How do I trademark my startup name in the UK?
By SuLe · Updated 5 July 2026
You trademark a startup name by registering it with the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO): clear the name first, choose the right classes of goods and services, file the application online, then get through a two-month opposition window. Registration gives you exclusive rights to the name for the classes you cover, and lasts ten years, renewable indefinitely.
Key facts
- UK trade marks are registered at the UKIPO, not Companies House — the two are unrelated.
- As of mid-2026 the online fee is around £170 for one class plus about £50 per extra class — check the current figure on gov.uk.
- Examination takes a few weeks; then a two-month opposition window (extendable to three).
- A smooth application registers in roughly four months and lasts ten years, renewable indefinitely.
- Use the ® symbol only once the mark is actually registered.
How do I register a trade mark, step by step?
Start by clearing the name, then apply through the UKIPO's online service. The core stages are search, choose classes, file, examination, publication and opposition, then registration.
Clearing the name means checking it is genuinely available before you spend anything. Search the UKIPO trade mark register, check Companies House, and look at domains and app-store listings. A name that is already taken in your class is a rebrand waiting to happen.
Once filed, the UKIPO examines the application over a few weeks, then publishes it for a two-month opposition period (extendable to three). If no one opposes, the mark registers — typically around four months from filing for a clean application.
What are trade mark classes and how many do I need?
Classes are categories of goods and services, and you register only for the ones you actually use or plan to use. A SaaS startup might need the class covering software and the class covering the services it delivers.
The fee structure follows the classes. As of mid-2026 the UKIPO charges around £170 online for the first class and roughly £50 for each additional class — but these are fee-based figures that change, so confirm the current amounts on gov.uk before filing.
Choose deliberately. Too few classes leaves competitors free to use your name in adjacent areas; too many wastes money and can invite challenge for classes you do not genuinely trade in. Match the classes to your real and near-term business.
How long does it take and how long does it last?
Plan for roughly four months from filing to registration on a clean application, and ten years of protection once granted. The timeline is examination (a few weeks), publication and a two-month opposition window (extendable to three), then registration.
| Stage | Rough timing |
|---|---|
| Clear the name (search) | Before you file |
| Examination by UKIPO | A few weeks |
| Publication + opposition window | 2 months (extendable to 3) |
| Registration (if unopposed) | ~4 months from filing |
| Protection lasts | 10 years, renewable indefinitely |
Opposition is where timelines slip. If a holder of an earlier mark objects, you may face a negotiation or a tribunal process that adds months, which is exactly why clearing the name up front is worth the effort.
Why isn't registering my company name enough?
Because a Companies House registration gives no brand rights at all. It only stops another company registering an identical or nearly identical company name — it does not stop anyone trading under your name, selling under it, or registering it as a trade mark.
Only a registered trade mark (or an unregistered passing-off claim, which is harder and costlier to prove) actually protects the brand. Founders routinely conflate the two and discover the gap only when a competitor appears using their name.
If you skip registration, your fallback is passing off, which requires proving goodwill, misrepresentation and damage. A registered mark spares you that burden — infringement is far simpler to enforce.
Worked example
Amara launches a direct-to-consumer skincare brand, Lumira, through her company Lumira Skincare Ltd. Registering the company name felt like locking in the brand — but it does not.
She clears "Lumira" on the UKIPO register, Companies House and the app stores, then files a UKIPO application in two classes: cosmetics, plus retail services. As of mid-2026 that is roughly £170 for the first class and about £50 for the second — though Amara checks the live fees on gov.uk first. The application publishes, the two-month opposition window passes with no challenge, and about four months after filing "Lumira" is a registered trade mark. Only now does she start using the ® symbol on packaging.
Where founders go wrong
Thinking the Companies House name is the trade mark.
It isn't — a company registration gives no brand rights.Skipping the clearance search.
Filing a name someone already holds in your class wastes the fee and risks a forced rebrand.Registering too few classes.
Gaps let competitors use your name in adjacent goods or services.Using ® too early.
The ® symbol is only lawful once the mark is actually registered.
Related questions
How much does it cost to trademark a name in the UK?
As of mid-2026 the UKIPO online application fee is around £170 for one class of goods or services, plus roughly £50 for each additional class — but fees change, so check the current figure on gov.uk before you file. There may be extra cost if you use a solicitor or attorney.
How long does trademark registration take?
A smooth application typically registers in around four months. Examination takes a few weeks, then there is a two-month window (extendable to three) in which others can oppose. If no one objects, the mark proceeds to registration and lasts ten years, renewable indefinitely.
What are trademark classes?
Trade marks are registered against classes of goods and services. You register only for the classes you use or plan to use — for example software in one class and consultancy in another. Picking too few leaves gaps; picking too many wastes fees, so match the classes to your real business.
Does registering my company name protect my brand?
No. A Companies House registration only stops another company registering an identical or near-identical name. It gives no trade mark rights. Only a registered trade mark (or an unregistered passing-off claim) actually protects your brand from competitors using it. [More: Do I own my company name by registering it at Companies House?]
A trade mark is one of the few brand assets that is cheap to secure early and expensive to fix late — a clash discovered after launch can mean rebranding your whole product. A SuLe solicitor can run a proper clearance search and file in the right classes so your name is actually protected. Book a free IP health check call and lock in your brand before someone else does.
Keep reading: Do I own my company name by registering it at Companies House? · Should I file a trademark before or after launch? · What IP protection does an early-stage startup actually need? · What can I do if someone copies my product or brand? · Can I use a company name similar to an existing business?
Primary sources: GOV.UK — How to register a trade mark · GOV.UK — How copyright protects your work
