Collection

Intellectual property: Trade marks

Guidance on how to register, manage and enforce a trade mark. A trade mark protects your brand, for example the name of your product or service.

• From: Intellectual Property Office
• Published: 21 September 2023
• Last updated: 20 December 2023 — See all updates

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Apply for a trade mark

• Register a trade mark
• How to classify trade marks
  • 21 December 2021
  • Guidance
• Searching for similar trade mark goods/services in other classes
  • 26 July 2019
  • Guidance
• Unacceptable trade marks
  • 16 May 2014
  • Guidance
• Trade mark series applications
  • 25 October 2018
  • Guidance
• Collective and certification trade marks
  • 29 April 2014
  • Guidance
• Process for applying to register for a trade mark
  • 22 February 2022
  • Guidance

Search services

• Search for a trade mark
• Check the trade marks journal
• Search trade mark decisions
• Track a trade mark

Forms and fees

• Trade mark forms and fees
  • 21 March 2024
  • Guidance
• How to file documents with the Intellectual Property Office
  • 13 September 2024
  • Guidance
• Intellectual Property Office: how to pay us
  • 9 July 2024
  • Guidance

Managing trade marks

• Update or surrender your registered trade marks
• Renew your trade mark
• Get copies of patent, trade mark or design documents
• License, mortgage, transfer, merge and market your trade mark
  • 22 February 2016
  • Guidance
• Trade marks: earlier rights
  • 6 June 2019
  • Guidance
• Trade marks: rectification
  • 18 November 2019
  • Guidance
• Trade mark disputes: unpaid costs orders
  • 11 December 2024
  • Decision

Objecting, challenging and resolving trade marks disputes

• Defend your intellectual property
• Objecting to other peoples trade marks and the legal costs
  • 5 October 2015
  • Guidance
• Trade mark disputes resolution: hearings
  • 20 May 2014
  • Guidance
• Options following an objection to a trade mark examination
  • 8 May 2014
  • Guidance
• Filing evidence about an application or in tribunal proceedings
  • 8 November 2019
  • Guidance

Trade mark protection abroad

• Protecting your trade mark abroad
  • 19 December 2023
  • Guidance
• Extension of UK intellectual property rights abroad
  • 9 July 2024
  • Guidance

Trade marks Act, rules and practice

• Trade Marks Act 1994
  • 4 September 2024
  • Statutory guidance
• Trade Marks Rules
  • 30 August 2024
  • Statutory guidance
• Manual of trade marks practice
  • 14 January 2019
  • Guidance
• Tribunal practice notices
  • 17 July 2024
  • Collection
• Practice Amendment Notices (PAN)
  • 3 April 2023
  • Collection

Research

• Intellectual property research: Trade marks and brands
  • 29 April 2020
  • Collection

Published 21 September 2023
Last updated 20 December 2023 + show all updates

1. 20 December 2023

   Added link to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protecting-your-trade-mark-abroad

2. 21 September 2023

   First published.