Trademark registration is an important step for any business that seeks to officially protect its name, logo, or other designation from being copied by unfair competitors. Standard trademark registration takes almost two years, and not all entrepreneurs are satisfied with such timelines. For those who cannot wait that long, an accelerated trademark registration procedure is available, which usually takes about 7–8 months.
Attention! At present, the accelerated trademark registration service in Ukraine is unavailable — it may be resumed after the end of martial law. Therefore, everyone currently has to go through the standard registration procedure.
When is accelerated trademark registration needed?
Urgent trademark registration may be required in many situations. Here are just a few of them:
Obtaining a .ua domain name.
To register a .ua domain, a registered trademark whose name matches the domain name is required. If a business plans a quick project launch or marketing campaign, the long registration process may delay market entry.
Contribution of a trademark to the authorized capital to increase business value.
A trademark is an intangible asset that can be contributed to a company’s authorized capital, but this is only possible after official registration. If investment attraction or company sale is planned, the accelerated procedure allows all necessary documents to be completed more quickly.
Granting a license to use the trademark to another individual or legal entity.
To transfer rights for the temporary use of a trademark to partners or distributors, the company must have legally confirmed ownership rights. Accelerated registration makes it possible to quickly formalize a license and start profitable cooperation without legal risks.
Going to court in case of trademark infringement.
Attorney Anton Shukhnin reminds that a lawsuit for illegal use of a brand or a similar designation can be filed only after obtaining a trademark certificate. If a competitor is already violating your rights, accelerated registration allows you to obtain legal grounds for protection as soon as possible and minimize potential losses.
Entering international markets.
Accelerated registration in Ukraine makes it possible to start the international trademark registration process faster and scale the business.
Disadvantages of accelerated registration
Despite the many advantages of accelerated trademark registration, it also has certain drawbacks. First, the cost of the service increases significantly. Second, the need for fast preparation raises the risk of errors, which may lead to the application being returned or rejected. Third, if the application is rejected, the fees paid will be lost, and the time spent will be wasted.
How does accelerated trademark registration work?
Regardless of whether the trademark is registered under the standard or accelerated procedure, the structure of the process remains the same. The key difference lies in the timelines: under the accelerated procedure, the application does not wait its turn in the general queue, and each stage of review is completed more quickly.
Let us consider the main stages of the trademark registration process:
Search and preliminary analysis of the designation.
At this stage, the selected name or logo is checked for uniqueness. Similarity or identity with already registered trademarks may result in refusal of registration.
Preparation and filing of the application.
The applicant determines the Nice Classification classes in which the trademark will be used, prepares its description, adds images if it is a graphic mark, and submits the documents to UKRNOIVI, the national authority responsible for intellectual property rights protection.
Formal examination.
The correctness of the documents, compliance with formal legal requirements, and proof of payment of the application fee are checked. If deficiencies are found, the applicant is requested to correct them.
Substantive (qualification) examination.
This is the key stage during which the trademark’s uniqueness and compliance with mandatory registration criteria are assessed. Experts analyze whether the mark is identical or confusingly similar to already registered or pending trademarks and whether it may mislead consumers.
Decision on registration.
If the designation meets all requirements, UKRNOIVI issues a decision to register the trademark.
Payment of fees, publication, and receipt of the certificate.
From this moment, the trademark is considered registered and acquires official legal status.
Advice from Anton Shukhnin
After registering a trademark, it is important not to stop there but to actively maintain its legal protection. First of all, you should regularly monitor new registrations in the relevant register to promptly detect attempts by competitors to register similar marks. If violations are discovered, contact antimonopoly authorities or file a lawsuit.
In addition, do not forget about the limited validity period of a trademark, which is 10 years. It can be renewed an unlimited number of times, but you should take care of this in advance — at least six months before expiration. If you plan to scale your business and enter international markets, it is also worth considering trademark registration in other countries under the Madrid System.
Conclusions
Accelerated trademark registration is an effective mechanism that allows businesses to obtain legal brand protection faster, optimize market entry, and minimize the risks of unfair competition.
Despite the additional costs, urgent registration can be a worthwhile investment. Prepare thoroughly before filing an application on your own or seek assistance from an experienced lawyer who can help avoid mistakes and speed up the process — and your business will receive the protection it needs exactly when it matters for brand development.