Should I trademark my business name in the UK? In this guide, we are going to break down the potential benefits of trademarking your business name in the UK. The intricacies of international trademark registration can vary depending on the size of your business. This guide is for small business owners exploring trademark registration in the UK.
Should I trademark my business name in the UK?
While there is no legal requirement forcing you to trademark your business or brand name, it provides critical legal protection. Trademarks are often immensely valuable assets. For large corporations, they are practically priceless. Once registered, the ® symbol shows that your brand and logo are protected. You can also license a trademarked name to other businesses.
If you’re serious about scaling your small business and gaining market share, trademark registration is a no-brainer. If someone decided to use your trademark (or something similar), could this confuse potential (or existing) customers? Would the confusion cause damage to your business? As a small business owner, these are essential questions to ask yourself.
Imagine a scenario where you lose a sale because someone has purchased from a company impersonating your business by using your mark. Without adequate legal protection, you may struggle to take action against the perpetrator. If they have successfully secured one sale using your name, they will likely secure more. The situation can quickly spiral out of control.
How much does it cost to trademark a business name?
Trademarking a business name in the UK doesn’t have to break the bank. You must weigh the potential cost of registering a trademark against the financial risk of operating without one. Before applying to trademark a name in the UK, you must check whether existing or similar trademarks already exist. You can do this using our free trademark search service.
This free service enables you to limit a trademark search to a single country. Alternatively, you can browse through the UK Intellectual Property Office’s (UKIPO) database - which enables you to search for symbols and phrases. While you can search the UKIPO database for free, conducting a trademark search yourself can often produce limited results.
At iGERENT, we recognize that every small business owner has different resources and unique requirements. With this in mind, we can cater to budgets of all sizes and recommend specific strategies to best protect your interests. Our quoted prices include all professional and official fees with no hidden or additional costs, giving you complete peace of mind.
Should I copyright or trademark my business name?
Trademarks and copyright are both designed to protect your intellectual property. These two mechanisms protect different types of assets and are structured in different ways.
Copyright determines the rights people have over the original creative work they produce. This covers all forms of original content, such as imagery, designs, and audio recordings. Essentially, copyright protects the expression of an idea rather than the concept itself. It is possible to buy and sell the copyright of a business name in the UK with the right legal agreements in place.
A trademark is far more specific than copyright. This protects anything that identifies as a product, service, or brand. Trademarks successfully protect elements such as a brand name, logo, or slogan. Unlike copyrights, trademark rights are territorial. International protection is not guaranteed as many countries have varying levels of enforcement.
To protect the unique elements that identify your brand, you must consider trademarking your business. This will offer sufficient protection for as long as the trademark is actively used and renewed. You will need to renew a trademark every ten years in the UK to ensure protection. There is no limit on how often you choose to renew the protection.
What happens if you don’t trademark your business name?
If you do not have a registered trademark for your business, the legal position is that you do not have sufficient legal rights to your brand or name. A ruthless competitor may decide to steal or copy your intellectual property by producing a distinctly similar logo that confuses customers to the extent you lose sales. Failure to trademark your business could result in unlimited damage.
Business owners without trademarks might unknowingly infringe on existing trademarks. The trademark registration process will give you a clear understanding of what is currently protected. Using this knowledge, you can make informed decisions about protecting your IP. When you leverage our trademark registration services, we can support you with expert advice.
Trademarking A Name UK (How To Trademark A Name)
At iGERENT, we have the legal expertise to provide international trademark registration services for businesses of all sizes. Our team of seasoned professionals provides business owners with the information they need to protect their brands. When you partner with one of our trademark consultants, they will take all your requirements into account to deliver a custom solution.
As legal professionals in each jurisdiction typically handle trademarks differently, and countries have different variations of trademark law, managing an IP portfolio can often become rather time-consuming. Fortunately, iGERENT has built a unique docketing system, enabling our trademark consultants to track all legal processes - across multiple jurisdictions - in one place.
If you have considered trademarking a name in the UK, it’s possible that you may also wish to build an international trademark portfolio further down the line. To avoid unnecessary hassle and stress, we can streamline and systematize all communication through a single online account with the support of a dedicated trademark consultant.
With extensive experience delivering global intellectual property services, iGERENT can guide business owners through the intricacies of trademark registration and any potential obstacles that may arise. Are you ready to explore trademarking a business name in the UK?
Search and register your trademark with iGERENT today!
