Legislation
Set out below is a list of the enactments and conventions currently administered by the Department. Acts available online for viewing are linked below.
A. General
Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Act, Cap. 21A
An Act to provide for the establishment of the Office of Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property and setting out the enactments for which the Department is responsible.
Public Documents (Exemptions from Diplomatic or Consular Legalization) Act, Cap. 122
An Act providing for the issuance by the Registrar of Apostille certificates certifying the authenticity of certain public documents in accordance with Barbados' obligations under the 1961 Hague Convention.
Stamp Duty Act, Cap. 91
An Act to impose certain stamp duties on various categories of commercial documentation.
Property Transfer Tax Act, Cap. 84A
An Act to provide for the imposition of a tax on the disposal of land and company shares and for related matters. The Registrar functions as an adjudicator of property transfer tax.
B. Corporate Affairs
Companies Act, Cap. 308 and the Companies Regulations, 1984
An Act to revise and amend the laws relating to companies and to provide for related and consequential matters.
Societies with Restricted Liability Act, 1995-7
An Act to provide for the organisation of societies with restricted liability with full corporate personality and for related matters.
Private Trust Companies Act, 2012-2
Limited Partnerships Act, Cap. 312
Registration of Business Names Act, Cap. 317
An Act to provide for the registration of firms and persons carrying on business under business names and for related matters.
Bills of Sale Act, Cap. 306
An Act for preventing frauds upon creditors by secret bills of sale of personal chattels.
Charities Act, Cap. 243
An Act to provide for the registration of charities and related matters.
Electronic Filing Act 2014-16
Caribbean (CARICOM Enterprises) Act, Cap. 14B
An Act to provide for the implementation by Barbados of the agreement for the establishment of a Regime for CARICOM Enterprises and for related matters.
Registration of Newspapers Act, Cap. 302
An Act to provide for the registration of newspapers.
C. Intellectual Property
Patents Act, Cap. 314
An Act to provide for protection of inventions and which sets out the procedure for making patent applications and the grant of patents.
Trade Marks Act, Cap. 319
An Act to provide for the protection of trade names, logos, slogans, brands and other marks used in connection with goods and services.
Industrial Designs Act, Cap. 309
An Act to provide for the protection of designs of industry and handicraft and which sets out the procedures for making industrial design applications.
Copyright Act, Cap. 300
An Act which introduces modern provisions for the protection of rights in literary, artistic, dramatic and musical works and other protected works.
Geographical Indications Act, Cap. 320
An Act to protect indications which identify goods as originating in the territory of a country, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the goods is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.
Integrated Circuits Topography Act, Cap. 320A
An Act to provide protection for the layout designs of integrated circuits and the procedures for making applications for protection of rights in layout designs.
Protection Against Unfair Competition Act, Cap. 329A
An Act to provide for protection against unfair competition within the context of Barbados' obligations under the WTO TRIPS Agreement.
Protection of New Plant Varieties Act, 2001-17
An Act to provide protection for plant breeder's rights and the procedures for making applications for protection of such rights.