Here’s the thing about how much does it cost to trademark a business name in the uk: most of the advice online is either written for Americans or quietly trying to sell you something. Neither is much use when you’re standing in a UK shop or staring at a UK website trying to make a decision.
So this is the straight version. No jargon, no affiliate-fuelled nonsense, just what I’d tell a mate who asked me down the pub. Registering a UK trade mark online with the IPO costs £170 for one class of goods, and once you know that, the rest of the decision gets a lot easier. Here’s everything worth knowing.
I’ve assumed you’re starting from scratch, so no prior knowledge needed. If you already know the basics, skim the first couple of sections and jump straight to the practical walkthrough further down.
How much does it cost to trademark a business name in the uk
Cutting straight to it: Registering a UK trade mark online with the IPO costs £170 for one class of goods. There, that’s the headline. Each extra class adds £50 to the application.
Of course the headline never tells the whole story. Your specific situation changes the maths: where you live, how much hassle you’ll tolerate, and whether you’re optimising for price, convenience or peace of mind. The sections below walk through each of those properly.
There’s no single right answer here, only trade-offs. The people who end up happiest are the ones who match the solution to their actual situation rather than chasing whatever’s fashionable. Keep your own priorities front and centre as you read on.
How this works in practice
Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely. I mention it because it reframes the whole question. You’re not really choosing between good and bad options; you’re choosing which trade-off suits your situation.
Search the IPO database first to avoid paying for a mark that will be refused. If that’s useful, our guide to Is it worth joining a franchise instead of starting from scratch digs into the next question you’ll probably have. Keep that in the back of your mind and you’ll navigate the rest of this with far less second-guessing.
Your step-by-step game plan
Enough theory. Here’s how to actually deal with it, in order:
- Each extra class adds £50 to the application.
- Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely.
- Search the IPO database first to avoid paying for a mark that will be refused.
- A trade mark protects your name and logo, not the business idea itself.
- Enforcement is up to you, the IPO registers marks but does not police them.
Do those five and you’ll have handled it better than most people manage.
Where people usually go wrong
Here’s where it tends to go sideways for people:
- Skipping written terms because it feels awkward to ask for them.
- Mixing personal and business money from day one.
- A trade mark protects your name and logo, not the business idea itself.
- Enforcement is up to you, the IPO registers marks but does not police them.
The part people usually skim past
It’s worth lingering on one point: Registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely. This matters more than it first appears, because it’s the detail that decides whether you’re still happy in six months or quietly regretting the choice. Plenty of guides gloss over it in a sentence; I’d rather you actually absorbed it.
Similarly: Enforcement is up to you, the IPO registers marks but does not police them. Put those two together and the picture gets much clearer than the headline question suggests. Your exact situation will shift the details, but the principle holds: get these two things straight and the decision practically makes itself.
Keep these in mind and you’ll dodge most of the common pitfalls:
- Remember: Each extra class adds £50 to the application.
- Don’t forget: Search the IPO database first to avoid paying for a mark that will be refused.
- And finally: A trade mark protects your name and logo, not the business idea itself.
None of this is meant to put you off, quite the opposite. Knowing the awkward bits in advance is what lets you sidestep them entirely. Most people who have a bad experience here skipped exactly this kind of detail and paid for the lesson afterwards.
What you’ll actually pay
On the money side, here’s the realistic picture: Registering a UK trade mark online with the IPO costs £170 for one class of goods. On top of that, A trade mark protects your name and logo, not the business idea itself.
The other thing to budget for is your own time. The cheapest route often involves the most faff, and there’s a point where paying a bit more for someone competent to just handle it is the rational choice. That’s not laziness, it’s maths.
And don’t be shy about haggling or shopping around. In the UK, a surprising number of providers will match a competitor’s quote or throw in extras if you simply ask. The worst they can say is no, and you’ll never know unless you try.
If you want to verify any of the above against an authoritative source, start with the official GOV.UK guidance.
A couple of questions that come up a lot:
What’s the single most important thing to get right?
Registering a UK trade mark online with the IPO costs £170 for one class of goods. Put simply, don’t rush it; the right choice is usually obvious once you’ve compared two or three options side by side.
What do most people overlook?
A trade mark protects your name and logo, not the business idea itself. Honestly, most people overthink this part. Pick the sensible middle option and move on with your day.
Is the cheapest option ever the right one?
Enforcement is up to you, the IPO registers marks but does not police them. Honestly, most people overthink this part. Pick the sensible middle option and move on with your day.
The bottom line: None of this is complicated once you see it laid out. Registering a UK trade mark online with the IPO costs £170 for one class of goods, and everything else is just choosing your preferred route there. Worth a read next: What are the most common reasons small businesses fail in the uk. Also relevant: How do i value my small business if i want to sell it.
