1. How long does it take?
We normally take one or two days to register a trademark. If it is urgent, we can do it in one day.
The processing time at the patent office varies according to demand. Patents are normally registered within three to six months of submission.
2. When is the trademark protected?
If subsequently registered, a trademark is protected from the application date.
3. What does it cost?
See the main registration page for prices. Note that our price includes the patent office's fee for three product/service classes.
4. How long does the protection last?
A trademark is valid for ten years from the date of registration. It may be renewed as many times as the business wishes. A request for renewal of a trademark can be submitted from one year before the expiration date and up to six months after the expiration date.
5. What are the requirements for trademark registration?
The name must be distinctive and not likely to be confused with other registered trademarks or company names. Descriptive words may not be registered. The more "fantastic" the name is, the stronger the protection. E.g. Amazon for an online store (for books etc.) is a very strong brand.
6. What do TM and ® mean? And may I use them?
These indicators originated in trademark legislation in the United States. They stand for Trademark and Registered respectively. They have no formal function under Norwegian law, but may indicate that the holder of the trademark claims exclusive right to the word or brand, so they can play a significant role.
In Norway these indicators are not necessary for the protection of a trademark. You can choose to use TM to indicate that you believe you have a trademark. If you have registered a trademark in Norway or another country, you can use ® initially. Continued use of ® may represent a violation of the Norwegian Marketing Act, however.
7. Does Norwegian registration provide protection abroad?
No. Trademark protection in Norway applies only to Norway. You can apply for protection in other countries by submitting a Madrid Application.
Read more about the Madrid application here.
8. How do you learn if a trademark is already in use?
We can perform a copyright clearance, in which we investigate whether the name contravenes other rights, such as company names or domains.
9. Why do I need to reveal which goods and services I wish to use the trademark for?
Two trademarks can be confused only if they apply to goods and services of the same or similar type. In order to determine whether two brands can be confused, we must look at how similar the products/brands are.
10. Can I mortgage my trademarks?
Yes. Trademark rights (and many other intellectual property rights) are operating assets. Operating assets can be mortgaged and will have legal protection; the mortgage is noted on the owner's file in the Register of Mortgaged Movable Property.
11. Who gets the rights to the brand if a company goes bankrupt?
Trademark rights are part of a company's assets. In the event of bankruptcy, trademark rights will be considered assets of the bankrupt estate and will be distributed among creditors.
12. What is the difference between a company name, a trademark and a domain name?
A company name is the name of a business. The company name is registered primarily in the Register of Business Enterprises; it can also be registered as a trademark with the Patent Office (see question 13).
A trademark is a hallmark of business' products or services and is registered with the Patent Office. Registration of a trademark implies that it has national exclusive rights to the trademark for the products and services it has registered.
A domain name is an address on the Internet; it may feature certain, distinct characteristics of the goods and services' offered on the internet. Domain names can be registered under the .no domain with Norid. Registration includes exclusive rights to use this internet address, but does not confer legal rights in other areas.
13. Can I get a patent on the company name?
The term patent applies only to exclusive rights involving technical innovations.
A trademark registration can provide you with exclusive rights to a company name. (Formerly known as the firm name.) Registration of a business name ensures that no one can apply for or register an identical business name. For a company name to be protected, it must meet the requirements of the Trademark Act.
Find out more about trademark registration.
14. Can I include mortgage rights in the trademark register?
No. Legal protection for mortgaged trademarks can only be achieved by including the mortgage in the Register of Mortgaged Movable Property.
For any further questions please contact us...
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