UK trademark application process

The timeframe for registering a UK mark is approximately 3-4 months and renewal is due after 10 years. A UK trademark may be extended with further 10-year periods, as many times as the applicant wishes.

Filing an application to the United Kingdom Institute of Intellectual Property (UK IPO)
The filing has to include an indication that trademark protection is sought, information identifying the applicant, a representation of the sign and a list of goods or services. A filing fee has to be also at the filing.

Examination on filing
In the examination on filing, the list of goods and services are checked. If your application consists for the most part of terms that are included in the IPO's database your application qualifies for an early trade mark examination.

Application accessible on UK IPO register
Your application will be published on https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk You can check the status of your application here at any time.

Certificate of filing
After the examination, the UK IPO send the certificate of filing to the applicant.

Formal and substantive examination
The UK IPO examines to see whether there are any formal or substantive deficiencies in the application. If this is the case, they will object to your application. You then have the possibility of remedying the deficiencies.

Registration
If the trademark application - and the sign to which it relates - meets all the requirements, the subject matter of the application will be registered as a trademark. After registration, the IPI issues a trademark certificate.

Publication
The two-month opposition period begins once the registration has been published.

Opposition
Within a period of two months of the date of the publication, an opposition may be submitted. A notice of opposition can be based on a trademark application or on an earlier registered trademark.

After registration
After registration, your trade mark is protected in the United Kingdom for 10 years from the filing date without any additional costs. However, you must use your trade mark at the latest five years after registration (known as the grace period), otherwise you could lose your rights.