How to register a logo?

The logo is, together with the brand name, the hallmark of a company’s identity. It reflects its spirit, style, character, personality and business vision to define its services or products. And it is essential to register it so that others cannot use it, but do you know how to register a logo in Spain?

In this post, we tell you how this procedure is carried out so that you can guarantee its ownership and how you can check if it is already being used by third parties. 

What is a logo?

Before we start explaining what the registration of a logo consists of, let’s see what precisely this element is. Because, indeed, there are different classifications of logos according to their design. 

A logo is the visual representation of the creation of a brand and the definition of its identity, and it can be created through a name, a graphic image or a combination of both. 

In short, a logo is the visual representation of a brand that allows it to be identified as such and differentiates it from other brands, giving it recognition. Therefore, the graphic elements that make it up must be clear and concise and communicate a message in accordance with the values that the brand and its image wish to transmit. 

There are five types of logo:

• Logotype: this is the logo made solely of typography, such as Google or Nutella, for example.
• Monogram: within the logos, we can also find monograms, which are basically the same but are made up of letters that form a symbol or a distinctive image of the brand, such as HBO, LG or WB (Warner Bros).
• Symbol or Isotype: this type of logo is an image or symbol that represents the brand on its own and does not usually include the name, such as Nike, Apple, Instagram…
• Image type: this is the design resulting from the combination of a name and a symbol that are equally identifiable together and separately, such as McDonald’s or Adidas.
• Isologotype: like the previous one, the isologotype is a combination of an image or symbol with a typography, but they lose their meaning when separated, as one depends on the other. Examples are Burger King, Häaguen-Dazs or Lays. 

Regardless of which one it is, you can register all types of logos in Spain, and the procedure is quite simple.

How to register a logo in Spain

The registration of a logo in Spain is carried out through the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM). Thanks to digitalisation, this procedure can be done online without the need to go to an office in person.  

It is an easy process as it can be carried out on the SPTO website. In fact, as soon as you enter the SPTO’s Electronic Headquarters, you can see on the home page the section you should click on, “Trademark Application”. When you select this option, a new window opens where a notice appears, which you have to accept to continue, together with another option, which appears just below the note, with the name “New Filing”, which you also have to select to start the process. 

Once started, a form opens with all the sections that must be filled in to file the application for the registration of the logo. The first thing to do is to identify the natural or legal person and attach the documentation requested on the form. 

Next, you have to pay the payment the proof of submission of the application, and this can be done either online or in person. The first alternative can be carried out on the registration website itself, through the payment gateway to pay the amount indicated for registering a logo by credit or debit card. But if you prefer to do it in person, you can go to a bank and pay the fee. 

Once you have filled in the form and attached the necessary documents, together with the receipt for payment of the fee, you must wait for your application to be approved so that the registration of your logo can be formalised. 

If everything is correct, you will receive approval from the SPTO allowing you to use this distinctive sign for 10 renewable years. 

How much does it cost to register a logo?

As for the payment, the official fee is around 144 euros, although this amount may vary for two reasons: in the case of carrying out a registration through the SPTO’s Electronic Headquarters, which has a 15% reduction of the total amount; and according to the type of registration application, you file, as there are several according to the Nice classification. 

This classification refers to the type of sector to which your logo belongs and establishes around 45 sectors per activity. 

What do you have to take into account when registering your logo?

As a recommendation, it is essential that you take into account certain aspects when registering your logo at the SPTO. For example, before starting the application for registration, you must check that your design is totally original and that there is no other logo identical to yours. 

How can you check that your logo is not registered? In the same search engine on the SPTO website, you can check if there is a logo that is the same or similar to yours. And this is important because if you do not check before using it for commercial purposes, you may be forced to remove it from all the sites where it appears and, in addition, take legal action against you. 

It is also advisable to claim the corporate colours you have used in the design of your logo or the typography when filling in the application for registration at the SPTO. This is key in order to formalise the registration correctly and avoid slowing down the approval time of the application. It also protects you from third-party logos that may have used similar colours to yours. 

On the other hand, a bit of good advice if you also need to register a trademark or trade name is to register both elements simultaneously. This is because registering a logo together with a trademark can be more original and differentiating.

As you can see, registering a logo in Spain is a relatively simple process. However, sometimes we do not have the necessary time to carry out this type of administrative and bureaucratic procedure. For this reason, at Asesoría Orihuela Costa, we offer our comprehensive consultancy service to attend to your needs and take care of all the necessary steps.