account must be linked to a CURP, the population registry code the Mexican government issues to individuals. A foreign company without anyone in Mexico rarely has one, which is why most work through a representative.
- With a simple power of attorney. For applications, oppositions, declarations of use and recordals of licenses or assignments, a simple power of attorney signed before two witnesses is enough, signed in Mexico or abroad (LFPPI art. 27).
- In Spanish, with fees in Mexican pesos. Official fees are set in IMPI’s published tariff and are the same for Mexican and foreign applicants.
- Directly or through the Madrid System. A foreign company can file in Mexico directly or designate Mexico in an international registration. Either way, objections are answered before IMPI: see IMPI provisional refusal.
Need a representative before IMPI?
We are an IP law firm in Mexico. We file, answer and maintain trademarks and patents before IMPI for foreign companies and foreign IP firms, from the first trademark registration to renewals and oppositions.
Tell us what you need to file or answer in Mexico: write to our IP law firm.
