You've picked the name. The logo looks great. The designer has just sent the final packaging proofs.

You're about to print 5,000 boxes, order the shopfront signboard and pay for the launch ads.

One question: have you checked whether anyone else already owns that name as a trade mark?

Not on Google. Not on Instagram. On the trade mark register.

If the answer is "not really", this article is for you. A proper first check takes about an afternoon. Skipping it can cost you a lot more than an afternoon.

Why Clear Before You Print?

Picture this. Six months after launch, a letter arrives from another brand's lawyer. Their name is one letter off yours. They sell the same kind of product. They registered first.

Now every box, label and signboard is a liability.

Clearing a name is cheap when it's still just a name on a shortlist. It gets expensive once it's printed on everything you own.

Before printing, a rename costs an afternoon. After launch, it costs a rebrand.

Trading Name ≠ Trade Mark

Quick recap, because this trips up a lot of founders.

ACRA's own guidance says registering a business name "does not give you exclusive rights to the name". It only registers the name for your business entity.

ACRA lets you trade under the name. IPOS lets you stop others using it, for your classes, in Singapore.

We've covered this in detail in our ACRA vs IPOS explainer. Here, we'll focus on the thinking behind clearing a name before you commit to it.

Where Do You Look?

Not Google. Not the domain registrar. Not ACRA's BizFile.

The trade mark register is kept by IPOS, and IPOS offers an online trade mark search through IPOS Digital Hub. The tools and screens may change over time. What you're looking for won't.

One important warning from IPOS itself: new marks may not show up in search results immediately.

So a clean search today doesn't mean nobody filed yesterday.

Searched ≠ cleared.

Identical or Similar?

Most founders search for their exact name, see nothing, and relax.

But the law doesn't only catch identical names. It catches similar ones too.

Marks can be similar in three ways:

  • Looks alike (visual)
  • Sounds alike (aural)
  • Means the same idea (conceptual)

The law blocks a mark that is identical or similar to an earlier mark, for identical or similar goods or services, where there's a likelihood of confusion on the part of the public. That's section 8(2) of the Trade Marks Act.

You changed one letter. The other brand sells the same thing. Customers could mix you up. That's exactly the scenario the law is designed to catch.

Different spelling is not the same as a different mark.

What Are Classes, and Which Is Yours?

Trade marks aren't registered for "everything". They're registered for specific goods or services.

Those goods and services are grouped into 45 classes. Classes 1 to 34 cover goods. Classes 35 to 45 cover services.

Why does this matter to you?

Because a registration only covers the goods or services it was applied for. Register in one class, and you're not automatically covered in another.

One class does not cover all your products.

Say you sell skincare products and also run a facial studio. The products are goods. The facials are a service. They likely sit in different classes, and you'd want to check both.

And don't stop at your own class. A similar name selling something totally unrelated may be fine. A similar name selling something next door to you is a red flag.

Think about the neighbouring goods and services your business could plausibly grow into, too.

Spelling Variants and Sound-Alikes

If similar marks can block you, your search has to look for similar marks.

So search beyond your exact name:

  • Misspellings and one-letter changes
  • Spacing and plurals
  • Transliterations
  • Chinese characters, if your brand uses them
  • Names that sound the same when said out loud

When you find a hit, note its class and status:

  • Registered: that's an earlier right. It can block you.
  • Pending: still matters. It can mature into an earlier right.
  • Dead or expired: lower risk, but not a free pass. The owner may still be trading.

Not on the Register? Not Necessarily Free

If it's not on the register, are you free to use it?

No. The law also bars registration where your use could be stopped under the law of passing off. Someone already trading under the name, without a registration, can still cause you real trouble.

That's why your search can't stop at the register.

Do a quick check of:

  • Google
  • Marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada
  • Social media handles
  • ACRA business names and domains

The register shows who filed. The web shows who's trading. You need both.

The Pitfalls That Catch Singapore Startups

1. The name describes the product.

Names like "Best Fresh Bakery" or "Premium Skincare SG" are likely to face objection. Section 7 of the Trade Marks Act bars marks that are non-distinctive, descriptive or customary, among others.

Can they ever register? Sometimes, if the name has acquired distinctiveness through use before you apply. But that's a long, uncertain road for a new brand.

Descriptive is easy to remember. It's hard to own.

2. You assumed Singapore covers the region.

A Singapore registration gives you rights in Singapore.

Singapore ≠ ASEAN.

If you plan to sell overseas, you'll need separate national filings, or one international application through the Madrid system. A Madrid application needs a Singapore application first, the target countries must be Madrid members, and each country examines your mark under its own law.

When Should You Get a Professional Opinion?

A self-search is a first filter. It isn't a verdict.

Consider a professional clearance opinion when:

  • You find a similar mark in the same or a related class
  • Someone appears to be trading under a similar name
  • Your name might be seen as descriptive
  • You're about to spend serious money on packaging, signage or launch ads
  • You plan to expand overseas

A self-search tells you what's out there. A professional opinion tells you what it means.

Agent fees vary, so get a quote.

What Does It Cost to File?

Per IPOS's official fees, as at October 2026:

  • S$280 per class if your goods/services are fully adopted from IPOS' Classification Database (pre-approved descriptions).
  • S$410 per class if they're not.

Using the pre-approved descriptions isn't just cheaper. IPOS says objections are less likely too.

A few other figures worth knowing:

  • SG Trade Marks Fast (acceleration, requested at filing only): an extra S$200 per class (database) or S$250 per class (non-database).
  • If someone opposes you, they pay S$420 per class to file the notice of opposition.
  • If you defend, your counter-statement costs S$360 per opposed class.
  • A Madrid international application carries a S$250 IPOS fee, plus WIPO fees.

What Happens After You File?

If your application is accepted, it's published in the Trade Marks Journal for 2 months.

During that window, any interested party can oppose it. If nobody opposes, the application proceeds to registration.

That's why "filed" isn't the same as "safe".

Your 7-Step Clearance Checklist

  1. Shortlist 3 names, not 1. If your favourite fails, you have backups ready.
  2. Work out what you sell. List your goods and services, then the classes they fall into, plus related areas you might grow into.
  3. Check the register for identical and similar marks. Think look, sound and meaning. Note the class and status of each hit.
  4. Try the variants. Misspellings, plurals, sound-alikes, transliterations and Chinese characters.
  5. Look beyond the register. Check the web, marketplaces, social handles, ACRA names and domains for people already trading.
  6. Assess the risk honestly. Is the name descriptive? Is there a similar mark in the same or a related class? Is someone already trading under it? If unsure, get a professional opinion.
  7. File, then print. Ideally, wait until after acceptance and the 2-month opposition window. At minimum, file first, and be honest with yourself that the risk isn't zero.

The Real Cost of Skipping This

Getting it wrong doesn't usually announce itself at launch.

It shows up months later, as a letter from someone else's lawyer. Or an opposition to your application. Or a customer asking if you're related to "that other brand".

Then the bill arrives: every carton, label and signboard. The website. The ads. The social handles your customers already follow.

Filing is S$280 a class. A rebrand means reprinting everything.

You pay one before launch, or the other after.

Choose the cheaper one.

Disclaimer: This article is general educational information, not legal advice. Fees are as stated by IPOS as at October 2026, so check the IPOS forms-and-fees page before filing. A search reduces risk but cannot guarantee registration or freedom to use a name. Trade mark rights are territorial. For advice on your specific situation, speak to a qualified IP professional.

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