In Belize, you must register your trademark if you want clear, enforceable rights. Without registration, it is very difficult to stop third parties from using or copying your mark, and you generally cannot claim exclusive rights — except in very limited cases involving famous or well-known trademarks.
Trademarks in Belize are registered before the Belize Intellectual Property Office, also known as BELIPO. Prior use of the trademark in Belize is not required to file or obtain registration.
If you register a combined trademark (with both word and figurative/logo elements), the exclusive right is limited to the exact configuration in which the mark is filed and registered. If you intend to use the word element separately from the logo (or vice versa), it is advisable to file separate trademarks for each element you wish to protect on its own.
If a third party later tries to register or use a trademark for similar goods or services that includes a main or distinctive part of your mark, you may file an opposition based on confusing similarity. The chances of success will depend on the facts and evidence of each case.
If you would like the figurative or design elements of your trademark to be taken into account in a Trademark Search Report for Belize, you should contact us directly so we can confirm if this is possible for this jurisdiction. In such cases, fees and timelines may differ from standard searches.