NZ Trade Mark Specialists · Since the 1970s

Protect your brand in every market that matters.

Your trusted New Zealand associate. We file, prosecute and defend trade marks into NZ for attorneys and brand owners around the world — promptly, precisely, and with reporting you can rely on.

Send us an instruction → How we work

Trusted by global brands — and the attorneys who represent them

+ four decades of others
For overseas attorneys & counsel

Your New Zealand associate.

For decades, IP firms around the world have relied on us as their NZ address for service. We handle the local detail so you can give your clients a seamless answer — backed by prompt, precise reporting in the format you expect.

  • ✓ Address for service & full prosecution before IPONZ
  • ✓ Oppositions, revocations & dispute resolution in NZ
  • ✓ Clear, prompt reporting and competitive associate rates
  • ✓ Forty-plus years of continuity — the same reliable team
Send us an instruction →
// Recent inbound instructions
US→NZClass 9 software mark · filingfiled
EU→NZDevice mark · compliance responsein progress
GB→NZOpposition · acting for applicantactive
AU→NZPortfolio renewal · 6 marksrenewed

Illustrative — sample of associate workflow

For New Zealand businesses

Going global? We'll take your mark to the world.

If you're scaling a Kiwi brand offshore, you need protection in place before you land — not after. We register and defend your trade mark in nearly every country on earth, managed end-to-end from right here, with a single point of contact.

  • ✓ File 130+ territories through the Madrid System, or directly
  • ✓ Strategic advice on which markets to secure first
  • ✓ One NZ contact managing a trusted global associate network
  • ✓ AI-assisted clearance before you commit to a name
Plan your international filing →
// One filing, many markets
NZ ⌂AUUSEUGBCNJPCASGKRINAE+120

From your New Zealand base mark, the Madrid System lets you extend protection to dozens of markets through a single application — we handle the strategy and the paperwork.

What we do

Everything your trade mark needs, start to finish.

We take the time to understand your brand, then build a plan from some — or all — of these services.

— In New Zealand
Search

Background search

A thorough, AI-assisted search to catch conflicts before you file — the essential first step to a clean registration.

Create

Name & brand generation

Launching or rebranding? We help you land a distinctive name that's easy to protect and built to register.

Register

Registration

We prepare the application, choose the right classes, file with IPONZ and keep you posted at every step.

Renew

Renewals

We track your renewal dates and remind you well ahead of time — including for marks originally filed elsewhere — so your protection never lapses.

Defend

Oppositions & disputes

From oppositions to coexistence agreements, we resolve disputes quickly — and work to keep you out of court.

Customs

Border protection

Register your mark with NZ Customs to intercept counterfeit goods before they reach the market.

— Around the world
Global

International registration

File through the Madrid System or directly in individual countries — we advise on the right route for your markets.

Inbound

NZ filing for overseas clients

We act as your NZ agent and address for service, liaising with IPONZ on behalf of international clients and associates.

Resolve

International disputes

A dispute abroad needs local representation — our network of trusted associates gets it resolved, fast.

How it works

A clear path from idea to protected mark.

No jargon, no surprises — and we're with you at every stage.

Search

AI-assisted checks across NZ and international registers to see if your mark is clear.

Strategy

We agree the right classes, specification and filing route for the markets you care about.

File

We lodge with IPONZ and internationally, managing every response and compliance report.

Protect

Once registered, we keep your mark current — tracking renewal dates and reminding you well ahead, so protection never lapses.

20–50×What it costs to defend an unregistered mark vs. register one

We're not the cheapest, and we don't try to be. We aim for the best practical outcome at a fair price — because getting it wrong later costs far more than getting it right now.

Request a quote →
What it costs

Transparent pricing,
quoted up front.

Every brand is different, so your cost depends on a few clear factors. We walk you through all of them and give you a written quote before any work begins.

  • 01
    The countries and jurisdictions you register in
  • 02
    How many classes your goods and services fall under
  • 03
    Word mark, logo (device) mark, or both
  • 04
    The complexity of your specification
  • 05
    Any oppositions or compliance issues that arise
In their words

Trusted by global counsel and Kiwi founders alike.

"
NZMarks has always been reliable and professional handling our filings in New Zealand. Thank you for many years of prompt and excellent service.
Joseph E. Sutton, Esq.
Sutton IP Associates · New York
"
They made multi-jurisdiction registration easy and gave us confidence. The whole process was efficient and painless — it was clear they knew their stuff.
James Sampson
Founder & CEO · FileInvite
"
It's definitely worth getting NZMarks' advice early on. They did a fantastic job of representing us. Thanks NZMarks.
Nick Andreef
Founder & CEO · Waitomo Adventures
FAQ

Trade marks, demystified.

