Trade marks are territorial: a UK, US or Indian registration protects only in that country, and the EU trade mark covers all EU Member States in one right. Brand owners choose between direct national filings, an EU trade mark, and international registration through the Madrid System, which now includes Saudi Arabia from 8 October 2026. Official fees, examination practice and opposition periods differ, and foreign applicants in the US must use a US attorney.
National and regional filings
The UK IPO charges GBP 205 online for one class and GBP 60 for each additional class, examines within 2 to 3 weeks, publishes for a two-month opposition period and usually registers in about 3 to 4 months if there are no objections or oppositions. The EUIPO's EU trade mark costs EUR 850 for one class, EUR 50 for the second and EUR 150 for each further class, and gives a single all-or-nothing right across the EU for ten years.
In the United States the USPTO base fee is USD 350 per class, applications can be based on use or a bona fide intention to use (registration then waits for a verified statement of use), and applicants domiciled outside the US must be represented by a US-qualified attorney. India, where marks are governed by the Trade Marks Act 1999, charges INR 9,000 per class for e-filing (INR 4,500 for individuals, startups and small enterprises). The UAE protects a registered mark for ten years from filing across the mainland and free zones, with a 30-day opposition period; a 2025 Cabinet Resolution set the application fee at AED 750 per class, according to a law-firm summary.1234567891011121314
The Madrid System and priority
The Madrid Protocol lets an applicant extend a home application or registration to other members through one international application. The WIPO basic fee is CHF 653 (CHF 903 in colour), plus CHF 100 per designated member and per class beyond three, unless a member charges an individual fee. A UK-based application must be identical to the UK basic mark and carries a GBP 50 UK IPO handling fee. The UK, US, India and UAE are members, Saudi Arabia joined with effect from 8 October 2026, and from 1 October 2026 US-based applicants file through WIPO's Madrid e-Filing service.
The Paris Convention lets an applicant claim the filing date of a first application in another member country; Singapore, for example, allows trade mark priority within 6 months of the first filing. Filing first at home and then abroad within the priority period protects against third parties filing in between.15161718192021222324
| Market | Office | Official fee | Term | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | UK IPO | GBP 205 online for one class; GBP 60 per extra class | 10 years, renewable | GOV.UK |
| EU | EUIPO | EUR 850 one class; EUR 50 second; EUR 150 each further | 10 years, renewable | EUIPO fees as restated by the Austrian Patent Office |
| United States (federal) | USPTO | USD 350 per class (base) | Not researched here | USPTO |
| India (central) | IP India | INR 9,000 per class e-filing; INR 4,500 for individuals, startups, small enterprises | Not researched here | IP India |
| UAE (federal) | Ministry of Economy and Tourism | AED 750 per class (secondary source) | 10 years from filing | Federal Decree-Law 36 of 2021; law-firm summary |
| International | WIPO Madrid System | CHF 653 basic plus designation fees | Depends on designations | WIPO |
Decisions to make
- Which markets matter now and within the next five years?2612Rights are territorial, and non-use for five years can lead to cancellation in the UAE (and revocation in Singapore), so filing everywhere is not free of risk.
- National filings, an EU trade mark or Madrid?41516Madrid reduces paperwork but depends on the basic mark; the EU trade mark is all-or-nothing across the EU.
- Is the mark distinctive and clear of earlier rights?27313Descriptive or similar marks are refused or opposed; some offices do not search for earlier marks themselves.
- Will the US filing be based on use or intent to use?8An intent-to-use mark is not registered until a verified statement of use is filed.
Documents usually needed
- Clear representation of the mark (word, logo, colour claim if any)
- Specification of goods and services by Nice class
- Priority document details where claiming an earlier filing
- Power of attorney for local agents, and a US attorney where the applicant is domiciled abroad
- Evidence of use, for US use-based filings and later renewals
Common mistakes
- Launching under a brand before checking it is available in each target market
- Filing a Madrid application with a specification wider than the basic mark
- Missing the priority window after the first filing
- Paying unofficial invoices that imitate office fee demands
- Registering and then not using the mark for five years
Questions businesses ask
Can I cover the UK with an EU trade mark?
