[Database Ranking] A Comprehensive Guide to Searching UK Trademarks.

Ranking of the UK IPO Database: A Comprehensive Guide to Searching UK Trademarks

If you’re looking for information on trademarks registered in the United Kingdom, you might consider using the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK IPO). This system allows you to search in three different ways: by trademark number, owner, and keyword. It also has many other features that make it a “go-to” option for UK trademark searches. 

But how good is it really?

In this article, we will look at the UK IPO Database in detail. We will assess its strengths and weaknesses and how user-friendly it is for IP specialists and novices alike. Finally, we will wrap up with alternative options for UK trademark searches and explain why hiring a trademark attorney for an Extensive Study might be your best option.

Let’s dig in.

The UK IPO Database: An Overview

The UK IPO Database is maintained by the UK Intellectual Property Office. Most consider this database to be one of the most comprehensive and user-friendly resources for conducting trademark searches in the United Kingdom.

You can find it here: https://www.gov.uk/search-for-trademark

What we love about it: With its three key features of a user-friendly interface, extensive coverage of registered trademarks, and advanced search filters, the database caters to both legal professionals and individuals conducting searches. 

It allows users to search by trademark number, owner, and keyword, making it accessible even to those with limited information about a potential trademark. The classification search feature enables users to navigate through different sectors and find relevant trademarks specific to their industry. 

While the database has some limitations, such as the potential for less precise results in logo searches and varying levels of detail for individual marks, it is generally accurate in evaluating mark availability. 

Overall, the UK IPO database serves as a valuable tool for anyone seeking information on trademarks registered in the United Kingdom.

UK IPO Database: Key Features

The UK IPO database has three key features that help it stand out from other databases. 

User-Friendly Interface: The UK IPO database has a user-friendly interface. It’s accessible to both legal professionals and individuals conducting a UK trademark search. You don’t have to be an expert to use this system.

Extensive Coverage: The database contains an extensive collection of registered trademarks in the UK. It covers a wide range of industries, making it an invaluable resource for businesses and entrepreneurs. If you’re conducting market research or assessing potential trademark conflicts, you’ll definitely want to use the UK IPO database for your UK trademark search.

Advanced Search Filters: One of the best things about the UK trademark search is that it is very friendly to new users. You don’t have to be an attorney, either! The three-part search allows users to apply filters when conducting a UK trademark search. You can sort by number, owner, or class. So, even if you have very little information about a possible trademark, you’ll be able to conduct an accurate search. 

Database Ranking 

How User-Friendly is the UK IPO Database Search?

We give it 10 out of 10 for wordmarks and 4 out of 10 for logos. So, truly this depends on which type of search you’re focusing on. 

The UK IPO Database is one of the most user-friendly trademark search engines across the globe. When searching, it offers extensive results, enabling users to explore a diverse array of registered trademarks.

One super user-friendly feature is the use of the classification search. This allows users to search for trademarks in many different sectors, from things like paints, dyes, and inks to foodstuffs and cultural activities.

 By having a dedicated classification section, users can easily navigate through the different classes and subclasses to find trademarks that are relevant to their specific industry or field. For example, if a user is searching for trademarks related to real estate services, they can quickly locate the appropriate class and subclass within the classification section.

This database goes beyond just listing trademarks, providing valuable guidance and resources that assist users in making well-informed decisions throughout their trademark search journey, which makes it even more of a plus.

How good is the UK IPO Database in evaluating your mark availability?

We give it 8 out of 10. It’s important to note that it is not adapted for professional use. You can’t have the same accuracy of search results as you would if you had more search fields available for an exact and precise search. Or an attorney who will run manual searches for an extensive trademark study. They also use paid trademark databases to have more precise success.

How accurate is the UK IPO database?

We give it 7 out of 10. The accuracy is around 80% for word searches, so that you will find a conflicting mark with an 80% probability. However, as there is no logo search, it’s much more difficult to find a conflicting logo. There is always a risk that the search might miss something. So, if you’re looking for a logo, you might want to hire a professional for this task.

How novice friendly is the UK IPO Database search system?

We give it 10 out of 10 for wordmarks and 4 out of 10 for logos. To search for logos, you will have to use something called the Vienna Classification, and you will get lots of results if you don't know how to search logos properly. The difficulty for novices is that the search returns all the images containing the element you searched for (say, a tree) and looking through hundreds of tree logos that might or might not be similar is extremely time-consuming. This can get overwhelming, especially with images.

How detailed is the UK IPO Database?

7 out of 10. Although there is general information for most marks, there are no detailed documents to review or download. There are even instances where very little information is listed at all. 

Overall Points: We give it 8 points.

Alternative Search Options

As you can see, searching for trademarks can be difficult, but you can do it yourself. But obviously, if you want reliable results, you’re going to want to hire a professional. Bonamark offers an extensive study. The price of the study varies by country, but for UK studies, it is only $79.

An Extensive Study by Bonamark includes

• List of similar and identical trademarks
• Analysis of similar trademarks
• Probability of registration
• Detailed registrability report
• Our recommendations

You may use TMVIEW for searching UK trademarks, but in our opinion, the UK IPO search is better in almost every aspect. 

Final Thoughts

The UK IPO Database is a valuable resource for conducting trademark searches in the United Kingdom. Its user-friendly interface, extensive coverage of registered trademarks, and advanced search filter make it accessible to both legal professionals and individuals conducting searches.

The database's classification search feature allows users to easily navigate through different sectors and find relevant trademarks within their specific industry. When you use this, along with the guidance and resources provided, you can make well-informed decisions about trademarks.

However, the database does have some limitations when it comes to UK logo searches.

For one, it’s not really adapted for professional use. This is especially true when compared to the more precise and extensive trademark databases that attorneys utilize. Looking for logos can be challenging and may result in a large number of results that need to be manually reviewed. This is not for the faint of heart. 

As far as accuracy goes, the accuracy of word searches is generally high. But again, image searchers may have lower accuracy rates, posing a risk of missing relevant results. If you’re a novice using the UK IPO Database for UK trademark searches, you may find the wordmark search system highly user-friendly. Logos, on the other hand, can be more difficult to navigate and evaluate.

If you prefer alternative search options, hiring a professional service like Bonamark for an extensive study in the UK can provide more reliable and comprehensive results, including a list of similar and identical trademarks, analysis of similar trademarks, registrability probability, detailed reports, and recommendations.

In summary, while the UK IPO Database has its strengths and weaknesses, it serves as a valuable tool for conducting trademark searches in the United Kingdom. Depending on your specific needs and expertise, alternative search options or professional services may also be worth considering to ensure thorough and reliable results.