Merging trade marks

You can merge, or combine, two or more separate applications or registrations into a single trade mark. The following areas should be understood clearly before going for a merger.

Applications

You can merge applications at any time before they are accepted for advertisement, provided they:

• have the same application date, and
  
• are for the same marks, and
  
• are in the same ownership.

However, it is not advisable to merge applications because an objection or opposition to any one of the original applications will hold up the merged application. It would be better to wait until all the applications have proceeded to registration and then merge the registrations.

Registrations

You can merge registrations at any time, provided they:

• are for the same marks, and
  
• are in the same ownership.

Registered marks do not have to have the same registration dates but, on merging, the new merged registration will take the latest filing date.

Merging marks offers you the advantage of paying only one renewal fee (plus any additional class fees) for a merged mark instead of separate fees for each mark.

Note:

1. You cannot merge applications and registrations together.
2. You cannot reverse the merger process.

Form(s)

Request to merge either applications or registrations [TM17]