iponz.govt.nz Apply For Trade Mark New Zealand : Intellectual Property Office

Name of the Organization : Intellectual Property Office
Type of Facility : Apply For Trade Mark
Country : New Zealand

Website : http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/trade-marks

Apply For Trade Mark :

A trade mark is a unique identifier, often referred to as a “brand” or “logo”. Once a trade mark is registered, the ® symbol may be used with the trade mark.

Related : Intellectual Property Office Apply For Patent New Zealand : www.statusin.org/6905.html

Trade marks can include words, logos, colours, shapes, sounds, smells – or any combination of these. Two examples of commonly recognised trade marks are shown below – they have become valuable assets for the business that registered them

Why register a trade mark?:

For a modest cost, registering a trade mark protects your investment in that mark and offers these additional benefits:
** You gain the exclusive right to use the trade mark throughout New Zealand to promote the goods and/or services that it covers.
** You can use the ® symbol with the trade mark to show others that it is a registered mark.
** The legal protection for a registered trade mark will deter others from trying to imitate your brand or benefit from its success.
** Your mark is registered on the publicly searchable IPONZ trade mark database. Other businesses intending to register the same or a similar trade mark can see that your mark is protected.
** You can sue for infringement if a business or person uses the same or a ‘confusingly similar’ mark on the same or similar goods/services.
** The registration process helps to ensure that you will not infringe on the rights of a similar registered mark.
** Once your mark is successfully registered, you are protected from others claiming you may be infringing their mark.
** A registered trade mark adds value to your business in the form of ‘goodwill’ that can increase substantially over time as the mark becomes established in the market.
** As your registered and protected property, you can sell or assign the trade mark to another person or business, or license its use to other parties

How to apply for a trade mark:
You can apply for a trade mark by completing the online application form and paying the prescribed fee.

Once submitted, your application to register a trade mark will be examined to ensure it complies with all requirements of the Trade Marks Act 2002.

Apply Here : http://www.iponz.govt.nz/cms/trade-marks/how-to-apply-for-a-trade-mark

Preparation:
You need to prepare a clear description of the trade mark. If your trade mark has a special shape, colour or font (for example, a business logo), then ensure you have a suitable image to accompany your application. You can attach an image of the trade mark saved as a JPG, GIF or a TIF file (ensure you can locate the file on your computer for insertion).

You will also need:
** To become a registered user to our website, this gives you access to IPONZ’s case management facility that will help you manage your intellectual property (IP) via our website. There are no joining or maintenance fees. Read more on how to become a registered user. If you already have a username and password with other Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment websites such as New Zealand Companies Office you will be able to use this to access our site.
** A list of the goods and/or services you market, or intend to market, under the desired trade mark.

Cost :

An application to register a trade mark in one class costs NZ$150.00 exclusive GST. Since the fee is non-refundable, it is important to complete your research first, particularly these two steps:

Review the How to check for existing trade marks section to ensure your desired trade mark is not already registered or is not ‘confusingly similar’ to an existing trade mark. Note: you can request IPONZ to conduct a search for you at a cost of NZ$40.00 exclusive GST per class.

Review some reasons for trade mark rejection to reduce the chance of your application being rejected. Note: you can request preliminary advice from IPONZ on the suitability of the trade mark at a cost of NZ$40.00 exclusive GST per class before you submit your application.

Contact Details:
When completing the Name field, if you are acting ‘in your own right’ your IPONZ user account details will be shown as the Applicant details. You are able to change these details by selecting EDIT on the right side of the address.

If you are acting ‘As an agent’ then your Agent details will be uploaded from your IPONZ user account and the Applicant can be searched and selected from your listed clients.