Is Your Business Name Protected? A Simple Guide to Registering a UK Trade Mark

If you’ve spent years building a business, developing a distinctive name or creating a recognisable brand, it makes sense to think about protecting it.

One way to do that is by registering a trade mark.

A UK trade mark can protect things such as your business or product name, logo or slogan. Once registered, it gives you legal rights over the mark for the goods and services covered by your registration.

It also allows you to use the ® symbol and can make it easier to take action if someone uses your protected brand without permission.

So, how do you register one?

1. Decide what you want to protect

Start by thinking about which part of your brand is valuable to you.

For example, imagine you have created a skincare company called Glow & Bloom. You might want to protect:

• the words Glow & Bloom
• your distinctive logo
• the name of a particular product range
• possibly a slogan strongly associated with the business

You don’t necessarily have to register everything at once. Think about which name or brand asset would cause the biggest problem for your business if somebody else started using it.

You can read more about what can be registered as a trade mark on the GOV.UK trade mark guidance.

2. Search for existing trade marks

Before submitting an application, check whether somebody has already registered the same or a similar trade mark.

The UK Intellectual Property Office, usually known as the IPO, provides a free online trade mark search.

For example, if you wanted to register Glow & Bloom, don’t just search for that exact wording. You might also want to look for names such as:

Glow and Bloom
Glow’n’Bloom
Bloom & Glow

Names do not necessarily have to be identical to cause a problem.

The IPO recommends getting professional advice if you discover an existing trade mark that is the same as or similar to yours.

You can search existing UK trade marks here.

3. Choose the right trade mark classes

This is one of the most important parts of the application.

Trade marks are registered against particular types of goods and services, known as classes.

There are 45 classes in total: Classes 1 to 34 cover goods and Classes 35 to 45 cover services.

For example:

A clothing brand may need Class 25, which includes clothing.

A business providing advertising or marketing services may need Class 35.

A beauty business might need different classes depending on whether it sells cosmetics, provides beauty treatments or does both.

So our fictional Glow & Bloom skincare company might need a class covering cosmetics, while a salon operating under the same brand could require an additional services class.

Your trade mark will only be protected for the classes and specific goods or services that you select.

The IPO advises choosing classes relevant to what you genuinely plan to do with your brand over the next five years. You cannot simply add extra goods or services to the same application later.

You can search UK trade mark classes here.

4. Work out how much it will cost

As of 2026, a standard online application costs £205 for one class.

Each additional class costs £60.

So, for example:

If you register Glow & Bloom in one class, the application fee would be £205.

If you need three classes, the total standard online application fee would be £325.

There is also a Right Start application.

With Right Start, you initially pay £125 for the first class, plus £30 for each additional class. The IPO checks whether your application meets the rules before you decide whether to continue.

If you proceed, you pay the second half of the fee. This can be useful if you are unsure whether your proposed trade mark is likely to be accepted.

5. Submit your application

You can apply directly through the UK Intellectual Property Office.

You will need:

• details of the trade mark you want to register
• the name and details of the person or company that will own it
• the classes and goods or services you want the trade mark to cover.

You can start a UK trade mark application here.

One thing to be aware of: information about your application becomes public after you apply. The IPO even warns that somebody could potentially see your new brand name and register the domain name before you do.

So it is sensible to secure important website domains and social media handles before filing.

6. What happens after you apply?

The IPO examines your application and searches for similar existing trade marks.

According to its current timeline, it aims to examine applications within around two weeks.

If there are no objections, your application is published in the Trade Marks Journal.

There is then a two-month opposition period, during which another person or business can challenge the application.

If nobody successfully opposes it, the trade mark can be registered shortly afterwards.

A straightforward application generally takes around three to four months from application to registration.

7. Once your trade mark is registered

A UK trade mark lasts for 10 years. You can keep renewing it every 10 years if you want the protection to continue. Once registered, you can also use the ® symbol alongside your brand.

For example:

Glow & Bloom®

A registered trade mark can also become a commercial asset. You may be able to license it, sell it or include it as part of the intellectual property owned by your company.

Do you actually need a trade mark?

Not every new idea needs to be registered. But if you are building a recognisable brand, launching products, investing in marketing or hoping to grow nationally, protecting your name is worth considering.

Ask yourself:

If another business started using this name tomorrow, would it damage my business?

If the answer is yes, it may be time to look at protecting it.

And remember: registering a UK trade mark protects your brand in the UK and the Isle of Man. It does not automatically give you protection around the world.

For more information, visit the UK Intellectual Property Office’s official trade mark guide.

This article is intended as general information and is not legal advice. If your application is complicated, or you discover an existing trade mark similar to yours, consider speaking to a registered trade mark lawyer or intellectual property adviser at the British Library’s Business and IP centre.