Registering a UK trademark involves two distinct cost components: official fees paid to the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), and professional fees paid to a solicitor or trademark attorney (if you choose to use one). On 1 April 2026, the UKIPO increased its trademark fees for the first time since 1998. This article sets out exactly what UK trademark registration costs now, in 2026, with worked examples for one, two and three classes.
In this article
- The two costs that make up the total
- UKIPO official fees in 2026
- Professional fees explained
- Total cost: worked examples
- Hidden costs: objections, oppositions, renewals
- Why prices vary across providers
- DIY versus solicitor: cost comparison
- EU and India costs as a comparison
- Frequently asked questions
The two costs that make up the total
Every UK trademark registration has two distinct charges. The first is the UKIPO official fee. This is a government charge, set by statutory instrument (the Trade Marks (Fees) Rules 2008, as amended), and is paid directly to the UKIPO regardless of who files your application. You cannot negotiate or discount it.
The second is the professional fee. This is what you pay a solicitor or trademark attorney to handle the filing. Professional fees are not regulated and vary widely from around £100 (online filing services) to over £1,000 (large law firms). They are entirely separate from the UKIPO charges.
When you see headlines like "register your trademark for £150", that figure usually refers to the professional fee only and excludes the £205 UKIPO charge that must also be paid.
UKIPO official fees in 2026
From 1 April 2026, the UKIPO fee schedule for trademark applications and related actions is as follows:
| UKIPO action | 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| Application (Form TM3) - first class | £205 |
| Each additional class in the same application | £60 |
| Series application (variants of one mark) | £50 per series |
| Renewal (Form TM11) - every 10 years - first class | £245 |
| Each additional class on renewal | £60 |
| Late renewal (6-month grace period) | +£50 per class |
| Notice of Opposition (Form TM7) | £250 |
| Fast-track opposition (Form TM7F) | £125 |
| Application to invalidate (Form TM26(I)) | £250 |
| Application to revoke for non-use (Form TM26(N)) | £250 |
| Counterstatement (Form TM8) | £0 |
Note that the UKIPO does not charge a fee for the examiner's report, for the publication of the mark in the Trade Marks Journal, or for the issue of the registration certificate. All of these are included in the application fee.
Professional fees explained
Professional fees fall into roughly three tiers depending on what is included:
Tier 1: Review and file (basic)
The provider reviews your proposed mark, advises on registrability at a high level, drafts the specification, and files the application. They do not undertake a full conflict search and do not handle objections (or charge separately if objections arise). Western Legal charges £350 for Tier 1.
Tier 2: Standard (recommended for most businesses)
Includes everything in Tier 1, plus a proper conflict search (looking for similar marks, not just identical ones), strategic class selection, and handling of any examiner objections up to two rounds. Most successful applications need this level of support. Western Legal charges £550 for the first class on Tier 2, with £200 per additional class.
Tier 3: Premium (with watching service)
Tier 2 plus twelve months of trademark watching: monitoring the UKIPO and EUIPO registers for third-party filings of similar marks that could be opposed. Watching is the only practical way to catch opposition-worthy filings within the two-month window. Western Legal charges £850 for the first class on Tier 3, with £250 per additional class.
Some providers offer trademark filing for under £100. These are typically self-service platforms that file the application using the information you provide, with no legal review of registrability and no support if objections arise. The risk profile is significantly higher: a poorly drafted application can be refused or registered in a way that does not protect what the business actually does.
Total cost: worked examples
The most common scenarios:
Single class, Tier 1 (review and file)
| Western Legal professional fee (Tier 1) | £350 |
| UKIPO official fee (first class) | £205 |
| Total to register | £555 |
Single class, Tier 2 (standard, with search)
| Western Legal professional fee (Tier 2) | £550 |
| UKIPO official fee (first class) | £205 |
| Total to register | £755 |
Two classes, Tier 2
| Western Legal professional fee (Tier 2, first class) | £550 |
| Western Legal professional fee (additional class) | £200 |
| UKIPO fee (first class) | £205 |
| UKIPO fee (additional class) | £60 |
| Total to register | £1,015 |
Three classes, Tier 2
| Western Legal professional fee (Tier 2, first class) | £550 |
| Western Legal professional fee (2 additional classes) | £400 |
| UKIPO fee (first class) | £205 |
| UKIPO fee (2 additional classes) | £120 |
| Total to register | £1,275 |
None of these totals attract VAT, because Western Legal is not VAT-registered. The figure quoted is the figure paid.
Hidden costs: objections, oppositions, and renewals
The fees above cover an application that proceeds smoothly through the UKIPO. In some cases, additional costs arise.
Examiner objections
If the UKIPO examiner raises objections (absolute grounds under TMA 1994 s.3, or non-substantive issues with the specification), you have two months to respond. On Tier 2 and Tier 3, up to two rounds of objection responses are included in the professional fee. On Tier 1, objection handling is charged separately, typically £150-£300 per round depending on complexity. Tier 1 is therefore lower up-front but less predictable if the application meets resistance.
