Intellectual Property & Brand Protection in the United Kingdom

Full guide · Source-checked research100% of statements checked against a source145 checked against an official source0 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-19Not yet professionally reviewed

• Royalties for the use of intellectual property paid to an owner whose usual place of abode is outside the UK must be paid with income tax deducted at the basic rate.

  Income Tax Act 2007 s906. Payments for copies of works exported for distribution outside the UK are excluded. A company may deduct only the treaty rate if it reasonably believes the recipient is entitled to treaty relief (ITA 2007 s911).legislation.gov.uk · checked 2026-10-18

• A UK trade mark is registered for ten years from the date of registration and can be renewed for further periods of ten years.

  Trade Marks Act 1994 s42; renewal procedure in s43. The date of registration is the filing date of the application.legislation.gov.uk · checked 2026-10-19

• Filing a UK trade mark application online costs £205 for one class plus £60 for each additional class; a paper application costs £250 for one class plus £60 per additional class.

  UK IPO fees. The optional Right Start route costs £125 plus £30 per additional class for an initial check, and the same again to continue.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

• If there are no objections or oppositions, a UK trade mark application usually takes around 3 to 4 months from filing to registration.

  Indicative timing stated by the UK IPO; objections or oppositions extend it.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

• The UK IPO sends an examination report within 2 to 3 weeks of filing; an accepted application is published in the Trade Marks Journal, and anyone may oppose it during a 2-month period.

  Whether and how the opposition period can be extended is not stated on this page.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

• UK trade mark applications classify goods and services under the Nice classification of 45 classes: goods in classes 1 to 34 and services in classes 35 to 45.

  Each application must select at least one class and one term.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

• The UK IPO will not register marks that describe the goods or services, are too common or non-distinctive, are offensive or misleading, consist of a generic shape, or use national flags or official emblems without permission; a mark may also be refused if it is the same as or similar to an earlier mark for the same goods or services.

  Summary of the UK IPO's plain-language guidance on registrability.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

• An international trade mark application filed through the UK IPO under the Madrid Protocol must be identical to the applicant's UK application or registration, and costs a £50 UK handling fee plus WIPO fees that depend on the countries designated.

  The UK IPO page says Madrid can cover over 130 countries. A UK registration does not protect a mark in the EU; EU-wide protection is through an EU trade mark at the EUIPO.Intellectual Property Office (GOV.UK) · checked 2026-10-19

Read the full guide: Intellectual property and brand protection