New United Kingdom government fees have applied since 1 April 2026. A direct United Kingdom application now costs GBP 205 for one class and GBP 60 for each further class, and renewal is GBP 245 for one class plus GBP 60 for each further class. The change also reset the individual fee the United Kingdom charges when you cover it through WIPO's Madrid System (the Madrid Protocol). European Union coverage through WIPO was not touched: it follows European Union trademark law and WIPO's rules, not the United Kingdom schedule.
We file international applications through WIPO and direct national applications for brands every week. Here is the practical plan we use with clients who want coverage in both the United Kingdom and the European Union: what the United Kingdom now costs, when the WIPO route fits better than a direct filing, and how to keep the European Union track on its own rails.
What changed on 1 April 2026 for United Kingdom trademark fees?
The United Kingdom government revised its intellectual property fees under the Intellectual Property Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments, Revocation and Transitional Provisions) Rules 2026. The old rates applied through 31 March 2026; the new rates apply to everything filed from 1 April 2026. For trademarks the headline figures are:
- Application: GBP 205 for one class, GBP 60 for each further class.
- Renewal: GBP 245 for one class, GBP 60 for each further class, every 10 years.
- Opposition (form TM7): GBP 125 on sections 5(1) and 5(2) only, GBP 250 with any other ground.
- Recording an assignment (form TM16): GBP 60.
International registrations that cover the United Kingdom are affected too. When you choose the United Kingdom in an international application, add it to an existing international registration, or renew an international registration that covers it, WIPO collects an individual fee for the United Kingdom set in Swiss francs. That individual fee tracks the United Kingdom's national schedule, so it moved with the April change. WIPO's fee calculator shows the current amount for any combination of countries and classes.
Does the United Kingdom change affect European Union coverage through WIPO's Madrid System?
No. Within WIPO's Madrid System, the United Kingdom is a single country you choose. The European Union is a region you choose, governed by European Union trademark law and WIPO's rules. The United Kingdom schedule does not govern the fees for the European Union or its practice.
For reference, a direct European Union application at the EUIPO costs EUR 850 for one class, EUR 50 for the second, and EUR 150 for each further class, and one registration covers all 27 Member States. If you plan to cover both the United Kingdom and the European Union, treat them as two parallel tracks with different fee schedules and different examination practice. Our EU trademark service covers the direct route.
Who is affected and which filings are in scope?
Anyone who covers the United Kingdom through WIPO's Madrid System, and anyone filing directly at the UKIPO. That includes:
- International applications that include the United Kingdom.
- The United Kingdom added later to an existing international registration.
- Renewals of international registrations where the United Kingdom individual fee applies.
- Direct United Kingdom applications, renewals, oppositions, and recorded changes filed at the UKIPO.
Before you finalize a budget, confirm the treatment of each filing in the official UKIPO fee tables or the WIPO calculator.
WIPO's Madrid System or a direct United Kingdom filing: which is cheaper now?
The answer depends on how many countries you need, not on the United Kingdom fee alone.
A direct United Kingdom filing makes sense when:
- The United Kingdom is the only country you are adding, or one of two.
- You want the fastest route to a UKIPO examiner. A clean direct application often registers in about four months.
- You do not have a home trademark to build an international application on, or your home trademark is not yet secure. An international registration depends on the home trademark for five years.
- You need flexibility to draft the United Kingdom specification differently from your home trademark.
Covering the United Kingdom through WIPO's Madrid System makes sense when:
- You are already filing an international application for three or more countries and want one form, one currency, and one renewal date.
- You own an international registration and can add the United Kingdom to it without a new home trademark.
- Centralized management matters more than a few weeks of speed.
Either way, owners outside the United Kingdom need an address for service there, and an international registration that meets an objection or an opposition at the UKIPO needs a representative in the United Kingdom to answer it. Our United Kingdom trademark service provides the address for service on both routes: our team files directly with the UKIPO and answers any objection or opposition. Our International Trademark Application via WIPO service prepares the international application and chooses the countries and regions with you. Current package prices are on our pricing page.
How should you plan adding countries and regions later, and European Union coverage?
- If the United Kingdom is a must-have country in the next 12 months, add it now, by direct filing or by adding it to your international registration, provided the specification is ready and the trademark is cleared for the United Kingdom.
- If the United Kingdom is a nice-to-have, do not force a weak or unvetted specification. A refusal costs more than the fee you were trying to save.
- Keep the European Union plan separate. Decide between covering the European Union through WIPO and a direct European Union application based on your clearance, classes, and risk tolerance. The United Kingdom change does not alter that analysis. For process detail, see our guides to the two systems: How to Register a UK Trademark: Complete 2026 Guide and How to Register an EU Trademark (EUTM): Complete 2026 Guide.
