Business.govt.nz has recently re-launched its ONECheck tool, which allows users to compare the availability of a business name among existing company names, domains and trade marks.

Visit the new ONECheck tool on business.govt.nz.

The new ONECheck tool provides the following new features:

• Improved results when searching for potential names for a business;
• The ability to check registered company names, web domains and social media usernames in one simple search;
• A measure of the originality of a trade mark (word mark) on a sliding scale;
• A description of the difference between a company name and a trade mark, which addresses a common misconception for people starting their first business.

Because reserving or registering business names or web domains doesn’t automatically give new businesses trade mark rights, the new ONECheck lets users check if their proposed trade mark or trading name appears to be unique and original. It also provides additional guidance around what to do next. ONECheck provides a useful starting point for businesses seeking to register a distinctive trade mark with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.

Business.govt.nz launched the original tool for start-up businesses in 2012, and has since seen the demand for ONECheck services grow. Prior to the re-launch, there have been more than 1.5 million searches on the ONECheck website.