LONNOW.COMBUSINESS & MONEY
Before the sign goes up: give a business name a trade-mark check
Buying a domain or registering a company does not settle whether a brand name is clear to use. The government trade-mark search is a useful early check, not a legal clearance certificate.
Search more than one spelling
The official service supports searches by keyword, image or owner.
Think about similar names and the relevant goods or services, rather than stopping at an exact match to the proposed shop sign.
- Article type
- Practical guide
- Sources checked
- 21 October 2026; not live booking inventory
On this page
Keep the registers separate
A company name, a web address and a trade mark sit in different systems.
One being available does not establish the position in the others. Do the checks before committing heavily to printed packaging, signs or a launch campaign.
Know when a search is not enough
A clean-looking result is not a determination that no rights are affected.
Where similarity, classes or a dispute make the position uncertain, obtain qualified intellectual-property advice. This guide has not searched or cleared any reader’s proposed brand.
Continue exploring
business
More London coverage in this category.
Companies House identity checks: distinguish verification from incorporation
An identity check, a company registration and a filing deadline are different tasks. Directors and people with significant control should check the requirement attached to their own role.
Finance careers in London: roles, qualifications and job search
The City is not one job market. Banking, investment, insurance, accounting, fintech, regulation and operations reward different evidence.