The filing process, step by step
This is the actual process we follow — not a marketing summary. Every stage below is handled or personally reviewed by the advocate on your file, including examination responses and hearings, at no extra cost beyond your original quoted fee.
- 1
Intake & consultation
You share the mark you want to protect (word, logo, or both) and a short description of your business. The named advocate assigned to your case personally reviews it and flags any obvious risks — descriptive names, likely conflicts, or classification questions — before any fee is charged.
- 2
Trademark search & clearance
Before filing, we search the Trade Marks Registry database (and relevant common-law use) for marks that could block registration or expose you to an infringement claim. You get a written clearance opinion, not just a search printout.
- 3
Nice Classification & TM-A filing
Choosing the right class (or classes) determines what your registration actually protects. We classify your goods/services correctly, prepare the TM-A application with supporting statements, and file it electronically with the Trade Marks Registry.
- 4
Examination
The Registry examiner checks your application against absolute grounds (distinctiveness, descriptiveness) and relative grounds (conflicting prior marks). If an examination report is issued, the same advocate on your case drafts and files the response within the statutory deadline. Objection handling is a separate fee, published on the pricing page and quoted before any work begins — never billed as a surprise after the fact.
- 5
Show-cause hearing (if required)
Some applications are listed for a show-cause hearing before the Registrar. The same advocate handling your case appears and argues it directly — this is not outsourced. Hearing fees are published on the pricing page and quoted upfront before any work begins.
- 6
Journal publication & opposition period
Once accepted, your mark is published in the Trade Marks Journal. Third parties have four months to file an opposition. If one is filed, we advise you on next steps and can represent you in opposition proceedings.
- 7
Registration certificate
With no opposition (or after a successful opposition outcome), the Registry issues the registration certificate. Protection is backdated to your original filing date and lasts 10 years, renewable indefinitely.
Typical timeline
An unopposed, unobjected application typically reaches registration in around 12–24 months from filing. Objections, hearings, or oppositions extend this. Timelines depend on Trade Marks Registry workload and are outside any filing service's control — we'll flag realistic expectations for your specific mark during intake, rather than quoting an unrealistic best case.