Trademark transfer
El cambio de titularidad de una marca es un procedimiento legal que permite transferir la propiedad de una marca de una persona o entidad a otra. En Iberocapital ofrecemos el servicio de Compraventa de marcas en Chile, vamos a explicarte paso a paso cómo llevar a cabo este proceso con éxito.
$89.980
Can I sell my registered trademark?
Of course. There are trademarks with multimillion prices that are sold and maintain their existence and prestige in the market, even if they change hands.
A trademark is an asset like any other, and as such, it is subject to property rights.
The owner of a trademark has all property rights over it and may dispose of it freely, whether by selling it, leasing it, or mortgaging it.
Sell a trademark
To sell a trademark, like any other asset, we need the following:
Be the owner of the trademark to be sold.
An interested buyer to acquire it.
An agreed price.
These are the basic requirements for any sale, whether of a trademark, a trade name, or another asset or right. The transaction may be more or less complex depending on the agreements between the parties.
La forma más común de vender marcas registradas es a través de un contrato de compraventa donde se establecen las condiciones acordadas respecto al precio, forma de pago, alcance de la venta y obligaciones de las partes.
Sometimes, the sale of the trademark may be part of the sale of an entire company, as in mergers or acquisitions of companies.
Trademark sale and purchase
Es esencial que la marca sea única, ya que otorga derechos exclusivos para su uso en determinados bienes o servicios. Antes de firmar el contrato de compraventa, se deben verificar ciertos detalles para evitar problemas posteriores:
Check the registration status, ownership, and expiration dates of the trademark.
Verify that there are no identical or similar trademarks registered, especially by the same owner.
Ensure that there are no trademarks of third parties that are identical or similar.
Confirm that the trademark rights are free of judicial or extrajudicial conflicts.
Problems when selling trademarks
It is crucial to perform these verifications, since problems can arise such as:
The existence of other similar trademarks not sold by the owner.
The presence of third-party trademarks that may invalidate the acquired trademark.
The trademark is expired or close to expiring.
The trademark has never been used by its owner and is subject to expiration for lack of use.
Before buying a trademark
Once the checks are performed and the details of the sale are agreed, the drafting of a purchase agreement proceeds, known in industrial property as a trademark assignment.
For the sale to have full effect, it must be registered with INAPI.
How to sell a trademark
Once the agreement is closed, the application to register the sale is filed with the Industrial Property Office.
This procedure involves submitting documents signed by seller and buyer and paying the official fee.
INAPI verifies the documentation and, if everything is correct, authorizes the respective recordation.
The sale of trademarks in Chile is subject to the payment of 1 UTM.
Why a trademark is sold
The reasons for selling a trademark are diverse, from business closure to business agreements.
The most important thing is to ensure that the trademark is in an appropriate situation for sale, without conflicts or pending issues.
Transfer of Registered Trademark
Intangible assets, such as trademarks, although they cannot be touched, have great economic value.
Registered trademarks, as intangible assets, may be subject to all types of acts and contracts such as sale, capital contribution to a company, exchange, or donation.
La ley de Propiedad Industrial señala en su artículo 14 que: “Los derechos de propiedad industrial son transmisibles por causa de muerte y podrán ser objeto de toda clase de actos jurídicos, los que deberán constar, al menos, por instrumento privado y se anotarán en extracto al margen del registro respectivo.”
Para que cualquier acto jurídico relacionado con una marca sea oponible a terceros, debe anotarse al margen del registro. Entre estos actos, las transferencias de marcas, ya sean totales o parciales, son las más comunes.
The total transfer of a trademark implies its recordation in the register maintained by INAPI, attaching the contract or other document that clearly demonstrates the existence and content of the agreement.
On the other hand, partial transfer refers to the sale of some products or services protected by the trademark.
For example, if a company has a trademark registered in several classes of the Nice Classification, it can assign or sell some classes, retaining ownership of the rest.
Según el artículo 14, inciso 4, de la LPI, “las marcas comerciales son indivisibles y no pueden transferirse parcial y separadamente ninguno de los elementos o características del signo distintivo amparados por el título.”
