How to Research a Trademark Yourself: 5 Steps
Preliminary trademark research in 5 steps — before you file.
Founder & Developer of markencheck.ai
1. Define Your Trademark and Classes
Preparation: Before you search, clearly define your trademark: • Type of mark: Is it a word, logo, or combined mark? (See Guide 5) • Goods/services: List all products and services your trademark should cover. Assign them to the correct Nice classes (see Guide 1). For example: If you offer an app service, note Class 9 (app as software) and Class 42 (SaaS). Careful planning avoids later gaps (otherwise someone might register in a class you missed).
2. Search for Identical Trademarks
Exact search: Use EUIPO (eSearch plus) and the DPMA register to find your exact name. For how to operate eSearch plus and TMview in detail, see the guide EUIPO trademark search. Enter the trademark name in quotation marks (or try all spelling variants). Check: • Word marks: Marks with exactly the same wording. Watch for umlauts and common alternative spellings. • Word/figurative marks: Find marks that contain your name as a word element. The search often shows pure word marks faster than logos. Check the image as well. Note all results: name, class(es), owner, status (active mark, withdrawn, cancelled mark). A green register symbol means registered and active.
3. Search for Similar Trademarks
Similarity check: A trademark is considered problematic if it is similar to yours in word or meaning. Example: Your mark “SolarVolt” could be confused with “SolarVoltic” or “SunVolt.” Proceed as follows: • Synonyms and spellings: Search for related terms, alternative spellings (e.g. “CyberTech” vs “SiberTech”). Also check translations and abbreviations. • Phonetically/visually similar: Think about sound-alikes (“Fair” vs “Fehr”), similar letter combinations or shared syllables. • Similar in meaning: Does your name contain a concept (e.g. “Apple”) and does a trademark exist that uses the same word or identical representation? If your name is figurative, search for marks that use the concept or image (including in word form). • Automated tools: For this phase, markencheck.ai is the tool to use: it automatically analyses phonetic and visual similarities, factors in Nice classes and goods & services descriptions, and returns an AI score — saving hours of manual research.
4. Evaluating Results
• Priority: Identical or very similar marks found in the same classes are critical. An exact word match is often a strong barrier. • Assess similarity: Watch for confusion risk: Are the signs so similar that customers could confuse them? (This considers visual appearance, sound and meaning.) For a structured way to weigh the factors, see assessing likelihood of confusion. • Mark status: A cancelled or expired mark (e.g. marked as ready for deletion) can be re-filed, but is currently considered available. Conversely, a registered (active) mark is off-limits. • Results log: Document the most important findings. A table helps: columns for mark, class, similarity level, owner.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Using only class headings: For a while, many simply filed “Software” for Class 9, which was often too thin. Use specific products (e.g. “computer programs for accounting”). • Overlooking classes: Many forget classes like Class 42 (online services) or Class 35 (trade). A SaaS company should cover at least Class 9 and 42. • Ignoring the visual mark: If you have a logo, also search for textual descriptors. Logos can only grant word rights if the text is protectable without the image. • Checking only one language: If your product is multilingual, search in all relevant languages. Some trademark offices provide translations, but not all. • Ignoring warning signs: If you see a dream result (“no trademark found”), still check whether similar concepts or older earlier filings exist. Through careful step-by-step research you can identify many conflicts early. Start broad (identical, similar, all classes) and work your way in. Record all results and assess whether confusion risk exists. Skipping this assessment risks a trademark cease-and-desist letter later. Put these steps into practice: start the trademark check for your name now.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do a trademark search myself?
Yes. The DPMA and EUIPO registers are free and publicly searchable, and anyone can run an exact-match search without prior knowledge. The hard part is the similarity search: you have to try sound, spelling, and meaning variants manually, or have an AI tool like markencheck.ai compare them automatically. The legal assessment of a specific conflict remains a job for a lawyer.
How long does a trademark search take?
An exact search for identical names takes a few minutes. A thorough manual similarity search across spelling variants, sound, and meaning takes several hours per name. AI-assisted tools cut this step down to seconds because they compare phonetic and visual similarity across the entire register in a single pass.
How much does a trademark search cost?
Searching the DPMA and EUIPO registers is free. Professional search services from law firms often cost several hundred euros depending on scope. Automated tools sit in between: markencheck.ai offers a free quick search and a paid AI report. For comparison, the later filing costs €290 according to the DPMA (2026) and €850 basic fee according to the EUIPO. Which office fits your plan is compared in the guide EUIPO vs DPMA.
Is the free DPMA and EUIPO register search enough?
For identical hits, yes. But the official registers only show what you actively type in: you will only find similar spellings, sound-alike names, or translations if you enter every variant yourself. These similarity hits are the most common source of conflicts in practice, which is why a similarity comparison belongs in every pre-filing search.
The 5 steps — in seconds instead of hours
Exact and similar matches at a glance — no manual testing of spelling variations
AI score instantly shows which results are most similar to your name
Enter Nice classes and instantly see whether your name is already taken in the relevant classes
Related Guides
Now put the steps into practice.
Start the trademark check for your name and document the results.
Start free trademark check