The first thing to look at when choosing a trademark registration firm is who will handle your file before TÜRKPATENT (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office), and whether that person is a trademark attorney listed in the Register of Patent and Trademark Attorneys. The second criterion is whether the quote shows the official fees separately from the service fee; the third is whether the preliminary search, the opposition process, the tracking of notifications and the post-registration work are clearly included in the scope. Price should be compared only once these three questions have been answered.
Below we group the 12 questions to ask before requesting a quote under four headings, list the red flags to stay away from, and provide a comparison table in which you can set quotes side by side.
What Does a Trademark Registration Firm Do, and How Is It Different From an Attorney?
A trademark registration firm is a business that offers trademark searches, preparation of the application file, handling of procedures before the Office and post-registration follow-up. A trademark attorney, by contrast, is defined in Article 2 of Industrial Property Law No. 6769 (SMK) as a person who represents right holders before the Office in trademark matters; to act in that capacity, the attorney must be entered in the register (SMK Article 160(1)).
The firm and the attorney may or may not sit within the same organization. Some firms work with registered attorneys on their own staff; others merely act as intermediaries and pass your file on to an attorney you do not know. The first half of the selection process is making that distinction clear.
Applicants domiciled in Turkey can also carry out their procedures themselves, whereas those domiciled abroad can only be represented before the Office by a trademark or patent attorney (SMK Article 160(3)). What a trademark attorney is, when one is mandatory and how a power of attorney is granted are a separate subject, which we cover in our article what is a trademark attorney in Turkey. This guide focuses on how to choose the right one once you have decided to work with an attorney.
Authority and Team: Who Will Handle Your File?
The first three questions make the person behind your file visible. Asking for the answers in writing also lays the groundwork for all the questions that follow.
1. Is the person handling the file listed in the TÜRKPATENT attorney register?
This is the easiest question to verify. On the "Vekil Araştırma" (attorney search) page of TÜRKPATENT's website, you can search by city, attorney name or firm name to find the attorneys entered in the Register of Patent and Trademark Attorneys. Ask the firm for the name of the attorney who will appear on your file and look that person up in the list yourself.
The law defines the two titles separately: a trademark attorney represents clients in matters of trademarks, designs, geographical indications and traditional product names, while a patent attorney does so for patents, utility models and designs (SMK Article 2). For a trademark file, the title you are looking for is trademark attorney.
2. Who actually prepares the application?
The person who handles the sales conversation and the person who prepares the file are often different people. The questions to ask are: who prepares the mark representation, the list of goods and services and the assessment of descriptiveness, and under whose power of attorney is the application filed? Under Article 160(4) of the SMK, once an attorney has been appointed, all procedures are carried out by the attorney; the name of the person responsible for the file should therefore be written in the quote or the contract.
Never share your e-Devlet password under any circumstances. A firm that works through an attorney should not need your password to act on your behalf; authorization is given by a power of attorney, and the Office may, where it considers it necessary, ask for the original or a certified copy of the power of attorney (SMK Article 160(5)).
3. Is advice on classes and the list of goods and services provided?
Choosing class numbers and drafting the list of goods and services are different tasks. The list cannot be broadened after filing, and unused parts become open to revocation after five years; a good firm therefore does not ask "how many classes would you like?" but "what will you be selling over the next three to five years?" The quote should state who will choose the classes and draft the list, and through what kind of consultation. We have gathered filing-strategy errors such as those involving the list and ownership in our article on trademark registration mistakes; asking a firm what routine it has in place against these mistakes is a good test.
Scope and Price: What Should the Quote Say?
Four questions reveal what a quote actually covers. Two quotes can only be compared on price if the answers to these four questions are the same.
4. Is a preliminary search included, and are the results given in writing?
A preliminary search is the work done before filing to assess identical and similar trademarks, pending applications and the descriptiveness of the name. Ask whether the search covers only the exact spelling or also phonetic and figurative similarity, and whether the results come with a risk assessment. A spoken "there seems to be no problem" is not a report. We explain what a professional report should contain in our article on the trademark search report.