Sin embargo, es posible transferir parcialmente una marca abarcando una o más de las coberturas para las que se encuentra inscrita, siempre y cuando no estén relacionadas con los productos o servicios que permanecen en poder del titular de la marca.
En cualquiera de los dos casos, ya sea transferencia parcial o total, el acto se ejecuta cuando se notifica la resolución que ordena la inscripción de la anotación, previa aceptación y pago de los derechos correspondientes (1 UTM por solicitud). A partir de ese momento, la transferencia es oponible a terceros.
Why change the ownership of a trademark?
The change of ownership of a trademark can be carried out for various reasons, such as a sale, assignment of rights, merger of companies, or even a donation.
How is the change of ownership of a trademark carried out?
To successfully complete the change of ownership of a trademark, it is necessary to follow a series of steps and meet certain requirements. We detail them here:
Agreement between the parties
The first step is the agreement between the interested parties, that is, the assignor (current owner) and the assignee (new owner). This agreement must be set out in a formal document.
Enforce the rights
Para que el nuevo titular pueda poseer la marca legalmente, es necesario solicitar la inscripción de la cesión en el registro pertinente. En Chile, esto se realiza ante el Instituto Nacional de Propiedad Industrial (INAPI).
Required documentation
In addition to the registration application, you must attach the following documents:
Copy of the document that formalizes the assignment of rights.
The transfer document duly completed and signed by the parties involved.
The transfer certificate, likewise completed and signed.
Review of the documentation
Once the application is received, INAPI will review all the documentation to determine the legality of the transfer procedure.
Registration of new data
Todo cambio de titularidad debe ser debidamente informado a las oficinas pertinentes. Esto se hace a través de la entrega de un documento que solicite el cambio de datos del titular de la marca, acompañado de un documento legal que avale todo el procedimiento.
In summary, yes, a trademark can change owner. You only need to comply with all legal steps and requirements to ensure the process is carried out correctly.
The trademark sale agreement: How to sell your trademark
Ready to sell or buy your company’s trademark? Make sure everything agreed is enforceable against third parties with a well-structured trademark sale agreement.
What is a trademark sale agreement?
It is a contract that formalizes the sale or purchase of a commercial trademark, owned by a company, by another businessperson.
It is always advisable to register the trademark with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) to protect it and prevent it from being registered by other individuals or companies in their favor.
Mediante este contrato, podrás vender o comprar una marca registrada como cualquier otro bien de la empresa. En este caso, se trata de un bien intangible (que no se puede tocar) y con él, todos los derechos de propiedad, uso y disfrute de la misma.
When should I use a trademark sale agreement?
Use this trademark sale agreement when you want to ensure the following in the sale or purchase of a registered trademark:
That the trademark is sold correctly and that liability is assumed for possible defects.
That upon buying the trademark, there will be no competition from the previous owner.
That the agreed price is paid.
The method of payment.
When does a trademark sale agreement end?
Al tratarse de una venta, este contrato no implica prestaciones continuadas en el tiempo, sino una única operación: la venta o compra de la marca registrada. Sin embargo, si alguna de las partes incumple las obligaciones derivadas del contrato, la otra parte puede solicitar la finalización o resolución del mismo.
What happens if one of the parties breaches the contract?
Si el vendedor (cedente) o el comprador (cesionario) incumplen alguna de sus obligaciones incluidas en el contrato de venta o cesión de marca, la otra parte podrá solicitar por escrito la finalización o resolución del contrato.
En estos casos, se suele acordar en el contrato que el perjudicado por el incumplimiento pueda elegir entre finalizar o resolver el contrato, o exigir su cumplimiento. Además, es importante comunicarlo por escrito mediante una carta de reclamación del incumplimiento contractual, solicitando una indemnización por daños y perjuicios causados.
If the contract is terminated or resolved, the buyer (assignee) would stop using or carrying out any activity with the trademark, which would become the seller’s (assignor’s) property again.
Regulatory Framework for the purchase and sale of a commercial trademark
The Industrial Property Law establishes that registered trademarks are intangible assets that can be the subject of all kinds of acts and contracts.
