During the opposition period, an existing rights holder (often a competitor or a brand with a similar earlier mark) can file an opposition to try to stop your application.
Only about 2% of applications are opposed — but it is the single most decisive moment in the process. Of marks that are opposed, only around 49% still make it to registration. How well the opposition is handled makes an enormous difference to whether you keep your mark.
If you are represented, an opposition is answered with evidence and legal argument. Applicants who go it alone lose the great majority of oppositions they face.
What to do & be aware of
An opposition is not the end — but it must be defended properly and on time.
Deadlines are strict; missing one can lose you the mark by default.
This is the moment professional representation matters most.
If you receive any opposition notice, contact us immediately through the portal.
Do not reply to anything or agree to anything before taking advice. Contact us and we will assess who is opposing and on what grounds, then recommend whether to defend, negotiate or narrow.
You can, but unrepresented applicants lose around three out of four. Proper handling — evidence, argument and on-time filings — changes the odds dramatically.
The register is public, so you will receive official-looking letters and emails about your mark. Most are scams. Do not pay or reply to anything before checking with us — genuine updates appear on your Temmy portal, and we keep a directory of known scams.
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See every step on your Temmy portal.
We set your application live so you can see exactly where it is, in real time. Need login details? Just ask and we will send you a link.
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Figures are derived from analysis of the public UK Intellectual Property Office trademark register (applications filed 2015 to 2023, a settled cohort of 1,340,875 marks). They describe the typical journey of a UK trademark application and are for general information — every application is different.