Trademark Registration Process in Australia

  1. Australian Trademark Registration – The first action to protecting the company’s trademark is always to apply for Australian trademark registration with the Australian trademark office, IP Australia.
  2. Most companies have their very own distinct trade mark, like a name or a logo, or collection of words trademark services by which consumers recognise their services.
  3. The best strategy to protect this indicate from infringement is by applying for Australian Trademark Registration.
  4. Australian trademark registration is complicated, so it is best if a trademark professional perform the Australian trademark registration.

Basic Requirements for Australian Trademark Registration

Your company’s Australian trade mark registration must conform to some basic requirements before similar trademark can be registered. The first of these requirements is your mark must distinguish your services from those of another company. In simple terms, your trademark has to be completely unique and identifiable as your, and cannot be confusingly similar to a mark owned or operated by another company to distinguish similar goods and services.

Similarly, it is difficult to register trademarks in Australia that tend to be descriptive of your types of services. Some of essentially the most successful and recognisable trademarks are certainly not related to the actual types of services they describe at all. For instance, consumers recognise ‘Apple’ being a company that sells reliable and innovative electronics, yet the term ‘Apple’ does not allude to the product type. Nonetheless, if you were to utilize to register the actual name ‘Apple’ for the reason that trademark for the fruit-selling business, you’ll likely be unsuccessful as the mark is overly descriptive in the nature of your small business.

Australian Trademark Registration

Due to requirements such as these, not all trademarks can be registered: most marks experience complications during the registration process.

Prior to filing your trademark, you must conduct an Australian trademark search to explore common law and previously signed up marks. A trademark search will reveal pre-existing marks which can be the same or confusingly similar to your own. You’d be potentially infringing within the rights of these kinds of trademark owners, whether or not their marks tend to be registered or certainly not, if you were to carry on to use the similar mark. A trademark search is surely an ideal way to unearth conflicting trademarks. A free trademark search is a service that we can provide to you.

Complications can arise during the trademark registration process as soon as your mark is the identical or deceptively similar to another registered indicate. A registered trademark holder inside same or similar services can move to block your application so as to protect their very own trademark rights. In such cases, it is important that you have the guidance of the professional to understand legalities: we will let you in responding a great adverse IP Australia Report.

For further advice on preparing you application, conducting a trademark search, or answering and adjusting oppositions, please e mail us.

After a trademark search may be conducted, you can be reasonably sure that your mark is not the same or confusingly similar to another trademark, and you will start filing your application. Your trademark has to be filed in a number of specified products or service classes. It is vital that you pick out these classes correctly to ensure the success of your application. We can direct you towards the selection in the relevant service or product classes as well as offering you further information, when you require it.

Upon having filed your application, it is examined as well as a subsequent report is issued. This report will indicate whether or not your mark can be registered. If you have filed your app correctly and conducted a thorough trademark search, your mark will likely be accepted and enter an occasion of opposition, during which an unauthorised has the chance to oppose your mark’s registerability. If your indicate is unopposed in those times, it will become successfully registered in your ownership.

Australian Trademark Registration Facts

  1. Differentiate – Your mark must distinguish your goods.
  2. Unique – Your mark are not identical or confusingly similar to another company’s mark that is certainly used or signed up in related services. The most successful marks include the most unique.
  3. Avoid Overt Description – In case your mark is excessively descriptive of your services, your application will likely be unsuccessful.
  4. Searches – Conduct the appropriate searches to make sure that your mark seriously isn’t identical or confusingly similar to a pre-existing indicate.
  5. Classes – Just remember to file your mark beneath the appropriate service or product classes.
  6. Examination – You will be analyzed, and once it’s accepted and eventually left unopposed, it will likely be registered into ownership.

Why Register Your Australian Trademark?

Upon having successfully registered the trademark, you gain the actual exclusive rights to use your mark with regards to the products or services your small business offers. The only supply of these rights is through Australian Trademark Registration using IP Australia.

Whenever you register your indicate, you eliminate the chance of your market competitors copying your specific business name and related symbols. The truth is, your trademark provides you with the right, in certain cases, to sue your opponents for damages a result of infringement.

A successfully registered trademark grants anyone these exclusive rights with regards to that specific mark to get a period of several years, and then the Australian Trademark Registration can be renewed indefinitely.

The registered trademark symbol ® can only be used in respect of the registered trademark. It is really against the law to use the ® symbol with regards to an unregistered indicate.

Your trademark is often a valuable asset. To become prominent and recognisable of your marketplace, you must have a unique business name and trademark to go together with your goodwill. Your intellectual property has to be protected.

Once you use a registered trademark, you have to be able to prevent other traders from using an identical or confusingly identical mark.

Australian Registered Trademarks have a Number of Benefits

  1. The exclusive directly to that mark indefinitely, with timely enrolment renewal.
  2. The singular directly to prevent other investors from copying the mark or by using a mark that is confusingly similar to your own.
  3. Your mark becomes an invaluable asset that can be sold, assigned, or licensed to some other parties.
  4. Your mark is often a crucial connection in between you, as the service of specific goods, and the consumer.

How Do Anyone Register a Trademark in Australia?

In order to gain the rights of the registered trademark holder, you must file your application with IP Australia, in agreement using Australian trademark and intellectual property legal guidelines. The application’s success will be based upon the applicant’s intention to use the mark, or within the applicant’s previous usage of the mark, in the marketplace.

Please note:

  1. Australian Trademark Registration with IP Australia is perfect to protect the mark against violation.
  2. Once your trademark is registered, infringers cannot claim ignorance to shield unlawful use of your mark. As the actual registered trademark seller, you have the actual prima facie directly to sue for infringement of your mark.
  3. Australian Trademark Registration of your mark may potentially prevent an unauthorised from using your mark being a domain name.
  4. Only use the actual ® symbol with regards to registered trademarks. It is unlawful to make use of this symbol if the mark is unregistered.

Australian Trademark Registration grants anyone exclusive rights to safeguard your mark for several years. During this time, you are allowed receive statutory remedies such as damages, legal costs, and interest incurred in the protection of the mark against violation.

BIO:

Quick Off the Mark® is a division of Mark My Words Trademark Services Pty Ltd (MMW). MMW was founded in 2011 and is headed by Jacqui Pryor, a registered trade marks attorney with more than 16 years experience.

In 2015 MMW acquired Quick Off the Mark®, which is a fast and affordable Australian trademark registration service. Quick Off the Mark® offers fixed fees that are affordable to help Australian businesses register their trademarks.

Disclaimer – The advice provided in this blog is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account your business objectives, legal situation or needs. Before acting on this advice you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your own objectives, legal situation and needs.