IP and Trademark | Intellectual Property Services in Belize

A trademark is a sign which is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other undertakings and which is also capable of being represented graphically. They may consist of words, designs, letters, numerals or the shapes of goods.

A trademark provides protection to the owner of the mark by ensuring the exclusive right to use it to identify goods/services, or to authorize another to use it in return for payment. Trademark protection is enforced by the Supreme Court of Belize. Trademark protection promotes enterprise by hindering the efforts of unfair competitors, such as counterfeiters, who use similar distinctive signs to market inferior or different products or services.

Detail procedure for intellectual property and trademark registration in Belize:

1. Identify class of goods/services.

Belize is a party to the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration Agreement (NICE). Each country which is a party to the Nice Classification Agreement is obliged to apply the Nice Classification in connection with the registration of marks, either as the principal classification or as a subsidiary classification, and has to include in the official documents and publications relating to its registration of marks the numbers of the classes of the Classification to which the goods/services for which the marks are registered belong.

2. Check if your trademark in Belize already existed.

It is important for you to check if anyone has already registered an identical or similar trademark for the same or similar goods/services. Base on the result of the searching, we will decide to go on with the registration or not.

3. Application filing.

We will support you fill-up application form for registration of a trademark by filling the following:

• Application for Registration of a Mark (Form No. 3). In the case of a collective or certification mark, the application shall be accompanied by regulations conforming with the Schedules of the Trade Marks Act (CAP. 257).
• Application for an Address for Service (Form. No. 1). This form is only required for an applicant whose residence or principal place of business is outside Belize or for a local applicant who is applying through an attorney.
• Form of Authorisation of Agent in a Matter or Proceeding under the Act (Form No. 2). This form is only required for an applicant whose residence or principal place of business is outside Belize or for a local applicant who is applying through an attorney.

4. Review and public the application.

After submitting the application to the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), they will review if the application has met the minimum requirements and then, the notice of application for registration of a mark will be published in three consecutive fortnightly issues of the Intellectual Property Journal in Belize.

5. Successfully Belize trademark registration.

Your trade mark will be registered once any objections are resolved - you’ll get a certificate to confirm this.

Renewal trademark in Belize

The term of protection of a trademark in Belize is valid for 10 years, after which it can be renewed for like periods.