1. What a trademark is
A trademark is a sign — a word, logo, slogan, shape or combination — that distinguishes your goods or services from everyone else’s. Registering it gives you an exclusive, enforceable right for the goods and services you claim, in the territory you claim them. A company name or domain registration does not do this; only a trademark protects the brand you trade under. For any unfamiliar terms as you read, the glossary has plain-English definitions.
2. Search before you file
The single best way to avoid a wasted filing is to clear your brand first. A clearance search looks for identical and similar earlier marks in your classes, so you can judge the real risk of refusal or opposition before spending official fees. A basic identity check (included with registration) only catches identical marks; a fuller clearance search is what surfaces the similar marks that cause most conflicts. Read why conduct a trademark search.
3. Choosing your classes
Trademarks are registered for specific goods and services, grouped into the 45 Nice classes (1–34 for goods, 35–45 for services). Choose the classes that cover what you sell now and plan to sell soon — too few leaves gaps, too many wastes fees and can expose the mark to a non-use challenge. You don’t need to know the classes in advance: describe your goods and services in plain words and we classify them. See Nice classes explained and how to choose the right classes.
4. EU trademark vs national filing
The big strategic choice is whether to file one EU trademark (an EUTM, covering all 27 EU countries) or national marks in specific countries. As a rule of thumb, the EU route wins once you are active in three or more EU markets; national marks suit a single key market, or countries outside the EU such as the UK, Switzerland and Norway, which an EU mark never covers.
| EU trademark (EUTM) | National trademark | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | All 27 EU member states in one filing | One country per filing |
| Best when | You sell across several EU markets | You focus on one market, or a non-EU country |
| Cost efficiency | Usually cheapest above ~3 EU countries | Cheapest for a single country |
| Covers the UK? | No — separate UK filing needed | Yes, if you file in the UK |
| Renewal | One renewal every 10 years | One renewal per country every 10 years |
Many owners combine both — an EU mark plus national filings in priority non-EU markets. Read EU vs national trademark registration for a fuller comparison.
5. What it costs
Each Intellektus service has one fixed, all-in price in EUR, with the official office fee shown separately from our service fee — so you see exactly what you pay for. Costs rise with the number of classes and the number of territories. Use the instant quote for a total in seconds, or see full pricing.
6. The filing process
After you order, we confirm the applicant, classify and word your goods and services, file with the office, and follow the application through examination, publication and any opposition window to your registration certificate. If the office raises an objection, we assess the grounds and respond. See the step-by-step how it works and the registration process article.
7. After registration
A registration lasts 10 years and can be renewed indefinitely. We track your renewal deadline (including the late-renewal grace window where one applies) and can run watching to flag conflicting new filings while there is still time to oppose. See renewal deadlines and watching explained.