# Trademark clearance search

Source: https://luatbanquyen.com/en/services/trademark-clearance-search · Updated: 2026-08-28

Checks the mark you intend to file against existing applications and registrations, and flags refusal or opposition risk before you spend money on the application.

Most trademark applications are refused because the mark is identical or confusingly similar to an earlier mark covering the same goods or services. Official fees are not refunded, so a clearance search is the cheapest point at which to stop the loss.

- **Who may perform this:** Licensed industrial property representative
- **Timeline:** Typically 3–5 working days once the information is complete
- **How pricing works:** Quoted by the number of Nice classes searched and the scope of the comparison. This is a service fee, separate from official fees — the cost estimator covers only the latter.

## Deliverables

- A comparison report of similar marks in the selected Nice classes
- A refusal-risk assessment with reasons
- Recommendations to adjust the mark or the goods and services list

## What you provide

- The mark you intend to file (image file or word element)
- The goods and services the mark will be used for
- Any marks you already use or have filed before (if any)

[Registering a trademark](/en/procedures/register-a-trademark)

## Contents

- [Which procedure to use, and what it costs](/en/registration-guide/which-procedure-to-use)
- [Trademarks — the procedure that matters most to businesses](/en/industrial-property/trademarks)
- [When to engage an industrial property representative](/en/registration-guide/when-to-hire-an-ip-representative)

---

Reference material only; it does not replace legal advice on a specific matter.