Before buying a trademark, find out who owns it
Who the recorded proprietor is, how long it remains in force, which classes and territories it covers, and whether any proceedings are pending. The same for a domain name.
Why verification matters
A registered trademark is not a file you transfer: it is a right recorded in a public register, with a proprietor, specific classes, a territory and an expiry date. Buying one without checking its registry status means taking on risks that are not visible at a glance.
The proprietor shown in the public database may have changed without the assignment being recorded. The mark may be in force yet not cover the class you actually need. There may be an opposition or a revocation action under way. Or it may be a lapsed sign still within the window in which its former owner can restore it.
Domains raise similar issues. Since the GDPR came into force, registrant details are usually redacted in WHOIS, and a domain that looks free may be in its redemption period, locked by the registrar, or tied to someone else’s trademark that would prevent normal use.
What we check
On a trademark
- Recorded proprietor and chain of assignments
- File status and expiry date
- Nice classes and territories covered
- Oppositions, appeals and invalidity actions
- Recorded charges, licences and seizures
- Earlier similar signs in related classes
On a domain
- Registrant and registrar details
- Creation, renewal and expiry dates
- Status: active, in redemption or locked
- Ownership history
- Registered trademarks matching the name
- Risk of conflict over third-party trademark use
How we work
Tell us what to look at
The name of the sign, the file number if you have it, or the domain. That is enough to start.
We search the official databases
We query the Spanish, EU and WIPO registers, along with domain records and their histories.
You get an interpreted report
Not a data dump: what we found, what it means for your case, and which risks remain open.
You decide with evidence
If the asset convinces you, we can support the purchase and the recordal of the assignment.
We can also act as intermediary
In a private sale someone always has to move first, and moving first is what makes people hesitate. We can sit in the middle as guarantors: we verify the asset is what it is claimed to be, we hold the process, and we handle the recordal of the assignment before the relevant office. Neither side is left exposed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check whether a trademark is registered myself?
Yes. The Spanish, EU and WIPO offices all have free public search tools. What they do not resolve is interpretation: whether a similar mark in a related class is a genuine risk, whether there are live oppositions, whether the recorded proprietor is still current, or whether a lapsed mark is still within its restoration window. That is where a professional report earns its keep.
How is this different from a feasibility search?
Verification looks backwards: what is registered right now over a given sign and who owns it. A feasibility search looks forwards: whether a mark you intend to file stands a chance of being granted without colliding with earlier rights. If your goal is to register something new, that is the service you want.
Can you find out who is behind a domain with redacted details?
Since the GDPR, most WHOIS records hide the registrant’s personal data. The real owner can sometimes be reached through other routes — historical records, registrar contact forms, correspondence via the registrar — but not always and not immediately. We tell you what we were able to establish and what we were not.
What does acting as intermediary mean?
A private sale has a trust problem: whoever pays first risks not receiving the asset, and whoever assigns first risks not being paid. We sit in the middle: we verify the asset is what it claims to be, we hold the process, and nothing is released until both sides have performed.
How long does it take and what does it cost?
The report costs €49 and includes a search of the OEPM, EUIPO and WIPO registers, as well as an analysis of the results. If you provide us with the file number or the exact name of the trade mark, we will deliver it within 24 hours. If you only have the name of the proprietor, we can still locate it, although this may take a little longer.
Does verification guarantee I can use the mark?
It greatly reduces the risk, but no report can guarantee it outright. Unregistered rights exist — trade names with proven use, company names, well-known marks — that do not appear in the databases. The report sets out the risks we identified and those we cannot rule out.
Request a verification
Tell us the sign, file number or domain you want checked.