How to Register a Trademark in the UK (2026): IPO Process, Classes, Fees and Timeline

A business name, logo or product name becomes valuable the moment customers recognise it, and that's exactly when someone else might start using it. Registering a trade mark with the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) gives you the exclusive right to use it for the goods or services you choose, and a straightforward way to stop copycats. This guide is for sole traders, partnerships and small companies applying themselves in 2026. It covers what you can register, how to choose classes, how to search, the fees after the April 2026 increase, examination and opposition, renewal, and a worked example with real costs and dates.

Quick answer

Apply online to the Intellectual Property Office with your mark, the owner's details and the classes and terms of goods or services you'll use it for. It costs £205 for one class plus £60 per extra class. If nobody objects, registration takes about about 3 to 4 months, and the mark lasts 10 years, renewable indefinitely.

• Search the trade marks register before you apply

• Pick only the classes and terms you'll use in the next 5 years

• Right Start option: pay £125 first and get a report before committing

• Your application is published for 2 months so others can oppose

• A UK registration covers the UK and the Isle of Man only

Why register a trade mark?

You don't have to register a brand to use it. Unregistered names and logos get some protection through the law of passing off, but to win a passing off claim you have to prove that you have goodwill in the mark, that the other business misrepresented its goods as yours, and that you suffered damage. That means evidence of sales, reputation and confusion, which is slow and expensive to assemble.

A registration flips that around. GOV.UK says that once you register, you can take legal action against anyone who uses your brand without permission, including counterfeiters, put the ® symbol next to it, and sell, license or mortgage it like any other asset. The register also works as a warning: the IPO tells owners of registered marks when someone applies for something similar, and other businesses searching the register will see yours.

For a sole trader, there's a further reason. As our guide to sole trader business names explains, there's no register of sole trader names in the UK, and telling HMRC your trading name doesn't reserve it. A trade mark is the only way to get exclusive rights in a name across the whole country.

What you can and can't register

A trade mark can be words, a logo, a slogan, sounds, colours or a combination of these. The test is whether it tells customers that the goods or services come from you rather than from someone else. The IPO refuses marks that fail that test, known as "absolute grounds". GOV.UK says a mark can't:

• describe the goods or services it's used for: "Apple" for a fruit seller, though it can work for a computer company
• be too common or non-distinctive, such as a slogan like "we lead the way"
• be offensive
• be misleading, for example "organic" on goods that aren't organic
• be just a generic shape associated with the goods, such as an ordinary wine bottle outline for wine
• use national flags or official emblems, such as coats of arms or hallmarks, without permission

Separately, the IPO checks whether your mark is the same as or similar to an earlier mark for the same or similar goods or services. Those "relative grounds" are where most small-business applications run into trouble, which is why the search step matters.

The strongest marks are invented or unexpected words, such as a made-up name or an ordinary word used for something unrelated. The weakest are descriptive phrases that customers would use anyway. "Bristol Plumbing Services" would be very hard to register; "Copperleaf" for plumbing stands a far better chance.

Word mark or logo?

If you can only afford one application, a word mark usually gives the broadest protection, because it covers the name however it's written, in any font or colour. A logo mark protects the design as filed; a competitor using the same name in a different design may fall outside it. If your logo is mainly your name in a particular style, file the words first. If you have several versions of a logo, such as different colours, a series application covers up to 6 variations: the first 2 are included in the fee and each further version costs £60.

Choosing classes and terms

Every application must list at least one class and one term. Classes come from the international Nice Classification, which has 45 classes: 1 to 34 for goods and 35 to 45 for services. The current edition came into force on 1 January 2026. A class is a broad category, such as class 25 for clothing; terms are the specific items within it, such as "sports clothing" or "knitwear". Your mark is only protected for the classes and terms you choose.

Choose with care, because you can't add terms after you apply. GOV.UK advises picking only the terms that fit your plans for the next 5 years, and warns that listing goods or services you don't intend to sell makes your application more likely to clash with someone else's and can lead to a challenge with legal costs. Registered marks that aren't put to genuine use for 5 years can be cancelled on a non-use application, so a long wish list buys little.