No. The EU trade mark covers EU Member States only; the UK needs its own registration, directly or through Madrid.4117
Can Saudi Arabia be designated through Madrid?
Yes. The Protocol entered into force for Saudi Arabia on 8 October 2026.21
Do offices send invoices after filing?
The German office warns that it does not send invoices or payment requests and that private companies send misleading demands; treat unsolicited invoices with caution in every market.28
What this guide does not yet confirm
These points need checking with a qualified local professional before you rely on them.
- The EUIPO fee page could not yet be checked; EU fees are taken from the Austrian Patent Office's restatement.
- UAE fees under Cabinet Resolution No. 102 of 2025 come from a law-firm briefing; the Ministry page could not yet be checked.
- USPTO surcharges and official processing times were not confirmed; no official timings were found for the EUIPO, USPTO, IP India or the UAE.
- Madrid individual fees for the UK, US, India, UAE and Saudi Arabia, and whether the EU can be designated, were not confirmed.
- Saudi Arabia's national trade mark fees under SAIP were not researched.
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.
Filing a UK trade mark application online costs £205 for one class plus £60 for each additional class; a paper application costs £250 for one class plus £60 per additional class. UK IPO fees. The optional Right Start route costs £125 plus £30 per additional class for an initial check, and the same again to continue.
Reused from gb-ip-g02.
If there are no objections or oppositions, a UK trade mark application usually takes around 3 to 4 months from filing to registration. Indicative timing stated by the UK IPO; objections or oppositions extend it.
Reused from gb-ip-g03.
The UK IPO sends an examination report within 2 to 3 weeks of filing; an accepted application is published in the Trade Marks Journal, and anyone may oppose it during a 2-month period. Whether and how the opposition period can be extended is not stated on this page.
Reused from gb-ip-g04.
An EU trade mark obtained from the EUIPO through one application gives uniform protection throughout the EU, including France, on an all-or-nothing basis; the basic filing fee is EUR 850 for 10 years' protection for one mark. Renewal was not stated on the page opened. National French marks are an alternative or complement.
Reused from fr-ip-005.
An EU trade mark filed online with the EUIPO costs EUR 850 for one class, EUR 50 for the second class and EUR 150 for each class from the third. EUIPO fees for e-filing; a paper filing costs EUR 1,000 for one class.
Official page of a national IP office restating EUIPO fees; the EUIPO fee page itself could not yet be checked.
An EU trade mark is valid for ten years from registration and can be renewed for further ten-year periods. EU trade marks registered by the EUIPO.
Official page of a national IP office restating EUIPO fees; the EUIPO fee page itself could not yet be checked.
The USPTO base application fee is USD 350 for each class of goods or services included in a trademark application. Federal. Additional fees can apply at filing and during examination; the surcharges were not stated on the page opened.
The page was last updated 18 January 2025; it does not state an effective date for the fee.
A US federal trademark application can be based on existing use of the mark in commerce or on a bona fide intention to use it; an intent-to-use mark is not registered until the applicant files a verified statement that the mark is in use. Federal (Lanham Act). Filings under 15 USC 1126 (foreign registrations) and Madrid Protocol extensions follow separate rules.
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-001.
Trademark applicants, registrants and parties whose domicile is outside the United States must be represented before the USPTO by an attorney qualified to practise under USPTO rules. Federal; trademark matters before the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Regulatory text read on the Cornell Legal Information Institute reproduction of the Code of Federal Regulations; the eCFR at ecfr.gov is the government version. Reused from us-ip-002.
Trade marks are governed by the Trade Marks Act 1999 (Act No. 47 of 1999), in force since 15 September 2003 and amended up to Act No. 18 of 2023. Central law; the Trade Marks Rules 2017 apply to procedure.
Reused from in-ip-005.
The official fee for a trade mark application on Form TM-A is INR 4,500 per class for e-filing (INR 5,000 on paper) for an individual, startup or small enterprise, and INR 9,000 per class for e-filing (INR 10,000 on paper) in all other cases. Central; fee applies for each class and each mark. Renewal on Form TM-R is INR 9,000 per class for e-filing.
