Knowledge Hub · Updated 13 October 2026
Trademark Knowledge Hub
Free, plain-English help with UK trademarks, from the team that has been registering and protecting brands for UK businesses since 2008.
Everything we publish is here in one place: step-by-step guides, answers to the questions business owners ask us most, trademark news, real client stories, scam warnings and short videos. Search for your question, filter by topic, or start with what other readers are looking at this week. If you can’t find what you need, ask us and a specialist will reply within one working day.
FAQ12 Oct 2026Is my company name automatically protected once it’s registered at Companies House?
No. Registering a company name at Companies House does not register it as a trademark or automatically give you exclusive rights to use it as a brand. A limited comp…
Could someone really register my business name and stop me using it?
Yes. The UK works on a first-to-file basis. If someone registers your name as a trademark before you do, they can hold the rights, even if you’ve traded under it for…
FAQ12 Oct 2026What actually happens if I never trademark my brand?
Possibly nothing happens immediately. The problem is that the need for trademark protection often becomes apparent only after the business has built something valuab…
FAQ12 Oct 2026Is it worth paying to trademark, or am I fine as I am?
Not every name needs to be registered as a trademark. The important question is what would happen to your business if you could no longer use the brand, or if somebo…
How much does it cost to register a trademark in the UK?
The UK IPO's official fee starts at £205 to register one class for ten years' protection, and rises with each additional class. That official fee is the cost of regi…
Can’t I just do it myself at the IPO?
You can file directly. But applications filed without professional input are almost twice as likely to be rejected at examination, usually over class selection or an…
Can’t I just copyright my business name instead?
No, and plenty of websites get this wrong. Copyright protects creative works like writing, music or artwork. It does not protect a name. To protect what your busines…
What are trademark classes, and which ones do I need?
Protection is divided into classes: defined groups of goods and services. You’re protected only in the classes you register, and they can’t be added later, so gettin…
FAQ12 Oct 2026When should I trademark, before or after I launch? Is it ever too late?
Not every business name needs to be registered as a trademark. If your brand, including your name, logo or tagline, is unique and important to your plans, you should…
How long does registration take, and am I exposed while I wait?
In a straightforward case, around four months from filing, assuming no examiner objection and no third-party opposition. Importantly, your protection dates back to y…
Should I register outside the UK too?
A UK trademark stops at the UK border. If you sell, or plan to sell, abroad, applying internationally within six months of your UK filing lets you claim your UK fili…
What makes up the cost of a trademark?
There are two parts. Official register fees are set by each trademark office, rise with the number of classes you cover, and are paid straight to the office. Profess…
What is not included in a fixed trademark application price?
Renewals, which normally fall due every ten years, are not included, and neither is monitoring, or enforcing and defending the trademark if somebody tries to copy or…
How much is the brand audit before filing a trademark?
Our Brand Audit with review and consultation is normally £298, but you pay £99. The £99 is deducted from your fees if you choose us to register the trademark. If we…
Why does one trademark cost more than another?
Two things drive the number: classes and territories. Each extra class of goods or services adds to the official fee, and a UK registration protects the UK only, so…
What kinds of names can be protected as a trademark?
A trademark can protect a business name, a product name, a brand name or the name behind a domain. Registering a company at Companies House or buying a domain does n…
Do I need to trademark a product name as well as my business name?
It depends where the value sits. If customers buy the house brand, protecting the business name may be enough. If individual product names carry their own recognitio…
What are the benefits of registering a trademark?
A registered trademark strengthens your brand and gives a solid foundation for building the company's reputation. It secures the exclusive right to own and use the m…
Is registering a trademark the only way to get exclusive rights to a name?
Yes. It is a common misconception that registering a company at Companies House gives the same security as a trademark. It does not. Companies House records a legal…
Does a trademark protect my name in every industry?
No. A trademark gives exclusive rights in the classes of goods and services it is registered for. Another business may be able to use the same name in an unrelated a…
Can my company name infringe someone else's trademark?
Yes. Companies House does not check the trademark register, so it can accept a company name that another business has already registered as a trademark. If that happ…
How can a sole trader protect a business name?
Sole traders and partnerships do not register their business name anywhere, so without a trademark the only protection is a passing off claim. That means proving you…
Can I trademark a business name that describes what I do?
Usually not. Names that simply describe the business, such as Best Plumbing or Manchester Accountants, are normally refused. Distinctive, invented or unexpected name…
Is it better to register a business name as words or as a logo?
Start with the name as words. A word trademark protects the name in any lettering, colour or design, while a logo registration protects only that particular design,…
What are the main steps to registering a UK trademark?
Most applications follow the same path. Search the register first, including for similar names, then decide what to protect and in which classes of goods and service…
Why is a trademark worth more than a registered company name?
Companies House and the trademark register are separate systems. Registering a company stops another company incorporating under the identical name, but it does not…
How often are UK trademark applications opposed?
Formal opposition is relatively rare. Figures drawn from the public UK register, covering a settled group of 1,340,875 marks filed between 2015 and 2023, show around…
Can I track my trademark application online?
Yes. We set your application live on your Temmy portal, so you can see exactly where it is in the process in real time. If you need login details, just ask and we wi…
How can I keep my home address off the trademark register?
Our representation service, from £14 a month, includes our Care of Address. It keeps your home address off the public trademark register and cuts scam mail at source…
FAQ12 Oct 2026Can I register a trademark myself, or do I need a trademark attorney?
You can file it yourself. On the public register, self-filed applications reach registration about 84.5% of the time and attorney filings 97.0%. In 2026, 98% of our…
How do I register a trademark in the UK?
Search first, then decide what to protect and in which categories, then file with the UK Intellectual Property Office. Examination takes a couple of months, then two…
I paid someone to file my trademark and it was never submitted. What now?
More common than it should be. Check the register first, because the application may simply be pending rather than missing. If it was never filed, you need the posit…
FAQ30 Sep 2026What happens if someone copies my logo, can I sue?
Yes, potentially, but legal escalation can be expensive and should generally be treated as an enforcement step of last resort. We know that the first reaction when s…
FAQ18 Aug 2026Should You Trademark a Name and Logo Separately?
Should you trademark a name and logo separately? Why a logo registration rarely protects the name inside it, what each covers, and what to protect first.
FAQ9 Jul 2026TM or ®: Which Trademark Symbol Can You Use?
Which trademark symbol can you use? ™ is fine from day one, ® only once registered. Why misusing ® is an offence under section 95 of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
FAQ6 Jul 2026Is There Trade Dress Protection in the UK?
Is there trade dress protection in the UK? Not by that name. How registered trademarks, design rights and passing off protect your get-up, shape and packaging.
FAQ24 Jul 2026How Do I Check If a Name Is Trademarked?
How to check if a name is trademarked: search the UK register and each country you trade in, look for similar names, check your logo and unregistered use.
Browse by topic
Trademark advice by topic
Check and plan
Search the register, choose the right classes and check a name before you file.
See all guides →Manage and protect
Monitoring, renewals and representation once your trademark is registered.
See all guides →Trademark disputes
Oppositions, cancellations, cease and desist letters and online takedowns.
See all guides →The people behind the answers
Our authors
Jonathan PatonFounder & CEOBrand protection strategy for UK businesses since 2008.
Matthew GriffithsCommercial DirectorClient work and our UK and international partnerships.
Alex PughBrand Protection ConsultantNew clients, international applications and hearings.
Laura SpencerParalegalDrafting, filing and progressing applications.
Saad AshrafMarketing ManagerMarketing and the trademark data behind our guides.