The IPO's "Search UK trade mark classes" tool lets you find pre-approved terms; using them avoids objections over wording. Its classification team also answers questions by email.

Search before you apply

Search the IPO's trade marks database for the same and similar marks, including different spellings, sound-alikes and translations, in your classes and related ones. The database includes UK registrations and international registrations that cover the UK. It's also worth checking the Companies House register, domain names and a general web search, because an earlier unregistered user can still oppose you on passing off grounds.

If you find something identical or close in a related area, GOV.UK's advice is not to apply without professional advice. When you apply, the IPO will contact holders of similar marks, and they may oppose. Free help is available from the IPO, IP clinics and the British Library Business and IP Centre; paid help comes from a registered trade mark attorney.

One timing point: your application is published on GOV.UK as soon as you apply, so others can see it. Register your domain name and social handles before you file.

How to register a UK trade mark

1. 1

   Check your mark can be registered

   Avoid descriptive, generic or misleading words, flags and official emblems.

2. 2

   Choose classes and terms

   Use the IPO's class search tool. Pick only what you'll sell in the next 5 years.

3. 3

   Search the register

   Look for identical and similar marks in your classes and related ones.

   Search for a trade mark
4. 4

   Apply online

   Standard application (£205 + £60 per extra class) or Right Start (£125 upfront).

   Apply to register a trade mark
5. 5

   Respond to the examination report

   Arrives within 2 to 3 weeks. You have 2 months to resolve any objections.

6. 6

   Publication and opposition

   Published in the Trade Marks Journal for 2 months; anyone can oppose.

7. 7

   Registration

   About 10 weeks after publication if unopposed. You get a certificate and can use ®.

Fees: standard application vs Right Start

IPO fees rose by about 25% on average on 1 April 2026. The online application fee went from £170 to £205, so older guides quoting £170 are out of date.

UK trade mark fees from 1 April 2026

Fee	Amount
Online application, one class	£205
Each additional class (online or paper)	£60
Paper application, one class	£250
Series: each version beyond the first 2 (maximum 6)	£60
Right Start: first payment, one class	£125 + £30 per extra class
Right Start: second payment to continue	£125 + £30 per extra class
Renewal every 10 years, first class	£245 + £60 per extra class
Late renewal (within 6 months after expiry)	+£60

Online application, one class

Amount

£205

Each additional class (online or paper)

Amount

£60

Paper application, one class

Amount

£250

Series: each version beyond the first 2 (maximum 6)

Amount

£60

Right Start: first payment, one class

Amount

£125 + £30 per extra class

Right Start: second payment to continue

Amount

£125 + £30 per extra class

Renewal every 10 years, first class

Amount

£245 + £60 per extra class

Late renewal (within 6 months after expiry)

Amount

+£60

Right Start splits the fee. You pay £125, plus £30 per extra class, and the IPO examines the application and sends a report saying whether it meets the rules. You then have 28 days to pay the same amount again to continue, or to challenge or discuss the report. It costs more in total than a standard application but lets you walk away for £125 if the report is bad. For a first-time applicant unsure whether a name is distinctive enough, that's often worth it.

If you use a trade mark attorney, their fees are on top. Attorney pricing isn't regulated or published centrally, so get a written quote that says whether it includes searching, filing and responding to objections.

Examination, publication and opposition

After you apply, the IPO sends an examination report within 2 to 3 weeks. If it raises objections, for example that your mark is descriptive or your terms are unclear, you have 2 months to resolve them: by arguing your case, narrowing the terms or, sometimes, filing evidence that customers already recognise the mark. The IPO also searches for earlier marks and, if it finds any, notifies both you and their owners.

Once the application is accepted, it's published in the online Trade Marks Journal for 2 months. During that time anyone can oppose it. An earlier mark's owner can first file a free notice of threatened opposition (form TM7A), which extends their window to 3 months. A formal opposition (form TM7) costs £125 if it's based only on conflict with an earlier mark, or £250 on other or combined grounds.