A UAE trademark registration under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021 protects the mark for ten years from the filing date, renewable for similar periods; the Decree-Law has applied since 2 January 2022. Federal; applies across the UAE including free zones.
Reused from ae-ip-001.
Interested parties may oppose a published trademark application within 30 days of publication. Federal.
Reused from ae-ip-002.
Cabinet Resolution No. (102) of 2025 set a new UAE trademark fee schedule, with a trademark application fee of AED 750 per class and a 50% reduction for SMEs registered under the National Program for SMEs. Federal. Reported to take effect 60 days after Official Gazette publication; a one-day examination service is listed at AED 2,250 and an opposition at AED 7,500.
Secondary source; the Ministry of Economy and Tourism service page could not yet be checked, and no separate registration fee was stated in the briefing.
An international trade mark application under the Madrid System carries a WIPO basic fee of CHF 653 for a black and white mark or CHF 903 for a mark in colour, plus a complementary fee of CHF 100 per designated member and a supplementary fee of CHF 100 per class beyond three, unless the member charges an individual fee instead. All fees are paid in Swiss francs. Applicants from least developed countries receive a 90% reduction in the basic fee. Office of origin handling fees are additional.
An international trade mark application filed through the UK IPO under the Madrid Protocol must be identical to the applicant's UK application or registration, and costs a £50 UK handling fee plus WIPO fees that depend on the countries designated. The UK IPO page says Madrid can cover over 130 countries. A UK registration does not protect a mark in the EU; EU-wide protection is through an EU trade mark at the EUIPO.
Reused from gb-ip-g07.
The Madrid Protocol entered into force for the United Kingdom on 1 December 1995. UK ratification deposited 6 April 1995.
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The Madrid Protocol entered into force for the United States on 2 November 2003. International trademark registration through WIPO; the USPTO examines US designations.
Reused from us-ip-003.
The Madrid Protocol has been in force for India since 8 July 2013. Instrument deposited 8 April 2013.
Reused from in-ip-003.
The UAE acceded to the Madrid Protocol on the international registration of marks by Federal Decree No. 67 of 2021. Federal.
Stated in the preamble of the Trademarks Decree-Law; the Ministry's e-services page links to WIPO Madrid e-filing. Not checked against WIPO's own membership page. Reused from ae-ip-004.
Saudi Arabia acceded to the Madrid Protocol on 8 July 2026 and the Protocol entered into force for Saudi Arabia on 8 October 2026, so international trademark applications can now designate Saudi Arabia. Saudi declarations (for example on individual fees or refusal periods) were not visible on the page.
Very recent change; SAIP practice on Madrid designations may still be settling. Reused from sa-ip-002.
From 1 October 2026, international trademark applications based on US filings are filed through WIPO's Madrid e-Filing service. Outbound Madrid applications by owners of US applications or registrations.
Reused from us-ip-004.
The Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property has applied to the United Kingdom since 7 July 1884. The Convention is the basis for priority claims from a first filing in another member state.
Reused from gb-ip-g25.
An applicant who first filed the same trade mark in a Paris Convention or WTO member within the previous 6 months can claim that earlier filing date as priority in Singapore. Applies only where the foreign filing was the applicant's first filing for that mark.
Reused from sg-ip-002.
A UK trade mark is registered for ten years from the date of registration and can be renewed for further periods of ten years. Trade Marks Act 1994 s42; renewal procedure in s43. The date of registration is the filing date of the application.
The statement that the date of registration is the filing date rests on s40(3) of the Act, which could not yet be checked in this run. Reused from gb-ip-g01.
Any interested party may apply to cancel a registered trademark that has not been used for five consecutive years, unless use was prevented by emergency circumstances. Federal.
Reused from ae-ip-003.
The UK IPO will not register marks that describe the goods or services, are too common or non-distinctive, are offensive or misleading, consist of a generic shape, or use national flags or official emblems without permission; a mark may also be refused if it is the same as or similar to an earlier mark for the same goods or services. Summary of the UK IPO's plain-language guidance on registrability.
Reused from gb-ip-g06.
The DPMA warns that it does not send invoices or payment requests for trademark applications or renewals, and that private companies send misleading payment demands.
Reused from de-ip-012.
Questions on this topic
28 statements on trade mark registration
