Searching Registered Trademarks — How to Check Your Mark Yourself
If you want to register a trademark, you can check whether your prospective sign is available. Perhaps it is already registered by someone else? To search among registered trademarks, we recommend the official register at sis.ukrpatent.org.
This online resource provides access to information on all trademarks registered in Ukraine under the national procedure, as well as on signs that have passed the initial check. The information is updated twice a month in line with official publications, giving access to the most current data on registered marks.
How to search properly
For an effective trademark search, use keywords — enter the name you are interested in and click "check results". But a single query is not enough: examiners refuse applications not only for an exact match, but for similarity. So check the following variations:
- different spellings of the verbal part of the mark — in both Cyrillic and Latin script;
- splitting the verbal element of the mark into parts;
- translating the name into other languages;
- semantically similar expressions — synonyms and conceptual equivalents.
A practical example: if you are planning the name "Svitanok", it is worth checking not only that, but also "Світанок", "Svita nok", "Dawn", "Рассвет", and other conceptually similar signs. A mark a competitor registered in Latin script will stay invisible to a Cyrillic search — yet it will still block your registration.
One more point that is often missed: you need to search within the relevant Nice classes. An identical name in an unrelated class usually does not obstruct registration, whereas a similar name in your class does.
Limits of the free check
This facility is free for users, but the database does not contain data on applications that are still being processed. Having satisfied yourself that your sign does not appear among registered trademarks, you can file an application for registration.
HOWEVER, this is not a hundred percent guarantee that it will be registered. Rights are counted from the filing date — and a competitor's application filed a few months before yours will not yet be visible in the register, but will become grounds for refusal. For full confidence we recommend ordering an official search, which also covers signs currently in the registration process.
Advantages of an official search
Completeness of data. An official search covers not only registered trademarks but also those under examination. This provides the fullest possible overview of potential obstacles to registering a new trademark.
Expert assessment. An official search comes with an analysis of the results obtained. We can assess the degree of similarity between marks and the risk of refusal in light of the applicable legislation and the office's practice.
Legal recommendations. Based on the search results, you receive recommendations on next steps — for example, adjusting the application or choosing a strategy for protecting rights to the mark.
Savings in time and resources. Although an official search involves some expense, it becomes an investment in the security of the business and saves considerably greater resources that would otherwise go on resolving legal conflicts or re-registering the mark.
When a self-check is enough
Searching the open register yourself has a genuinely useful application: it is a quick filter at the stage where you still have a dozen candidate names. In half an hour you can weed out the ones that are plainly taken, and avoid paying to check hopeless options.
But once the shortlist has narrowed to one or two finalists and the packaging, signage, and advertising budget is at stake, you need a full search that includes pending applications.
While a self-conducted search is a useful tool for an initial check, an official search provides a comprehensive understanding of potential legal obstacles and a strategic advantage in the trademark registration process.
Need a professional check? Order an official trademark search — we will check your sign against both registers and pending applications and prepare a report assessing the risks.