A tip from our experienced attorneys' recent international applications: filings most often trip on mismatched owner names or addresses across the home trademark, the WIPO form, and supporting documents. Fixing that after the fact costs more than any fee difference between routes.
What about renewals and portfolio budgeting?
International registrations renew on a 10-year cycle. Where the United Kingdom individual fee applies at renewal, the current schedule sets the amount. Direct United Kingdom registrations renew at GBP 245 for one class plus GBP 60 for each further class.
Budgeting steps we use with in-house teams:
- Group renewals by month and flag every registration that covers the United Kingdom, direct or through WIPO.
- Price each at the current United Kingdom rate, then validate against the official table before finance sign-off.
- Reserve a buffer for specification clean-ups or owner updates, which add professional time even when government fees are fixed.
For European Union renewals, use the EUIPO's rules and schedule. Our overview of European Union renewal timing is here: EU Trademark Renewal: EUIPO Deadlines, Grace Periods, and Costs.
Common Pitfalls We See on United Kingdom and European Union Filings Through WIPO
- Conflating government and professional fees. WIPO and UKIPO government fees are separate from any professional fee or provider charge. Keep them on different lines.
- Filing a vague or over-broad specification. That triggers WIPO irregularity notices and United Kingdom objections.
- Leaving owner details to the last minute. Record name changes, mergers, and address updates before you file, not after.
- Assuming the European Union follows the United Kingdom change. It does not. European Union fees and practice are set under European Union law.
- Forgetting the address for service. Papers that never reach a responsible representative are how deadlines get missed.
How We Build a Filing Plan for the United Kingdom and the European Union
A typical playbook when a company wants coverage in both the United Kingdom and the European Union:
- Clear the trademark in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Lock the core goods and services per region.
- Decide the routes. WIPO's Madrid System for both, or WIPO for one and direct for the other, based on how many other countries are in the plan.
- File the home trademark first if you do not have one; the international application builds on it, and it is the source of a six-month priority claim.
- Cover the United Kingdom, through WIPO or by direct application, and the European Union, through WIPO or by direct application, within the priority window.
- Docket the renewals and set up a watch. Track United Kingdom and European Union deadlines separately.
If you own comparable UK trademarks cloned from pre-Brexit EU trademarks, coordinate renewals across both registers so you do not pay twice for overlapping rights you no longer need. Background here: Brexit Cloned Trademarks in 2026: Maintenance, Renewals, and Avoiding Dual-Filing Pitfalls. For a plain-English overview of the United Kingdom system, see our United Kingdom country guide.
Where should you verify fees?
- United Kingdom fee levels and class structures: the UKIPO's trade mark forms and fees page.
- Individual fees for the United Kingdom, the European Union, and every other member: WIPO's fee calculator.
- Government fees for a direct European Union filing: the EUIPO's fee page.
Avoid vendor or aggregator summaries for fee amounts. Many mix government fees with service charges or quote figures that are out of date.
We are an attorney-led team that files international applications through WIPO and direct national or regional applications every day. If you want a plan that gets the United Kingdom and the European Union covered at the right price in the right order, we can run it start to finish.
Related reading:
- How to Register a UK Trademark: Complete 2026 Guide
- How to Register an EU Trademark (EUTM): Complete 2026 Guide
- EU Trademark Renewal: EUIPO Deadlines, Grace Periods, and Costs
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the new United Kingdom government fees take effect?
On 1 April 2026. The old rates applied only up to and including 31 March 2026.
What does a United Kingdom trademark cost now?
A direct United Kingdom application is GBP 205 for one class and GBP 60 for each further class. Renewal is GBP 245 for one class plus GBP 60 for each further class, every 10 years. Opposition is GBP 125 or GBP 250, depending on the grounds.
Which international applications and registrations are affected by the United Kingdom fee change?
Those that cover the United Kingdom: international applications that include it, existing international registrations it is added to, and renewals where the United Kingdom individual fee applies. WIPO's fee calculator shows the current individual fee.
Are the United Kingdom and the European Union treated the same in WIPO's Madrid System?
No. The United Kingdom is a single country, with fees set under United Kingdom law. The European Union is a region, governed by European Union trademark law and WIPO rules. A direct European Union application costs EUR 850 for one class.
Is it cheaper to cover the United Kingdom through WIPO's Madrid System or to file directly?
For one or two countries, direct filing is usually simpler and faster. For three or more countries, an international application that includes the United Kingdom usually saves on paperwork and gives one renewal date. We compare both for every client.