If your application is opposed, the IPO's tribunal guidance says you have 2 months to file a defence and counterstatement (form TM8), or the application may be treated as abandoned for the opposed goods or services. Both sides can agree a cooling-off period of up to 9 months, extendable to 18, to negotiate. Many oppositions settle by narrowing the terms, for example you drop "clothing" and keep "candles". If it goes to a decision, the loser usually pays a contribution to the winner's costs from an official scale.

If there's no opposition, GOV.UK says the mark is registered around 10 weeks after publication, and you receive a certificate.

After registration: using, protecting and renewing

Once registered, use the ® symbol, which warns others off. Before then you can use ™, which has no legal effect. Using ® on a mark that isn't registered for those goods or services is a criminal offence in the UK, so don't jump the gun.

Use the mark as registered and for the goods or services listed. A registration that hasn't been put to genuine use for 5 years can be revoked if someone applies on form TM26(N), and you'd need evidence of use, such as sales figures, invoices and advertising, to defend it. Keep a simple file of dated examples each year.

Watch the register and the market. The IPO notifies owners of earlier marks when a similar new application arrives, but it's up to you to oppose. Keep your contact details on the register up to date, and record changes of owner. If you're a sole trader who later sets up a limited company, the mark stays in your personal name until you assign it to the company and record the assignment; see our guide to setting up a limited company.

The renewal window for a UK trade mark

6 months before expiry

Renewal window opens: £245 + £60 per extra class

Expiry date (10 years)

Last day to renew without a late fee

Up to 6 months after

Renew online with a £60 late fee

6 to 12 months after

Restoration by post only, with a statement explaining the delay

Renewal. A UK trade mark lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely. You can renew online in the 6 months before it expires and up to 6 months after, paying £245 for the first class, £60 for each extra class, and a £60 late fee if it's after the expiry date. You can drop classes at renewal. Between 6 and 12 months after expiry you can only apply to restore it by post, with a statement explaining the delay.

Beware of fake invoices. GOV.UK warns that fraudulent companies send official-looking renewal and "registration" invoices to trade mark owners using the public register. The IPO's own fees are only those on GOV.UK.

Protecting your brand abroad

A UK registration covers the UK and the Isle of Man only. Guernsey and Jersey have their own processes, and EU protection needs a separate EU trade mark filed with the EUIPO. If you sell abroad, you can file in each country, or use the international Madrid System, administered by WIPO, to extend a UK application or registration to other member countries through one application. International fees vary by country, so check WIPO's fee calculator before deciding.

Worked example: a candle maker's application

Priya Shah sells hand-poured candles as a sole trader under the name "Copperleaf", online and at markets. Her searches find no similar marks in candles, fragrances or retail, and the domain is free. She decides on a word mark in three classes: class 4 (candles), class 3 (room fragrances, reed diffusers) and class 35 (online retail services for candles and home fragrances).

Copperleaf — cost of applying in three classes

Route	How it's worked out	Total IPO fees
Standard online	£205 + 2 × £60	£325
Right Start (if she continues)	2 × (£125 + 2 × £30)	£370
Right Start (if she stops after the report)	£125 + 2 × £30	£185
Paper	£250 + 2 × £60	£370
Renewal in 10 years	£245 + 2 × £60	£365

Standard online

How it's worked out

£205 + 2 × £60

Total IPO fees

£325

Right Start (if she continues)

How it's worked out

2 × (£125 + 2 × £30)

Total IPO fees

£370

Right Start (if she stops after the report)

How it's worked out

£125 + 2 × £30

Total IPO fees

£185

Paper

How it's worked out

£250 + 2 × £60

Total IPO fees

£370

Renewal in 10 years

How it's worked out

£245 + 2 × £60

Total IPO fees

£365

She's confident in the name, so she files a standard online application on 2 November 2026 for £325. A plausible timeline if all goes smoothly: the examination report arrives in mid-November with no objections; the application is published in late November; the 2 months opposition period ends in late January 2027; and the mark is registered around early February, roughly about 3 to 4 months after filing. She starts using ® only once the certificate arrives, and diarises the renewal window for ten years ahead.

