Trademark vs Company Name: What is the Difference?

Two very different registrations

One of the most common misconceptions in UK business is that registering a company name at Companies House gives you legal ownership of that name. It does not. Companies House registration and trademark registration are two completely separate systems, run by different government bodies, offering different levels of protection.

Understanding the difference could save you thousands of pounds in legal disputes and lost business.

Companies House registration

When you form a limited company, you register it with Companies House. They check that no other company has the exact same name (or a name that is "too similar" by their own narrow definition). Once registered, your company name appears on the public register.

However, Companies House registration only prevents another limited company from using the identical name. It does not stop:

• •A sole trader from trading under the same name
• •A partnership from using the same name
• •Another company from using a very similar (but not identical) name
• •Anyone from registering that name as a trademark

Companies House is essentially a filing system. It records company details for public transparency. It is not designed to protect your brand.

Trademark registration with the IPO

A trademark, registered through the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), gives you the exclusive legal right to use a name, logo, or slogan in connection with specific goods or services. This is genuine legal protection.

With a registered trademark, you can:

• •Take legal action against anyone using a confusingly similar name in your sector
• •Report infringing listings on Amazon, eBay, and social media platforms
• •Oppose new trademark applications that conflict with yours
• •Use the registered trademark symbol to deter potential infringers

A UK trademark costs from 170 pounds for one class of goods or services. The process takes about four months and lasts for 10 years before needing renewal.

Which do you need?

The honest answer is: both, if you are serious about protecting your business name.

Companies House registration is mandatory for limited companies. It gives you a legal entity and a place on the public record. But it is not brand protection.

Trademark registration is optional but strongly recommended. It gives you enforceable legal rights that Companies House registration simply cannot provide.

A common scenario

Imagine you register "Bright Spark Consulting Ltd" at Companies House. Six months later, a sole trader in the same city starts offering identical services under the name "BrightSpark Consulting." Companies House will not help you because they only deal with limited company names, and the sole trader has not registered a company.

If you had a trademark, you could send a cease and desist letter backed by the Trade Marks Act 1994. Without one, your only option is a passing off claim, which is harder to prove and more expensive to pursue.

Take the first step

Not sure if your business name is already protected? Run a free scan with GuardMyBusiness to check whether your name appears on trademark registers, Companies House, and domain databases. It takes seconds and could reveal gaps in your protection you did not know existed.