Register a trademark

A trademark protects your brand identity. Register a trademark to get exclusive rights to use your business name, logo, or slogan for the goods or services you sell. You can take legal action against anyone who uses your trademark without permission.

You can trademark words, sounds, logos, colours, or combinations of these. Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely.

Before you apply

Search the UK trademark register to check your proposed mark is available. If your mark is identical or similar to an existing trademark in the same class of goods or services, your application will be rejected.

You cannot register a trademark that is:

• offensive or against the law
• descriptive of the goods or services (for example 'cotton' for clothing)
• misleading about the goods or services
• a common word or phrase in the trade
• a 3D shape that adds value or is functional
• a protected emblem, flag, or official symbol without permission

Choosing your trademark classes

Trademarks are registered in classes - categories of goods or services. You pay for each class you register in.

Choose classes based on what you currently sell and plan to sell in the next 5 years. Common classes for businesses:

• Class 9: Software, apps, downloadable content, electronics
• Class 25: Clothing, footwear, headwear
• Class 35: Retail services, advertising, business consultancy
• Class 41: Education, training, entertainment services
• Class 42: Software development, IT services, web hosting
• Class 43: Restaurant, café, hotel services

There are 45 classes in total. If you are unsure which classes apply to your business, use the IPO's classification search tool or consult a trademark attorney.

Application options

The IPO offers two application types:

• Standard application (£170): Full examination after you submit. If there are problems, you have 2 months to fix them.
• Right Start (£100 initial): Get preliminary feedback before committing. Pay another £100 to proceed if your mark is likely to succeed. Useful if you're unsure whether your mark will be accepted.

Paper applications cost £200 for one class. Apply online to save £30.

After you apply

The application process takes 3 to 4 months if there are no objections:

1. Examination (2-3 weeks): The IPO checks your application and sends an examination report
2. Objection period (2 months): If there are problems, you have 2 months to respond
3. Publication (2 months): Your application is published in the Trade Marks Journal for third parties to oppose
4. Registration: If no one opposes, your trademark registers automatically

About 60% of applications receive examiner objections. Most are resolved by amending the application or providing arguments.

International protection

UK trademark registration only protects your mark in the UK. For international protection, you have two main options:

• EU trademark (EUIPO): Single registration covering all 27 EU member states. Costs €850 for one class online.
• Madrid System: Register in up to 131 countries through WIPO using your UK trademark as a base. UK handling fee is £40 plus WIPO fees (basic fee 653 CHF, varies by country).

Consider international protection before launching in other markets - trademark rights are territorial, and some countries operate 'first to file' systems where whoever registers first gets the rights.