Registration only helps if rights can be enforced quickly. Customs recordal lets border authorities detain suspected counterfeits, and it is free in the UK, costs USD 190 per class in the US, Rs 2,000 in India and AED 210 per category with Dubai Customs. Short response deadlines follow a detention. Court options, criminal offences and online blocking add further tools, and they differ by market.
Customs recordal and detention
In the UK an Application for Action is free and valid for one year; when goods are detained the rights holder has 10 working days to respond (3 for perishables), extendable by 10 working days to start proceedings, and small consignments of three items or fewer or under 2 kilograms can be destroyed without consulting the rights holder. France and other EU states act on national or EU applications under Regulation 608/2013. In the US, a current registration (other than on the supplemental register) can be recorded with CBP for USD 190 per class, and the ITC can exclude infringing imports under Section 337.
India's 2007 Rules let a right holder register a notice with customs for a Rs 2,000 fee, with a decision within 30 working days and validity of at least one year; after suspension the right holder has ten working days, extendable by ten, to join proceedings. In Dubai, a mark registered with the federal ministry can be recorded with Dubai Customs at AED 210 per category, effective for as long as the registration.12345678910
Courts, criminal law and online enforcement
In England and Wales, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court hears smaller claims up to GBP 500,000, with a small claims track up to GBP 10,000; unauthorised use of a registered trade mark on goods is a criminal offence carrying up to ten years' imprisonment. US federal law gives a civil claim for trade secret misappropriation within three years of discovery.
In Saudi Arabia, SAIP reported handling 11,593 reports about infringing websites in 2025 with an average blocking time of 36 minutes, and a specialised IP prosecution office was set up in 2024. The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism offers infringement complaint services alongside registration.111213141516
| Market | Procedure | Official fee | Validity or deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Application for Action (HMRC/Border Force) | Free | Valid 1 year; 10 working days to respond | HMRC Notice 34 |
| France / EU | National or EU application for action | Not stated | Not stated | French customs; Regulation 608/2013 |
| United States (federal) | CBP trademark recordation | USD 190 per class | While registration is current | 19 CFR 133 |
| India (central) | Notice to Commissioner of Customs | Rs 2,000 | At least 1 year; 10 working days to join, extendable | IPR (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules 2007 |
| UAE (Dubai) | Dubai Customs trademark recording | AED 210 per category | As long as the registration | Dubai Customs |
Decisions to make
- Where do counterfeits enter or get sold?15810Customs recordal is national or emirate-level and only works at the borders where it is filed.
- Can the business respond to detentions within days?29Deadlines of 3 to 10 working days apply after detention.
- Civil, criminal or administrative route?12111415Criminal offences, specialist courts and online blocking each suit different cases.
Documents usually needed
- Registration certificates for each market
- Product identification guide for customs officers
- Authorised importer and distributor lists
- Bonds or indemnities where required (India)
- Contact details for a representative able to respond within the deadlines
Common mistakes
- Recording rights with customs before the local registration exists
- Letting the UK application lapse after one year
- Missing the short response deadline after a detention
- Assuming a Dubai Customs recording covers other emirates
Questions businesses ask
Does it cost anything to ask UK customs to watch for fakes?
No. An Application for Action is free, but the rights holder becomes liable for costs once goods are detained.1
Can I record a trade mark with Dubai Customs before it is registered?
No. Recording follows registration with the federal ministry.10
What this guide does not yet confirm
These points need checking with a qualified local professional before you rely on them.
- Recordal in Abu Dhabi and other emirates, and in Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Germany, was not researched.
- Later amendments to India's 2007 Rules were not checked.
- EU application validity and detention deadlines under Regulation 608/2013 were not confirmed.
Sources and review status
Each statement is numbered to the source it was checked against. We use official sources where we can, and each statement says whether it was checked against an official or a secondary source. Sources last checked on 19 October 2026. None of it has been professionally reviewed yet: it is research checked against official and secondary sources by WONE Global, not legal or tax advice.
It is free to make an Application for Action asking Border Force to detain goods suspected of infringing UK intellectual property rights, and an application is valid for one year from the date of the decision. United Kingdom; rights holders, collective management bodies or persons authorised to use and enforce the rights. The applicant is liable for costs once goods are detained.
