A UK trade mark application can be filed directly with the UK Intellectual Property Office or prepared through a professional representative. Comparing prices properly requires separating the non-refundable official fee from the work performed before and after filing.
Current UKIPO application fees
From 1 April 2026, an online UK trade mark application costs £205 for one mark in one class. Each additional class costs £60. A paper application costs more, and most commercial applications are filed electronically.
| Online application | Official UKIPO fee |
|---|---|
| One mark in one class | £205 |
| Each class after the first | £60 |
| Three classes in total | £325 |
The official fee is paid for examination of the application. It does not guarantee acceptance or registration and is normally not returned if the examiner refuses the mark or a third party successfully opposes it.
What does the TRD £749 package include?
The TRD UK complete package is £749 for one mark in one class, including the £205 UKIPO filing fee and UK VAT. Each additional class is £125, including the extra official fee, additional specification work and VAT.
- Review of the proposed applicant and ownership details
- Preliminary review of the proposed mark
- Class selection and preparation of the goods or services specification
- Electronic filing and payment of the official fee
- Reporting of routine examination, publication and registration stages
- Professional oversight rather than automated form submission
A very low advertised fee may exclude the official fee, VAT, specification drafting, examination reporting or later registration work. The question is what professional work will actually be performed.
Why do additional classes cost more?
Trade mark protection is divided into 45 classes. A clothing brand, for example, may need protection for clothing, retail services and perhaps downloadable software. Each additional class increases the UKIPO fee and usually requires extra work to define an appropriate specification.
More classes are not automatically better. They can increase the filing cost and the number of earlier rights that may be relevant. The correct aim is to cover the applicant's genuine commercial activities and reasonable plans without adding unnecessary material.
Read our guide to trade mark classes before deciding how many classes an application needs.
What costs are outside a routine application?
No responsible adviser can guarantee that every application will proceed without difficulty. The following work is normally outside a fixed routine filing package:
- Detailed clearance searches and written risk opinions
- Substantive responses to objections based on descriptiveness or distinctiveness
- Evidence of acquired distinctive character
- Negotiations with owners of earlier rights
- Defending an opposition
- Hearings, appeals, invalidity proceedings or litigation
- Applications outside the territory and classes originally agreed
If an issue arises, the options and likely costs should be explained before chargeable work begins. That is preferable to building the cost of every possible dispute into every uncomplicated application.
Are trade mark searches included?
“Search” can mean very different things. A preliminary review may identify obvious concerns, while a detailed clearance exercise considers relevant registered marks, unregistered use, company names, domains and the commercial context. A full written clearance opinion involves substantially more analysis than entering a name into the UKIPO database.
The appropriate depth depends on the value of the brand, the cost of changing it and the applicant's risk tolerance. A business about to invest heavily in packaging, premises or advertising may sensibly commission more searching than a business testing a temporary product name.
Can I save money by applying directly?
Yes. Direct filing means paying only the official fee and your own time. It can be proportionate where the brand has limited value and the applicant is confident about ownership, registrability, classes and specification drafting.
The potential cost is that material errors may not become apparent until after filing, when goods or services generally cannot be added and the official fee has already been committed. Our detailed comparison of direct filing and using a trade mark attorney explains that decision.
What should you ask before paying?
- Does the displayed price include the official fee and VAT?
- Will a qualified professional review the mark and ownership?
- Who prepares the specification?
- Is the service merely submitting the wording you provide?
- Are examination and registration reporting included?
- What work is excluded and how will extra fees be agreed?
- Who is professionally responsible for the service?
One clear UK package
The £749 complete package includes one class, the UKIPO fee and UK VAT, with professional preparation and routine reporting through registration.