So, how much does it cost to trademark a logo in the UK? The headline figure is £170 — that’s the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) fee for registering a trademark in one class of goods or services online. Add another class and it’s £50 more. Simple enough. But the real cost of trademarking a logo depends on what you’re protecting, how you file, and whether you make any of the classic mistakes that force a reapplication.

I’ve watched small business owners spend £170 wisely and others burn through three times that by filing badly. This guide covers the actual fees, what’s included, the DIY-vs-solicitor question, and how to get it right first time.

How much does it cost to trademark a logo in the UK?

We put this guide together to answer it properly — not just the headline answer, but the context around it: the pros and cons, the common pitfalls people fall into, and what to do next once you understand the picture.

UK Trademark Fees: The Current Breakdown

The IPO charges the following for online applications (paper applications cost more, so don’t do that):

• £170 — standard online application covering one class of goods/services.
• £50 — for each additional class you add.
• £200 — “Right Start” application: pay £100 upfront for examination, then £100 more (plus £50 per extra class) if you decide to proceed.

Most small businesses need one or two classes, so the typical total is £170–£220. A logo used across very different products — say, clothing and software — might need three or four classes. You can check the current fees on the IPO’s trademark costs page before you apply, as fees do change.

What does the fee actually buy you?

Registration gives you the exclusive right to use that logo for the goods and services in your classes, across the whole UK, for 10 years (renewable indefinitely). It lets you take legal action against copycats, license the logo to others, and adds genuine value to your business if you ever sell it. It’s one of the cheapest forms of business protection going.

Before You Pay: The Search That Saves You £170

Here’s where people waste money. The IPO will refuse your application — and keep your fee — if your logo is too similar to an existing registered trademark, or if it’s not distinctive enough. The fix is free: search the trademark database before you apply.

1. Use the IPO’s free online trademark search to check for similar logos and names in your classes.
2. Search wider than exact matches — similar-looking logos in the same class can block you.
3. Google the logo concept too; unregistered but established brands can still cause trouble.
4. Be honest about distinctiveness. A generic apple shape for a fruit shop won’t register. A distinctive stylised design will.

Spending an hour on the search is the highest-value hour in this whole process. A refused application means starting over and paying again.

DIY or Use a Solicitor?

Filing yourself through the IPO website is genuinely straightforward — the online form walks you through it, and most simple logo applications don’t need legal help. That’s the £170 route, and it’s fine for most small businesses.

Consider paying a trademark solicitor or attorney (£300–£800+ on top of the IPO fee) if: your logo is borderline distinctive, you’re filing across many classes, you’re expanding internationally (a UK registration doesn’t cover the EU or US), or a competitor might oppose your application. For a straightforward logo in one or two classes, though, DIY is the sensible choice — just do the search first.

Common Mistakes That Cost Money

• Filing in the wrong classes. Too few and you’re unprotected where it matters; too many and you’re paying £50 a class for coverage you’ll never use. Think about what you actually sell and what you might sell in the next few years.
• Trademarking a name you can’t own. Descriptive or generic terms get refused. “London Quality Plumbing” as a word mark is a tough sell; a distinctive logo containing those words is easier.
• Forgetting the logo might change. If you rebrand in two years, the old registration doesn’t cover the new logo. File once your branding is settled, not while you’re still tweaking it.
• Not monitoring afterwards. Registration doesn’t enforce itself. Keep an eye out for copycats — the IPO won’t do it for you.

How Long Does It Take?

If nobody opposes your application, registration typically takes around 3–4 months from filing. The IPO examines your application, publishes it for opposition (a two-month window where others can object), and registers it if all goes smoothly. You can use the ™ symbol from day one; the ® symbol is only for after registration.

Is It Worth It for a Small Business?

In my view, yes — if the brand matters to you. For £170, you get a decade of exclusive rights and a real asset on your books. Compare that to the cost of rebranding because someone else registered your logo first, or fighting a copycat with no registered rights. It’s cheap insurance.

Just time it right: file once your logo is final and you’re committed to the brand. And while you’re protecting the business, make sure the foundations are solid too — if you’re running more than one venture, our guide on running two businesses under one limited company explains how to structure things cleanly, and if funding is tight, check grants for new UK small businesses — some founders use them to cover exactly these kinds of setup costs.

Making It Happen: Your Action Plan

Reading about it is the easy part — acting on it is where most people stall. Here’s a simple action plan to move from reading to doing within the next seven days.

Days 1–2: Get informed. Re-read the sections above that apply to your situation and note the two or three points that matter most. If anything touches official rules or thresholds — tax, employment law, licensing — verify the current position on GOV.UK rather than relying on memory. Rules change, and acting on outdated information is one of the most common and avoidable mistakes in business.

Days 3–4: Get your numbers straight. Almost every business decision improves with real figures in front of you. What will it cost? What will it save or earn? What’s the worst case? You don’t need a complex spreadsheet — a single page of honest estimates beats vague optimism every time. If the numbers don’t work on paper, they won’t work in practice.

Days 5–7: Take the first concrete step. Register, apply, call, book — whatever the first real-world action is, do it this week. Momentum matters more than perfection; you can adjust course once you’re moving.

Know when to get help. A good accountant, solicitor, or adviser pays for themselves when the stakes are real — tax positions, legal disputes, contracts, or any decision involving significant money. Free advice (including this article) gets you oriented; professional advice gets you protected. And the cheapest professional help is the kind you get before a problem, not after.

Finally, set a review date. Business decisions shouldn’t be fire-and-forget: put a reminder in your diary for three months’ time to check whether your approach is delivering what you expected, and adjust. The businesses that thrive aren’t the ones that never make mistakes — they’re the ones that review, learn, and adapt quickly.

Key Takeaways

• Start with the official guidance — GOV.UK covers most business topics clearly, and it’s free.
• Get your numbers straight before committing: costs, timelines, and worst-case scenarios.
• Professional advice from an accountant or solicitor pays for itself on high-stakes decisions.
• Review and adapt: set a diary reminder to revisit your approach in three months.