A trademark protects a name, logo or slogan that customers use to recognise your product. Registering a company name or buying a domain does not give you a trademark. If someone else registers the mark first, you may have to rename, even after years of work.
Check before you fall in love with a name
- 1Search trademark databasesWIPO's Global Brand Database and TMview (for the EU and many national offices) are free. Search for identical and similar names.
- 2Search the marketGoogle, app stores, social networks, company registers. Is someone in your field already using it?
- 3Check the domain and handlesThe .com or your country's domain, plus the social media names you'll need.
How registration works
- You register a mark for specific classes of goods and services (the Nice classification has 45). Software is usually class 9, online services 42, ads and marketplaces 35.
- Protection is territorial: it covers the country or region where you register.
- The office examines the application, publishes it, and others can object for a few months.
- From filing to registration often takes 4–12 months. Your filing date is what counts for priority.
Where to register
- One country: the national IP office (see your country guide for the office and fees).
- The whole EU: one EU trade mark at the EUIPO. The online fee for one class is around 850 €.
- Many countries: the Madrid System at WIPO, based on your first national or EU application.
Small companies in the EU can often get part of their trademark fees reimbursed through the EUIPO SME Fund. Check whether it's open when you file.
Choose a strong name
Made-up or unexpected names (like a fruit name for computers) are easy to protect. Names that just describe what you do ('Fast Invoices') are hard or impossible to register.