Brand Name & Logo Trademarks
Trademark Your Business Name, Brand, or Logo in Canada
Clearview assists with trademark applications for business names, brand names, product names, and logos, helping to protect the reputation you have built from competitors and copycats.
The Challenge
What can happen without a registered trademark.
A registered trademark protects the name you've built. Without one, anyone can use a confusingly similar name, and if they register it first, you could be the one forced to rebrand.
Someone else can register your name first
Filing first matters. A registered trademark usually gives the owner the stronger starting position, so if someone else registers your name before you do, you may have to spend significant time and money trying to take it back.
You could be forced to rebrand
If another business registers a similar name, you might have to change yours. That can mean new signage, new domains, new marketing, and new packaging.
Customers get confused
A copycat business with a similar name can steal traffic, dilute your reputation, and create confusion in the marketplace that hurts sales.
Enforcement is harder without a registration
Without a registered trademark, enforcement relies on common-law and passing-off claims, which are harder to prove and offer narrower remedies.
Worried about your brand?
The Solution
Trademark protection is simpler than you think.
Registering a trademark in Canada is a well-defined process. Clearview handles the full application from start to finish, so you can focus on running your business while Clearview protects the name behind it.
Legal ownership
A registered trademark gives you exclusive rights to use your name in connection with your goods and services across Canada.
Stop copycats
Enforceable rights make it possible to stop competitors and counterfeiters from using confusingly similar names or logos.
Brand value
Registered trademarks are assets that appear on balance sheets and contribute to business valuation, especially at sale or funding.
Peace of mind
Once registered, you can invest in marketing, signage, and packaging without worrying about a forced rebrand.
Types of Trademarks
What can you trademark in Canada?
Most things that identify your business to customers can be trademarked, not just the business name itself.
Business name
The name your customers know you by (e.g., "Clearview Counsel").
Brand name
Product or service brand names distinct from the business name.
Logos
Visual marks, with or without accompanying text.
Slogans
Short phrases associated with your brand.
Product names
Names of specific products or services you sell.
Trade dress
In some cases, distinctive packaging or visual presentation.
Name, logo, or both?
A word mark and a design mark protect different things.
Word mark
Protects the name
Covers the business or product name in any visual presentation. Usually the higher-priority filing because the name is what customers say and search.
Design mark
Protects the artwork
Covers the specific logo design. Worth adding when the visual identity is doing serious work in the brand.
For strongest protection, register both.
Transparent, Fixed-Fee Pricing
Choose the right level of protection.
Select the number of classes below to see your estimated total. Government fees are passed through at CIPO's published rates, no markups, ever.
Entry Level
Filing
For clients comfortable filing without a clearance search.
+ $640.10 CIPO gov't fee (2 classes)
≈ $1,639.10 + applicable taxes
- Trademark strategy advice
- Class & goods/services selection
- CIPO application preparation & filing
- Application monitoring through registration
- Certificate delivery
- —Comprehensive clearance search
- —Written search report
- —Rush preparation & filing
Most Common
Search + Filing
The preferred approach for most clients.
+ $640.10 CIPO gov't fee (2 classes)
≈ $2,339.10 + applicable taxes
- Trademark strategy advice
- Class & goods/services selection
- CIPO application preparation & filing
- Application monitoring through registration
- Certificate delivery
- Comprehensive clearance search
- Written search report
- —Rush preparation & filing
Fast-Track
Rush Search + Filing
For clients who need to file quickly.
+ $640.10 CIPO gov't fee (2 classes)
≈ $2,639.10 + applicable taxes
- Trademark strategy advice
- Class & goods/services selection
- CIPO application preparation & filing
- Application monitoring through registration
- Certificate delivery
- Comprehensive clearance search
- Written search report
- Rush preparation & filing
Standalone
Search Only
A comprehensive clearance search and written report, no filing. Suited to clients vetting a name before committing, or seeking a standalone clearance opinion.
- Trademark strategy advice
- Comprehensive clearance search
- Written search report
Proceed to filing within 60 days and a $100 credit applies to the filing fee, so your total matches the prices associated with the packages above.
About Examiner's Reportsv
During examination, CIPO examiners often issue non-substantive Examiner Reports requesting clarification or minor amendments, typically to the description of goods and services, formality requirements, or administrative details. These are a routine part of the Canadian trademark process and are not necessarily a sign that your application is in trouble. However, they require a timely and strategic response, and an inadequate reply can stall or jeopardize your application. If one issues, a non-substantive response is scoped and quoted up front and billed as incurred, charged only if CIPO issues a report and not bundled into the price of work you may not need.
Substantive Examiner reports, such as objections citing confusion with an existing mark, are quoted separately, and search opinions provide insight into the likelihood of receiving a substantive objection.
How Many Classes Do I Need?v
Trademarks are registered across 45 international classes, 34 covering goods and 11 covering services. Each class costs an additional government fee, so it's worth being strategic rather than filing everywhere. For many businesses, one to three classes is sufficient to protect the core of what they do. Filing in many classes might sound thorough, but it's usually unnecessary and adds significant cost without meaningful additional protection. The right classes will be recommended based on what genuinely reflects your business, no more, no less.