Opposition
If a third party files a Notice of Opposition (Form TM7) against your application after publication, you must respond with a Form TM8 counterstatement within two months. The UKIPO charges no fee for the TM8. Defending an opposition through to decision is a serious undertaking: see our Opposition Defence service page and the related guide. Western Legal offers a fixed-fee opposition defence at £1,200 covering pleadings, evidence, and submissions to decision.
Renewal
Trademark registration lasts ten years from the filing date and is renewable indefinitely. The current renewal fee is £245 for the first class plus £60 for each additional class, with a six-month grace period in which late renewal is accepted with a £50 per-class surcharge.
Why prices vary across providers
UK trademark professional fees vary by a factor of roughly ten across the market. The reasons:
- Brand and overheads. Large central London firms charge premium fees in part because they have premium overheads. The legal work itself may be no better.
- Who actually does the work. At larger firms, trademark filings are often handled by a paralegal or trainee. At a solicitor-led boutique like Western Legal, the principal solicitor handles every application personally.
- Regulatory standing. A solicitor regulated by the SRA carries a different professional liability profile than an unregulated filing service. Solicitors are subject to mandatory professional indemnity insurance and the SRA Code of Conduct.
- Scope of service. The lowest-cost providers do the bare filing only. Higher-tier services include strategic class selection, conflict search, objection handling, and post-registration support.
- VAT status. VAT-registered providers charge 20% on top of the headline fee. Western Legal is not VAT-registered, so there is no VAT to add.
DIY versus solicitor: cost comparison
The UKIPO accepts applications from anyone, and many businesses file their own trademarks. The DIY cost is the £205 UKIPO fee alone. The hidden costs of DIY are easy to underestimate:
- Wrong class selection. A clothing brand that files only in class 35 (retail of clothing) has no protection against someone selling identical clothing in class 25 (clothing itself). Strategic class selection avoids this.
- Overly broad or narrow specifications. After the Supreme Court decision in Sky v SkyKick [2024] UKSC 36, broad specifications without genuine intention to use can be invalidated for bad faith under TMA 1994 s.3(6). Narrow specifications leave gaps.
- Missed conflict. The UKIPO does not refuse on relative grounds (s.5) at examination; conflicting earlier marks can still oppose after publication. A search before filing identifies risk in advance.
- Examination objections. Absolute-grounds objections (descriptiveness, lack of distinctiveness) can often be overcome with legal argument or amendment. A DIY filer may abandon the application or accept a more limited specification than necessary.
For a single-class word mark with a strong, distinctive name and no obvious conflicts, DIY filing is feasible and the £205 UKIPO charge may be all that is needed. For anything more complex (figurative marks, multiple classes, marks with descriptive elements, cross-border strategies), professional advice typically pays for itself in avoided objections and stronger resulting protection.
Get a free, fixed quote for your UK trademark
Send a brief description of your brand and the goods or services it covers. We will respond within 24 hours with a fixed-fee quote and a registrability view.
EU and India costs as a comparison
For businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions, the cost comparison matters:
| Jurisdiction | Official fee (1 class) | Western Legal fee |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (UKIPO) | £205 | From £350 |
| European Union (EUIPO) | €850 | From €600 |
| India | Included | £120 per class (all-in) |
The EUIPO charges a single fee that covers protection in all 27 member states. The Indian Trade Marks Registry charges INR 9,000 per class for e-filing (approximately £85), but Western Legal's all-inclusive £120 covers both the official fee and Indian Advocate representation, because Santosh is a qualified Indian Advocate and files direct.
Frequently asked questions
Is the UKIPO fee refundable if my application is refused?
No. The £205 application fee is non-refundable regardless of outcome. This is a powerful reason to ensure registrability is properly assessed before filing.
Can I pay the UKIPO fee in instalments?
No. The fee is payable at filing. The UKIPO does not offer payment plans.
Do I have to pay VAT on professional fees?
If you instruct a VAT-registered provider, yes (20%). Western Legal is not VAT-registered so there is no VAT to add on our professional fees. UKIPO official fees are zero-rated for VAT purposes regardless of who pays them.
What if I miss a renewal?
You have a six-month grace period in which to renew with a £50 per-class late fee. If you miss the grace period, the trademark is removed from the register. Restoration is possible within twelve months under TMA 1994 s.43 but is discretionary.
Are there ongoing fees after registration?
The only mandatory ongoing fee is renewal every ten years. If you want active monitoring of the register for conflicting filings, a trademark watching service runs at around £75 per month (and is included free for twelve months in Western Legal's Tier 3 package).
Can I pay UKIPO fees myself if I use a solicitor?
UKIPO fees are usually paid by the solicitor and recovered from the client as a disbursement. There is no practical difference, but the client should always see a clear breakdown of fees on the invoice.
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