A trade mark is what sets your goods or services apart from everyone else's and marks them as yours. It can be far more than a logo — a word, name, phrase, shape, colour, sound, or any combination of these. Registering it gives you the exclusive right to use it for the goods and services you've claimed, and a firm legal basis to stop others trading off your reputation.
You can lodge an application yourself, but we'd gently caution against it. Registration is a legal process, and it's easy to file a mark that looks fine yet leaves you exposed — the wrong classes, a weak specification, or a conflict you didn't spot until it's expensive to fix. A specialist gives you protection that actually holds up when you need to rely on it.
A registered company name or domain doesn't give you ownership of the brand. Someone else could register a trade mark the same as — or similar to — your name. A trade mark is what actually secures it, and it can be your most valuable business asset.
Goods and services are grouped into 45 international classes under the Nice Classification, and you register your mark only for the classes you actually trade in. Choosing well matters: too few and you leave gaps a competitor can exploit; too many and you pay for cover you don't need. We map your current and planned business to the right classes so the protection fits.
Marks that are likely to deceive or confuse, that merely describe what you sell, or that others should be free to use can be refused — as can marks that clash with an earlier registration, and certain protected names and emblems such as flags, official insignia, and anything likely to offend, including to Māori. We check these grounds up front so you don't invest in something that can't be protected.
A registered trade mark lasts ten years, and you can renew it every ten years indefinitely — so, kept up, it can protect your brand for as long as you use it. We track your renewal dates and remind you well ahead, including for marks originally filed by someone else. Note that a mark can be removed if it isn't genuinely used, so registration and real use go hand in hand.
It depends on the countries, the number of classes, whether you need a word and/or device mark, the complexity of your specification, and any oppositions. We always quote up front. Worth remembering: defending an unregistered mark typically costs 20–50× the price of registering one.
Nearly every country in the world — either directly through our network of trusted local associates, or via the Madrid System, which lets you extend a New Zealand base mark to 130+ territories through a single application certified by IPONZ and forwarded by WIPO. We file readily into Australia, the United States, Canada, the UK, the EU and beyond, and we'll advise on the smartest route and which markets to secure first.
Yes — it's a core part of what we do. We act as address for service in New Zealand, handle full prosecution before IPONZ, respond to compliance reports, and run oppositions and disputes, reporting back to you promptly and clearly. Many overseas firms have relied on us for decades.
Once your application is accepted it's published, and for a set period anyone can oppose it; separately, a registered mark can be challenged for removal — for example, on the grounds it hasn't been used, or is likely to confuse. Either way we act for you: preparing the response, handling the paperwork, and working to resolve it, usually by negotiation rather than a hearing.
We see it as our job to keep you out of court. Most disputes are better settled through negotiation or a coexistence agreement, and that's where we start. Where a matter genuinely needs formal proceedings, we handle hearings before IPONZ and can connect you with New Zealand's leading IP litigators when specialist court representation is required.
Security & confidentiality

The names you trust us with stay confidential.

A brand you're checking before filing is commercially sensitive — so we treat it that way. Privacy and security are built into the platform, not bolted on.

⊘

Data minimisation by design

We collect only what we need to help you, and we don't retain sensitive information any longer than necessary. Less data held means less that can ever be exposed.

◆

Encrypted end to end at rest & in transit

TLS 1.3 everywhere and encryption at rest for all client data. The most sensitive documents get an additional layer of protection.

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Hosted in Australia / New Zealand

Your data stays in-region, handled in line with the NZ Privacy Act 2020 and GDPR, with cross-border flows minimised and documented.

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Strict, audited access

Multi-factor authentication, least-privilege roles and per-matter scoping mean only the right people see your files — and every access is logged.

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Secure by default communications

Domain anti-spoofing (DMARC) protects you from impersonation, and sensitive material moves by secure link, not open attachments.

§

Privilege, respected

As IP practitioners we already owe you confidentiality. Our architecture is simply how we honour that duty in software — a brief is available for your own clients.

Get in touch

Don't get blindsided.
Get expert advice first.

Whether you're instructing us from abroad or protecting a Kiwi brand for the world, start with an obligation-free conversation.

Call 0800 87 88 89 Email info@nzmarks.com Post NZ PO Box 45282, Te Atatu, Auckland 0651, New Zealand Post AU NZMarks Ltd ID13079, PO Box 16, Nobby Beach, QLD 4218, Australia

Free 30-minute initial consultation · Quotes on request

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Thanks — we'll be in touch.

One of our trade mark specialists will reply within one business day.