These acts are perfected and produce effects between the parties without the need for registration, but to be enforceable against third parties, they must be recorded in the margin of the respective register.
The marginal annotation is not a validity requirement of the act, but a required publicity formality.
Formalities of Legal Acts on Trademarks
Basic Formalities
Una marca registrada puede ser objeto de contratos onerosos (compraventa, aporte en sociedad, permuta) o gratuitos (donación), entre otros. Todos estos actos deben constar por escrito, al menos en un instrumento privado.
Additional Requirements
No existen formalidades adicionales que afecten la validez de los actos jurídicos relativos a marcas comerciales. Estos se perfeccionan con el cumplimiento de los requisitos propios para su existencia y validez, y desde entonces producen plenos efectos jurídicos entre las partes.
Legal Nature of the Marginal Annotation
Las anotaciones marginales no son requisitos de validez de los actos jurídicos sobre marcas comerciales. Su omisión solo acarreará la inoponibilidad respecto de terceros hasta que se proceda a la anotación correspondiente.
Legal Acts that Require Margin Annotation
Legal acts concerning trademarks must be recorded in the margin of the register to be effective against third parties. The most common acts include:
Total or partial transfer of a trademark.
Trademark license.
Change of name of the owner of a trademark.
Seizure and prohibitions.
Pledge and releases.
Partial Transfer of Trademark
Partial transfer refers to the transfer of part of the products and/or services protected by the trademark.
This is only possible when the trademark covers multiple products and/or services in one or more classes.
The transferred products or services must not be related to those that remain with the original owner, according to Article 65 of the Regulations of the Industrial Property Law.
Trademark Licensing
La licencia de una marca es un acto mediante el cual el titular confiere a otro el derecho de usar la marca. Las modalidades del uso pueden ser fijadas libremente por las partes y es recomendable anotar toda licencia ante INAPI para proporcionar legitimidad al licenciatario y habilitarlo para accionar en caso de infracción de los derechos sobre la marca licenciada.
Change of Name of the Owner of a Trademark
Aunque la ley no obliga a anotar el cambio de nombre, es conveniente hacerlo para producir efectos frente a terceros. Es fundamental para la renovación futura de la marca que el nombre del titular coincida con el registrado.
Encumbrance, Prohibition, and Release
La marca comercial puede ser objeto de gravámenes o limitaciones, como prenda con fines de garantía. También se pueden inscribir prohibiciones de gravar o enajenar, medidas precautorias y embargos ordenados por tribunales.
Marginal Notation Procedure
Trademark transfer application form
The application may be submitted online or on paper at INAPI offices.
Trademark transfer applicant
The notation must be requested by the person in whose favor the registration will be made. The parties may authorize a third party to submit the application.
Supporting documents for the transfer
Deben acompañarse los documentos que acrediten el traspaso de derechos sobre la marca. Estos pueden ser contratos, medidas precautorias, o documentos de posesión efectiva en caso de transmisión por causa de muerte.
Processing of the transfer
INAPI will verify that the required formalities are met. If there are errors or omissions, the applicant will be notified to correct them within 30 days.
Final Resolution
Acceptance of the application requires payment of a fee of 1 UTM. If it is not paid within 60 days, the application will be deemed abandoned.
Appeals against trademark purchase and sale
Contra la resolución final sobre la solicitud de anotación, proceden los recursos de reposición y jerárquico según la Ley de Bases del Procedimiento Administrativo. También puede deducirse el recurso de corrección por error de hecho.
Execution and Content of the Marginal Notation
La anotación solo se materializa cuando se notifica la resolución que ordena la inscripción. Los efectos del acto sobre la marca se producen solo a partir de dicha anotación, previa aceptación y pago de los derechos correspondientes.
Conclusions
At Iberocapital, we offer specialized services for trademark transfers in Chile. Our price is $89.980 for our legal fees.
Additionally, 1 UTM must be paid to INAPI and, if desired, notarize the contract before a notary for $20.000 per signature. Contact us to ensure a secure and effective transfer of your trademark.
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