5. Are the official fees shown separately from the service fee?
The total cost has two components: the official fees paid to TÜRKPATENT and the firm's service fee. The official fees are set by the fee schedule and are the same at every firm; the real difference between quotes lies only in the service fee. Under TÜRKPATENT's 2026 trademark fee schedule, the official total for a two-class application, including the application and registration fees, is 2,820 + 2,820 + 7,010 = TRY 12,650.
For an item-by-item breakdown, see our article on trademark registration fees in Turkey 2026. Current amounts should always be checked against the TÜRKPATENT fee schedule, which is updated every year, and official fees do not include an attorney's service fee. Ask for the quote to state clearly the number of classes, whether the registration fee (item 02.01.03) is included, which item VAT applies to, and who will pay the official fees.
6. What happens if an opposition is filed, and is there an extra charge?
After the application is published in the Official Trademark Bulletin, third parties can file an opposition within two months (SMK Article 18), and the Office can also refuse the application in part or in full. These two scenarios are where quotes differ most from one another.
The question to ask is: are preparing a response to an opposition, requesting proof of use from the opponent where appropriate (SMK Article 19(2)) and appealing a refusal decision within two months (SMK Article 20) included in the price, and if not, what do they cost? Also bear in mind that a separate official fee is paid to the Office for an appeal against a decision.
7. Are the contract and refund terms in writing?
The service should be governed by a written contract setting out the scope, the fees, the payment schedule, the refund terms and how the power of attorney relationship ends. Under Article 161(4) of the SMK, fees paid to TÜRKPATENT are not refunded unless otherwise provided; any refund is therefore a guarantee the firm takes on under the contract, and its scope depends entirely on that contract. We cover in detail what can and cannot be recovered after a refusal in our article on whether fees are refunded if a trademark is refused.
If a firm offers a refund guarantee, read its terms: which type of refusal does it cover, is a preliminary search a precondition, does the refusal decision have to become final, and which payments are refunded? At Webx, this guarantee is offered through a money-back application model whose terms are set out openly on its own page.
Process Management: How Will Your File Be Tracked?
Most rights lost after an application has been filed are lost for administrative rather than legal reasons, that is, because of a missed notification or a letter passed on too late. Two questions measure that risk.
8. Who tracks official notifications, and how are they passed on to you?
Once an attorney has been appointed, a notification to the attorney counts as a notification to you (SMK Article 160(4)). An electronic notification is deemed served at the end of the tenth day following the day the document was placed in the electronic mailbox, even if the document is never opened (SMK Article 160(6)). In other words, if a firm passes a notification on to you late, the time you have to respond shrinks as well.
The questions to ask are: within how many days, and through which channel (email, SMS, client portal), is a letter from the Office passed on to you, how much time is left for you to respond, and who makes the decision?
9. What are the communication and reporting arrangements?
You should not have to call the firm to find out what stage your file is at. Under a good arrangement, the application number is shared on the day of filing, the status of the file (examination, publication, opposition period, registration) is reported whenever the stage changes, and there is a single contact responsible for the file. You can also track your file with its application number in the Office's own systems; the firm's reporting should complement that record, not replace it.
After Registration and Growth: What Does the Firm Offer in the Long Run?
The registration certificate is not the end of the process but the beginning of a ten-year term of protection. The last three questions measure the firm's role during that period and how verifiable its claims are.
10. What happens after registration: renewal and watch?
Ask whether the expiry date of protection is tracked, whether you are reminded when the renewal window opens, and whether the Official Trademark Bulletin is monitored regularly for similar applications. These services do not have to be included in the filing quote, but whether the firm offers them, and how it prices them, should be known from the start. We explain why monitoring is necessary in our article on trademark watch, and the renewal procedure in our guide on how to renew a trademark.
11. Can the firm handle filings abroad?
If you plan to export or sell abroad, ask whether the firm files under the Madrid Protocol and whom it works with if an opposition is filed in the target country. The six-month priority period running from the date of the first Turkish application makes that capability important from the outset. Under TÜRKPATENT's 2026 fee schedule, the fee for transmitting an international application to WIPO is TRY 3,850 (item 02.01.19); the fees for the designated countries are paid separately. We summarize the options on our international trademark registration page.
