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How to Protect a Trademark or Brand in Poland

A brand is a key intangible asset of any business. A company name, logo, and visual identity shape customer trust, brand recognition, and overall market value. Registering a trademark in Poland is the only lawful way to secure exclusive rights to a brand. It also protects it against copying, misuse, and unfair competition.

ONE PLUS is a specialist in trademark registration in Poland and across the European Union. We verify designations, assess refusal risks, and register trademarks in strict compliance with applicable patent and intellectual property legislation.

In this article, you will learn how trademark registration in Poland works, where it can be filed, how much time and cost it involves, and which mistakes most often lead to refusal.

Trademark Registration and Brand Protection

Legal Protection of the Brand and Exclusive Rights

A registered trademark grants its owner exclusive rights to use the designation within specific classes of goods and services. This means that third parties are not legally entitled to use identical or confusingly similar names, logos, or visual elements without the consent of the rights holder.

Trademark registration protects a business against imitation and counterfeiting, reduces the risk of unfair competition, and significantly simplifies the enforcement of rights before courts and public authorities. The patent office officially confirms ownership of the brand. As a result, this strengthens the company’s legal position.

Business Value Growth

A registered trademark is a fully fledged intangible asset. It can be sold, licensed, or used in business expansion, franchising, and investment attraction.

For this reason, entrepreneurs increasingly register their brands at an early stage of business development. ONE PLUS provides comprehensive support throughout the entire process. This support covers everything from preliminary verification to obtaining the trademark certificate.

Trademark Registration in Poland: What Can Be Registered

A trademark is a designation that allows consumers to distinguish the goods or services of one entrepreneur from those of others. In Poland, registrable trademarks include word marks (company names, product names, and service names), logos and graphic elements, advertising slogans, packaging shapes or product appearance, as well as sound, color, and multimedia elements, provided statutory requirements are met.

A trademark is an independent object of industrial property and does not replace patents or the registration of industrial designs.

Where a Trademark Can Be Registered: Poland, the EU, and International Protection

Poland — Patent Office (UPRP)

National registration is carried out through the Polish Patent Office (Urząd Patentowy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej). Protection applies exclusively within the territory of Poland and is suitable for companies operating primarily on the domestic market.

European Union — EUIPO

Registration through EUIPO provides unified legal protection of a brand across all 27 EU Member States. This is an optimal solution for businesses targeting the European market.

International Registration — WIPO

International trademark protection is obtained through the WIPO system based on a Polish or EU application. This format allows applicants to select specific countries for brand protection outside the European Union.

At this stage, choosing the correct registration strategy is particularly important. ONE PLUS analyzes the client’s business objectives and helps register trademarks with optimal territorial coverage and without unnecessary costs.

Stages of Trademark Registration in Poland

Brand Verification and Legal Analysis

A professional search is conducted in national and international registers to identify identical or similar trademarks and to assess the risk of refusal due to lack of distinctiveness.

Preparation and Filing of the Application

The application is prepared, appropriate classes of goods and services are selected in accordance with the Nice Classification, and the documents are filed with the patent office.

Examination by the Authority

The patent office conducts formal and substantive examination, verifying whether the application complies with statutory requirements.

Registration and Grant of Protection

If the decision is positive, the trademark is registered for a period of 10 years with the possibility of renewal. In certain cases, opposition or invalidation procedures may apply.

Duration of Trademark Registration Procedures

In Poland, the procedure usually takes between 4 and 9 months.

Registration with EUIPO takes on average 6–9 months.

International registration takes between 6 and 12 months, depending on the selected countries.

Trademark Registration Costs

In Poland (UPRP)

Filing an application in one class — 400 PLN.
Each additional class — 120 PLN.
Protection for 10 years — 400 PLN per class.
Publication fee — 90 PLN regardless of the number of classes.

In the European Union (EUIPO)

First class — 850 EUR.
Second class — 50 EUR.
Each additional class — 150 EUR.

Most Common Reasons for Trademark Registration Refusal

A refusal may occur if the trademark lacks distinctiveness, misleads consumers, violates public order, or conflicts with an earlier registered designation.

Professional preliminary verification significantly reduces these risks. This is precisely the stage at which ONE PLUS begins its work.

Is It Possible to Register Any Company Name?

Not every name can be registered as a trademark. The designation must be unique and distinctive. Descriptive and generic names are generally rejected by the patent office.

Difference Between a Trademark and Copyright

Copyright protects works automatically and does not require registration. A trademark protects a brand and requires mandatory registration with the patent office. Copyright protects content, while a trademark protects the commercial identity of a business.

We Help Register Trademarks in Poland

ONE PLUS provides full legal support for trademark registration in Poland and the European Union. We conduct preliminary brand checks, assess refusal risks, prepare and file applications, liaise with patent offices, and support clients until the registration certificate is issued.

Trademark registration through ONE PLUS is carried out in strict compliance with legal requirements and with a clear focus on protecting business interests.