If an existing "Copper Leaf" mark for reed diffusers turned up in class 3, she could narrow her application to classes 4 and 35, which would also cut the fee to £265.

Common mistakes

1. Choosing a descriptive name. "Luxury Soy Candles" won't register; build the brand on a distinctive word.
2. Skipping the search. An opposition costs far more than an hour on the register.
3. Claiming every class "just in case". It invites clashes and can be attacked for non-use.
4. Filing a logo when the name matters most. Protect the words first.
5. Applying in the wrong name. The applicant becomes the owner; make sure it's the person or company that will run the brand.
6. Paying look-alike invoices. Pay only through GOV.UK.
7. Letting it lapse. Missing the renewal window by more than 6 months means a restoration request, which the IPO can refuse.

Official IPO and GOV.UK links

• Register a trade markWhat you can register, fees, process and timeline
• Search for a trade markThe UK trade marks database
• Search UK trade mark classesFind accepted terms for your goods and services
• Renew your trade markRenewal window and fees
• Standard opposition proceedingsTM7A, TM7, TM8 and cooling-off

What to do next

Shortlist two or three distinctive names, run them through the trade marks database and the class search tool, and decide which classes you'll genuinely use in the next five years. If you're still choosing a name, our business name generator and the guide to sole trader business names will help. Then file online for £205, or use Right Start if you want a second opinion first. If you haven't yet registered as a sole trader with HMRC, do that too; the two registrations are separate.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to register a trademark in the UK?

An online application to the Intellectual Property Office costs £205 for one class of goods or services and £60 for each extra class. A paper application costs £250 for one class. Fees rose on 1 April 2026; the online fee was £170 before. Attorney fees, if you use one, are extra.

How long does it take to register a trademark in the UK?

If nobody objects, registration usually takes about 3 to 4 months from application. The IPO sends an examination report within 2 to 3 weeks, then publishes the application for a 2 months opposition period, and registers it around 10 weeks after publication. Objections or an opposition can add months.

Can a sole trader register a trademark?

Yes. A trade mark can be owned by an individual, a partnership or a company, so a sole trader can apply in their own name to protect a trading name or logo. If you later move the business into a limited company, the mark doesn't move automatically; you assign it to the company and record the change with the IPO.

How many trademark classes do I need?

As many as match what you'll actually sell in the next 5 years. There are 45 classes: 1 to 34 for goods and 35 to 45 for services. A candle maker might need class 4 for candles and class 35 for online retail. Each extra class costs £60, and you can't add terms after you apply.

What is the difference between ™ and ®?

Anyone can use ™ to show they treat a name or logo as their brand; it has no legal effect. ® means the mark is registered. Using ® on a mark that isn't registered anywhere for those goods or services is a criminal offence in the UK, so wait until your registration certificate arrives.

How often do I need to renew a UK trademark?

Every 10 years. You can renew in the 6 months before expiry and up to 6 months after. Online renewal costs £245 for the first class and £60 for each extra class, plus a £60 late fee if you renew after the expiry date.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 12 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.Register a trade mark (full guide) — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
2. 2.Renew your trade mark — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
3. 3.Intellectual Property Office fees to increase from April 2026 — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
4. 4.Guidance: standard opposition proceedings before the trade marks tribunal — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
5. 5.Revocation: non-use — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
6. 6.UK toolkit for US SMEs: protecting intellectual property — Intellectual Property Office / GOV.UK · accessed 12 October 2026
7. 7.Nice Classification — World Intellectual Property Organization · accessed 12 October 2026
8. 8.WIPO webinar: the Madrid System and the Nice Classification (presentation) — World Intellectual Property Organization · accessed 12 October 2026