Trade marks

Getting started

A trade mark identifies a unique product or service. For example, the term BUDGET SUPERMARKET for retail services in relation to food and household items is unlikely to identify one trader from any other in that trade channel.

The benefits of registering a trade mark include:

• Exclusive right to use the trade mark throughout New Zealand to promote the goods and/or services it covers.
• Use of the ® symbol with the trade mark
• Legal protection to deter others from trying to imitate your brand.
• A good way to distinguish your business from others.
• Added value to your business that can increase over time as the mark becomes established in the market.
• The ability to sell or assign the trade mark to another person or business, or license its use to other parties.

If you have a possible trade mark in mind, you can use Trade Mark Check to see if there are trade marks like yours on the NZ Register.

• Search existing trade marks

  How to check if a trade mark or logo like yours is already on the New Zealand Register.

• Search and preliminary advice

  We suggest using this service before applying to register your trade mark.

• Apply for a trade mark

  Step by step guide that will help make the application process easy to follow and understand.

• Fees

  Some trade mark services relating to application, advice and renewals may incur fees.

• International trade marks

  Taking your business overseas? Apply in over 100 participating countries with a single application.

• Trade Mark Specification Builder

  Search over 60,000 pre-approved goods and services terms to build your specification.

Managing trade marks

After applying for a trade mark, we will examine your application to confirm if it meets the legal requirements for a registered trade mark.

Once you have a registered trade mark, no one else can use that name or logo or sign for a similar goods or services. 

You can build your business’ reputation, knowing nobody can legally use your name or logo or other sign to pretend to be you or your company.

• Examination process

  Once submitted, your application to register a trade mark will be examined by this process.

• Practice guidelines

  Our practices and procedures relating to aspects of the filing, examination and registration of trade marks.

• Maintaining

  Once you have a trade mark registration or application there are a number of changes you can make.

• Renewing

  A trade mark registration can be renewed every 10 years with the payment of a renewal fee.

• Enforcing

  You are responsible for monitoring the way your trade mark is used and protecting it against infringement.

• Hearings

  Our role is to administer hearing proceedings to determine disputes and challenges relating to trade marks.