12. References and transparency: what can you verify?
Judge references by verifiable information rather than by what you are told: the firm's registered trade name and address, the register entry of the attorney who will work on your file, a sample contract and the fee items. Published client reviews can give you an idea, but client numbers or success rates whose source and method of calculation are not stated are not a criterion. Under Article 22(3) of the SMK, the register is public; if a firm cites a trademark as a reference, you can check the status of the record yourself using its application number.
Red Flags: Which Promises Should You Avoid?
Even one of the following signs is reason enough to question a quote again:
- A promise that "registration is guaranteed": the registration decision depends on the Office's examination and on third-party oppositions; no firm can guarantee the outcome. A refund of fees subject to written terms in the event of refusal is a different matter.
- A single all-in price: if official fees and the service fee are not separated, you cannot see what you are paying for or check it against the fee schedule.
- No attorney named: a setup that will not say whose name will appear on the file, or that works through an intermediary who is not an attorney.
- A request for your e-Devlet password: authorization is given by a power of attorney, not by a password.
- Pressure to "file right away" without a search: filing the same day may look like speed, but it leaves the risk of refusal entirely with you.
- Vagueness about opposition and registration fees: an answer of "we will discuss it if needed" postpones the most uncertain part of the cost.
- Working without a contract: a service whose scope, refunds and termination are not in writing leaves you with nothing to rely on in a dispute.
How Do You Compare Quotes Side by Side?
Compare quotes on scope before price. The table below summarizes what a strong and a weak quote look like on each criterion:
| Criterion | Strong quote | Weak quote |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney | The attorney on the file is named and can be verified in the register | No attorney named, only "our expert team" |
| Preliminary search | Defined scope, results given with a risk assessment | A spoken "no problem" |
| Fees | Official fees and service fee shown separately; number of classes and registration fee specified | A single "all-inclusive" price |
| Oppositions and refusals | Responses and appeals included, or their cost stated in advance | "We will look at it if needed" |
| Notifications | Time frame and channel for passing them on are in writing | Unclear |
| After registration | Renewal reminders and a watch option defined | The relationship ends with the certificate |
| Contract and refunds | Written contract, refund terms clear | No contract, or unclear refund terms |
| Abroad | The Madrid route and the process in target countries can be explained | "We will see later" |
Ask the firm in writing about every row left blank. A row that goes unanswered usually means that part of the service is not included in the quote.
How Do You Run the Selection Process Step by Step?
For the comparison to be fair, give every firm the same information and ask them all the same questions:
- Prepare a summary: set out your trademark, your field of business and your three-to-five-year plan on a single page.
- Verify the attorney: ask each shortlisted firm for the name of the attorney who will work on your file and check it against TÜRKPATENT's attorney list.
- Request written quotes: for the same scope, with the number of classes, the official fees and the service fee shown separately.
- Compare using the table: fill in the eight criteria above and ask about any row left blank.
- Read the contract: make sure the scope, opposition fees, refund terms and the ending of the power of attorney are clear before you sign.
- Check the filing: ask for the application number on the day of filing and look at the file in the Office's system yourself at least once.
If you are not happy with your choice, you can also change your attorney during the process, but making a change while a deadline is running is risky. That is why choosing the right trademark registration firm is best done at the start, when it is cheapest and easiest.
Conclusion
Key takeaways:
- First check: is the person handling the file a trademark attorney listed in the TÜRKPATENT attorney register?
- Official fees are the same at every firm; compare quotes only on the service fee and the scope.
- The preliminary search, oppositions, tracking of notifications and post-registration work should be written into the quote.
- A promise to guarantee registration is a red flag; a refund guarantee subject to written terms is something else.
- Do not share your e-Devlet password; authorization is given by a power of attorney.
- Give every firm the same information and set their answers side by side in the same table.
Would you like to test our quote against these 12 questions?
Webx works with trademark attorneys authorized before TÜRKPATENT. For trademark registration in Turkey, our quote shows the official fees and the service fee as separate items, we share the result of the free preliminary search with you before filing, and you can follow the stages of your file in your client portal. Ask us the 12 questions above as well: send your trademark and field of business through our contact page, and we will send the answers together with a written quote.