When Border Force detains suspected goods, the rights holder has 10 working days to reply (3 working days for perishable goods) and can request up to 10 more working days to start court proceedings. United Kingdom.
Under the small consignments procedure, Border Force can destroy suspected counterfeit or pirated goods arriving by post or courier without first consulting the rights holder where the consignment contains 3 or fewer items or weighs less than 2 kilograms. United Kingdom; non-perishable goods.
French customs act against suspected counterfeits only after the right holder has filed an application for action (demande d'intervention), which can be filed preventively on a national basis under the Intellectual Property Code or on an EU basis under Regulation (EU) 608/2013 for external-border controls. The national application covers goods already in France and cleared; the EU application covers goods at the external border. The two are complementary. Validity, cost and detention periods were not stated on the page.
Reused from fr-ip-g08.
Recording a trademark with US Customs and Border Protection costs USD 190 for each class in which the owner wants to record it. Federal; 19 CFR 133.3(b). The application must include a certified status copy of the registration.
Trademarks registered with the USPTO may be recorded with US Customs and Border Protection if the registration is current, except registrations on the supplemental register. Federal; 19 CFR 133.1(a).
The US International Trade Commission can order US Customs to exclude imported goods that infringe US patents or trademarks, and can issue cease and desist orders against named importers, under Section 337 of the Tariff Act. Federal; imports only. Also covers trade secret misappropriation, trade dress, passing off and false advertising.
Reused from us-ip-011.
A right holder may give written notice to the Commissioner of Customs asking for suspected infringing imports to be suspended, with an application fee of Rs 2,000; the Commissioner must decide on registration within 30 working days, and registration is valid for at least one year unless a shorter period is requested. Central; Rules 3 and 4. Registration also requires a bond and an indemnity bond under Rule 5.
Text of the 2007 Rules (Notification No. 47/2007-Customs (N.T.)) as held on WIPO Lex; later amendments were not checked.
If the right holder does not join the proceedings within ten working days of customs suspending clearance, the goods are released if other import conditions are met; this period can be extended by a further ten working days. Central; Rule 7.
Text of the 2007 Rules (Notification No. 47/2007-Customs (N.T.)) as held on WIPO Lex; later amendments were not checked.
A trademark can be recorded with Dubai Customs by its owner, agent or legal attorney in the UAE only after it is registered with the Ministry of Economy, at a fee of AED 210 per recording request covering one category, and the recording is effective for as long as the registration. Emirate of Dubai customs recordal; documents must be resubmitted on renewal or change of owner or representative.
The page refers to the Ministry of Economy; the federal ministry is now the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
In England and Wales, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) hears smaller, simpler IP claims not exceeding £500,000, with an IPEC small claims track for claims up to £10,000 on rights such as copyright, trade marks, passing off and unregistered designs; larger claims go to the Patents Court or the General IP List of the High Court. The Patents Court covers patents, supplementary protection certificates, registered designs, semiconductor topography and plant varieties; the small claims track does not cover patents or registered designs.
Reused from gb-ip-g22.
Unauthorised use of a registered trade mark on goods, with a view to gain or to cause loss, is a criminal offence carrying up to ten years' imprisonment, an unlimited fine or both on indictment. Trade Marks Act 1994 s92. Applies to goods for which the mark is registered, or to marks with a UK reputation; reasonable belief of non-infringement is a defence.
Reused from gb-ip-g24.
The owner of a misappropriated trade secret related to a product or service in interstate or foreign commerce may sue in federal court under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, within three years of discovering the misappropriation. Federal; state trade secret laws apply in parallel.
Statutory text read on the Cornell Legal Information Institute reproduction of the United States Code; the official text is published at uscode.house.gov. Reused from us-ip-010.
SAIP handled 11,593 reports about infringing websites in 2025, with an average blocking time of 36 minutes. Online enforcement figure from SAIP's 2025 annual report news release.
Reused from sa-ip-010.
A specialised intellectual property prosecution office was established in 2024 to investigate and bring criminal proceedings for infringement.
Secondary (foreign government) source; the same report refers to a specialised IP court. Official Saudi announcement not yet checked. Reused from sa-ip-011.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism provides trademark registration, renewal and infringement complaint services, and patent and industrial design registration, through its e-services. Federal registry.
Reused from ae-ip-005.
Questions on this topic
16 statements on enforcement and customs recordal
