Home · Process
Six stages sit between a good name and a registered trade mark. The first one costs nothing and can change everything after it.
Seconds
Screen the register for identical, similar and sound-alike marks in the classes you need, then proceed, refine or rename while the brand is still flexible.
Day 0
The mark is filed with IP Australia: the owner, the exact sign, and a specification of goods and services in each class. The filing date becomes your priority date.
≈ 3 months
An examiner checks the application against earlier marks and for distinctiveness. Problems come back as an adverse report, with time to respond.
2 months
Once accepted, the application is advertised. For two months, anyone may oppose registration on grounds such as an earlier mark or prior use.
≥ 7.5 months
The mark is entered on the register and the ® symbol may be used. Protection runs ten years from the filing date, renewable indefinitely.
Ongoing
Use the mark, watch for conflicting filings and renew on time. A registration left unused for three years can become vulnerable to removal.
Timings are typical and depend on IP Australia workloads and whether issues are raised. Registration cannot occur earlier than about seven and a half months from filing. See how long registration takes and fees.
One name in, the Australian register read back in seconds. Free, and nothing to sign up for.