Trademark in Costa Rica: Guide After the Company Name Reform
Learn how to register a trademark and protect your commercial name in Costa Rica with the latest legal updates.
🛡️ Why Trademark Registration in Costa Rica Is More Important Than Ever
With the recent legal reforms in 2025, registering your trademark and your commercial name in Costa Rica is no longer just a formality—it’s a strategic move to protect your business and define your brand identity.
A registered trademark grants exclusive rights over names, logos, or symbols that represent your products or services, helping to prevent unauthorized use by third parties.
✅ What Is Considered a Trademark in Costa Rica?
In Costa Rica, a trademark is any sign, word, image, figure, or symbol—or a combination—that distinguishes goods or services in the marketplace. Registration is handled by the Industrial Property Registry.
- Word marks (denominative)
- Figurative marks (logos)
- Mixed marks (word + image)
- Three-dimensional or olfactory marks
🔎 Why You Must Register Both Your Trademark and Commercial Name
With the 2025 reform, wewly incorporated companies in Costa Rica can no longer include a company name in their articles of association.This means that registering your commercial name is now the only legal way to protect the identity of your company.
While a trademark protects the goods and services you sell, a commercial name safeguards the business entity itself—whether it’s a physical store or an online brand.
Key Benefits of Registering a Trademark or Commercial Name:
- 🛡️ Exclusive legal protection
- 🌎 Market identity and positioning
- 💰 Intangible asset with commercial value
- 📄 Enables licensing, franchising, and regional expansion
📝 Trademark vs. Commercial Name in Costa Rica
| Feature | Trademark | Commercial Name |
|---|---|---|
| Object | Products or Services | Business or Company |
| Registry | Industrial Property Registry | Industrial Property Registry |
| Duration | 10 years (renewable) | Unlimited as long as in use |
| Protection | Against similar signs | Against confusingly similar names |
🏛️ How to Register a Trademark in Costa Rica
It is highly recommended to register with legal assistance before investing in advertising, packaging, or signage. At AG Legal, our Intellectual Property department offers complete guidance, including:
- Prior search in the National Registry
- Filing application before the Industrial Property Registry
- Publication in La Gaceta for 2 months
- Legal response to objections, defects, or appeals
- Final decision and issuance of ownership certificate
📚 Legal Framework: Why the Commercial Name Matters
According to Article 2 of the Costa Rican Trademark Law, a commercial name is the sign—either word-based or mixed—that identifies and distinguishes a business or enterprise.
Article 66 allows legal action against anyone using a similar or confusing name that may mislead consumers.
In light of the 2025 Reform that removes the obligation to include a trade name in new corporations, protecting your commercial name is now a legal necessity to maintain uniqueness in the marketplace.
💼 Useful Resources
🧾 AG Legal: Your Partner for Trademark Registration in Costa Rica
AG Legal provides full legal support for registering your trademark, protecting commercial names, and handling oppositions. We also assist with regional trademark filings across Central America.
🔎 You Might Also Be Interested In:
- How to start a company in Costa Rica
- 2025 Corporate Name Reform
- Trademark protection: act before someone else does
