UK trademark data: why the IPO's search tool isn't enough
The UK government's search only does exact text matching. Its open data is from 2018. There's no public API. Here's what UK businesses actually need.
Published 27 March 2026 · TrademarkDashboard Research
What the IPO search tool actually does
The IPO's online search accepts a text query and returns trademarks containing those exact words. What it does not do is detect phonetically similar names, visually similar marks, or conceptual matches. These are precisely the factors an IPO examiner assesses when deciding whether to accept your application.
The open data problem
The IPO published a bulk data release of the UK trademark register — a tab-separated text file. The last update was in February 2018. Seven years of filings, registrations, oppositions, and expirations are missing.
“The Intellectual Property Office does not at present provide an API for bulk data retrieval of the trade mark database.”— UK IPO, Freedom of Information response FOI-2016-489
How the UK compares to the US and EU
The USPTO provides free bulk downloads and API access. The EUIPO offers open APIs via TMview. The UK IPO has neither — its only bulk release is from 2018, and it has confirmed no API is available. The UK's approach to IP data openness lags behind both the US and EU.
USPTO & EUIPO
Free bulk data downloads, public APIs, regular updates, machine-readable formats, comprehensive developer documentation.
UK IPO
No public API (confirmed via FOI). Last bulk data release: 2018. Exact text matching only. Tab-separated text format. No developer docs.
What UK businesses actually need
A useful trademark search needs four things the IPO's tool doesn't provide: similarity detection (phonetic, visual, conceptual), class-aware analysis, current data (not a 2018 snapshot), and plain-language risk assessment accessible to non-experts.
TrademarkDashboard does all four — free
Built on a licensed, daily-updated copy of the full UK IPO register. AI-powered similarity matching. Nice class analysis. Plain-language risk scores. No sign-up required for basic searches.
Search UK trademarks free →UK IPO trade mark application fees
A single-class application filed online with the UK IPO costs £205 (with £60 for each additional class). Fees are not refunded if the application fails — which makes pre-filing clearance checks more valuable than ever.
Frequently asked questions
Does the UK IPO have a public trademark search API?
No. The UK IPO confirmed in an FOI response that it does not provide a public API. TrademarkDashboard is building the UK's first free trademark API.
Is the UK IPO's open data release up to date?
No. The only publicly downloadable bulk dataset was last updated in February 2018. TrademarkDashboard uses a licensed FTP data feed updated daily.
What's the difference between the IPO search tool and TrademarkDashboard?
The IPO's tool searches for exact text matches only. TrademarkDashboard uses AI to detect phonetic, visual, and conceptual similarities — the same factors an IPO examiner evaluates.
Is TrademarkDashboard affiliated with the UK government?
No. TrademarkDashboard is an independent service operated by Moxon AI Group Ltd using UK IPO data licensed under RPSI 2015 and OGL v3.0.
Related: Search UK trademarks free · UK trademark opposition timeline
The data gap is real. The solution is free.
UK businesses deserve the same data access as the US and EU. Search the complete, current UK trademark register — with AI-powered similarity matching.