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A good application starts with good research. Filing without checking whether the name you have chosen is already registered in the same or similar classes exposes you to both refusal and opposition. This category explains how a trademark search is carried out, what information is available in TÜRKPATENT records and through e-Devlet, and how to read the results you get.
Research matters after registration too: if a mark similar to yours appears among newly published applications in the bulletin, the opposition period starts to run. The trademark watch articles explain how to set that monitoring up. If you are still at the naming stage, the guide on what makes a name registrable will save you time from the very beginning.
Reading a search result means looking at three things together: in which classes an identical or similar sign is registered, whether that record is still in force (an expired or cancelled mark is not an obstacle), and how close the similarity is visually, phonetically and conceptually. Searching only for exact matches is misleading, because likelihood of confusion also arises from similar spellings, signs built on the same root and translated equivalents. The articles here show how to weigh a result on those three axes, and when changing the name before filing costs less than accepting the risk of refusal.
Knowing the limits of the free search screens is part of the research. They show registered marks and pending applications, but they do not assess similarity for you: different spellings of the same sign, names built on the same root and foreign-language equivalents will not appear side by side in the list. Similarity matters on the class side too — goods and services that can substitute for one another may be treated as related even when they sit in different classes, so "registered in another class" does not by itself mean there is no obstacle. A search ends in one of three decisions: go ahead with the name, strengthen the sign with a distinctive element, or change the name. Making that call before filing is faster and cheaper than making it after an opposition or a refusal, because official fees are not refunded and the process starts over.
When a similar trademark comes up, first determine whether the record is identical or similar, whether the goods and services overlap, what stage it is at and how old it is. Then c...
An international trademark search checks whether an identical or similar mark exists on the registers of your target markets. WIPO Global Brand Database and TMview provide a broad first screening; for a definitive picture, you need the target country's own database and a local assessment.
The Official Trademark Bulletin is the official publication in which TÜRKPATENT announces trademark applications and register entries. The date an application is published in the Bulletin starts the two-month opposition period. We explain what is published and how to read an entry using INID codes.
Most trademark search mistakes come from searching too little: checking only the exact spelling and only your own class, misreading pending applications and expired records, and overlooking logos and unregistered rights. We walk through ten mistakes, why they happen, what they cost and how to do it right.
A company name search checks trade names in the trade registry, while a trademark search checks the TÜRKPATENT trademark register. Registering a trade name does not create trademark rights, and using someone else's registered mark as a trade name can amount to infringement. Here is the difference and the right order.
A trademark search report is a written assessment in which an expert rates the risk that a brand name or logo conflicts with earlier marks or cannot be registered. A free search gives you a raw list; the report interprets that list and turns it into a filing decision.
Marks that sound the same but are spelled differently do not show up when you search for a single spelling. We cover the variants you need to search, from Turkish and foreign letter equivalents to suffixes, numerals and foreign pronunciation, with a 20-row table of fictitious names and root and wildcard techniques.
A trademark application number is the unique number TÜRKPATENT assigns to each application, identifying the file for its entire life. We explain how to read the number, where it appears, how to search by number and what to do if you do not have it.
Neither Turkish law nor TÜRKPATENT practice sets a percentage threshold for similarity that blocks registration. The score a search tool shows only measures overlap in letters, sound codes or images; the outcome is decided by visual, aural and conceptual comparison together with the similarity of goods and services.
A trademark's owner is recorded in the TÜRKPATENT register, and because the register is public, you can find out who it is free of charge. We explain the applicant field on the search screen, confirming the current owner with a register extract, foreign marks and how to reach the owner.
If a logo contains a readable word, the search starts with that word; purely figurative marks cannot be found by text at all and must be searched with Vienna Classification codes and image-similarity tools. We explain how the codes work, the search steps and how results are compared.
Every status in a trademark search result tells you how much of an obstacle that record is: files at the application, publication and registration stages block you strongly, while finally refused and lapsed records usually do not. We explain twelve statuses and their practical effect in one table.
Whether a trademark is registered in Turkey is shown by the TÜRKPATENT register, not by a ® symbol or a seller's word. We walk through six verification methods, from the public search screen to an official register extract, what each costs and what every result on screen actually means.
A good brand name is both memorable and registrable. We walk through distinctiveness levels, name-generation methods and elimination criteria step by step.
Registration is the start of protection, not the end of it. Trademark watching catches new applications that resemble your mark before the opposition window closes, so you can defend it.
Searching for trademarks through e-Devlet and TÜRKPATENT is free. We explain what each screen shows, how to interpret the results, and where their limits lie.
Is your brand name available? We explain how to search TÜRKPATENT records, what a similarity search must genuinely cover, and how to interpret what you find.
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