About Rush Filingv
The Rush Search + Filing package expedites preparation: Clearview commits to preparing and filing your application within one business day of a complete file (instructions, payment, and KYC/onboarding complete), versus a standard 3–5 business day turnaround. Filing sooner secures your filing date earlier, which can matter when you're about to launch or want to establish priority. Rush affects how quickly the application is filed, not CIPO's examination timeline, which CIPO controls. The one-business-day clock starts once onboarding (KYC and client intake) is complete, so preparation and filing begin from that point. If that window is missed, the rush premium is refunded.
Government fees are passed through at cost, exactly as charged by CIPO with no markups. Status updates and strategic advice on examiner's reports are included in every package; a formal response to a non-substantive report is billed only if CIPO issues one.
Common Situations
When small business owners reach out.
"I've been running my business for three years and never registered the name. Is it too late?"
How Clearview helps:
Not at all. Clearview can file a trademark application that establishes your rights going forward, and your prior use of the name can strengthen the application.
"I just came up with a name for my new product and want to make sure it's available before I build a brand around it."
How Clearview helps:
Clearview conducts a comprehensive clearance search before you invest in marketing or packaging, so you know whether the name is free to use.
"A competitor started using a name that's really similar to mine. What can I do?"
How Clearview helps:
If you have a registered trademark, Clearview can send a cease-and-desist letter and escalate from there. If you don't, Clearview can file an application now and assess enforcement options.
"I want to trademark my business name, but I'm not sure if I need the logo too."
How Clearview helps:
Clearview will walk you through the tradeoffs during the free consultation. For most small businesses, the name is the higher priority, but logo registration is often worth adding for complete protection.
The Process
How Clearview protects your brand.
Book a free call
A 15-minute consultation to understand your business, the name you want to protect, and the goods or services it covers, with no commitment required.
Choose a package and engage
You'll receive a fixed-fee engagement letter for the package you choose. Work begins as soon as it's signed, starting with any included clearance search.
Your application is filed with CIPO
Your application is drafted with the right classes and precise descriptions of your goods and services, then filed with CIPO once you've reviewed and approved it.
Why Clearview
The Clearview difference.
Built for Small Businesses
Work directly with a lawyer who serves founders and small businesses every day, not one geared toward enterprise legal budgets.
Plain-Language Advice
Expect clear updates on what's happening with your file, and why, with no legal jargon and no guessing.
Fixed Fees, No Surprises
Know the full legal cost before any work starts. Your fee is locked in by the engagement letter.
Lawyer + Trademark Agent
One professional – a lawyer and trademark agent – handles your file end-to-end.
Fully Remote
Engage Clearview from anywhere in Canada by video call and email. No office visits, no commute.
Free Consultations
Start with a free initial call to explore whether Clearview is the right fit, with no commitment.
Client Reviews
What Clearview clients say.
"As a start-up founder, the trademark process initially felt intimidating and confusing, but Connor made everything clear and approachable from the start. He took the time to walk me through each step, patiently answered all of my questions, and paid close attention to every detail."
Francheska G.
"Happy to have worked with Connor. He was on point with all facets of trademark law. Engagement was frictionless, information conveyed efficiently, and accurately. Very satisfied."
Ivan R.
FAQ
Common questions from small business owners.
Can I trademark my business name in Canada?
Yes, in most cases. Business names that are distinctive (e.g. not generic or merely descriptive) can usually be registered as trademarks with CIPO.
What's the difference between registering a business name and trademarking it?
Registering a business name (through provincial or federal business registration) records that the business is operating under that name – it does not grant exclusive rights. A trademark registration gives the exclusive legal right to use that name in connection with specific goods and services across Canada. They serve completely different purposes.
How much does it cost to trademark a business name?
Clearview's fixed-fee packages start at $999 + applicable taxes for legal work, plus CIPO government fees of approximately $491.06 for the first class and $149.04 for each additional class. The full cost depends on whether a clearance search is needed and how many classes are required, and assumes a smooth process without substantive Examiner Reports or oppositions.
Can I trademark a name and a logo together, or do they need separate applications?
They can be filed as separate applications (word mark + design mark), or a single combined mark can cover both. Separate applications often provide stronger, more flexible protection because word marks typically cover a name regardless of how it is styled.
Do I need to use my business name before I can trademark it?
No. In Canada, a trademark application can be filed based on "proposed use," meaning the applicant intends to use the name but has not started yet. This is a good strategy for protecting a name before launch, so competitors cannot register it first.
What if my business name is similar to an existing trademark?
True trademark conflicts depend on how similar the names are, what the other business sells, and where they operate. A clearance search helps identify potential conflicts between a proposed trademark and existing registrations.
How long does it take to trademark a business name in Canada?
At CIPO's current pace, registrations typically take approximately 12 months from filing where the application is straightforward and no examiner objections or oppositions are raised. If issues arise, however, timing can vary significantly. Certain rights are established as soon as your application is filed.
Official sources: CIPO — Trademarks·Trademarks Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. T-13)
Keep Exploring
Where to go next.
Learn More
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Read MoreReady to protect your business name?
Book a free consultation to find out if your name is available and get a fixed-fee quote for registration. No commitment required.