Trademark clearance searches
A clearance search tells you whether a name is free to use and register, before you spend money on branding, packaging or a filing fee. An EU search with a written legal opinion across three classes costs €358. A UK search is €230 for one class.
Why the trademark office will not do this for you
EUIPO does not refuse your application because an identical mark already exists. It examines only whether the mark can function as a trademark at all, publishes it, and notifies the owners of earlier marks that they may wish to oppose.
So you can pay €850, wait four months, register your mark, and still be attacked by a competitor who was there first. A search is what stops that.
The UKIPO does search and reports the results to you, but it also does not refuse on that basis.
What an available domain tells you
Almost nothing. Domain registries and trademark registers are separate systems. A name can be free on every extension and still be a registered EU trademark in your exact sector.
This is the most common and most expensive misunderstanding we see. Domain name vs trademark explains why.
What a search covers
An identical-mark search checks for exact matches. It is quick and cheap and it catches the obvious problems.
A full availability search also looks for similar marks, because trademark law stops confusingly similar names, not just identical ones. "Kwikfit" and "Quickfit" conflict. That search takes longer and costs more, and it is what you want before committing a budget to a brand.
Our EU search covers the EU register, national registers and international registrations designating the EU, and comes with a written opinion on the risk rather than a raw list of results. A list of 400 hits is not useful. The judgement about which three matter is the part you are paying for.
What it costs
| Search | Scope | Price |
|---|---|---|
| EU, with legal opinion | 3 classes | €358 |
| Bulgaria, with legal opinion | 3 classes | €179 |
| UK identical search | 1 class | €230 |
| UK, each additional class | €80 | |
| EU design search, with opinion | €400 |
Prices exclude VAT.
When to do it
Before you print anything, buy packaging, register a company under the name or file the application. The cost of changing a name rises sharply once it is in use, and it rises again once a competitor has written to you about it.