Is your name free?
UK trademarks, lookalikes, Companies House and domains. One search.
Privacy Policy
Last updated 17 October 2026 DRAFT
1. Who we are
Name Clear is run by [Company name] Ltd (company number [number]), [registered address]. We decide how your personal information is used, which makes us the "controller" under UK data protection law. Contact us about your data at [privacy email address].
2. What we collect
- Contact details: the email address or UK mobile number you give us for alerts.
- Your searches: the names you search, the results, and the names, marks and domains you ask us to watch.
- Business details you add: trademark numbers, filing dates, classes and company numbers.
- Payments: what you bought and when. Card details are handled by our payment provider and never reach us.
- How you use the site: for example which registrar or attorney links you click, so we can count them.
- Messages from you: for example your choice when you tap Act on it or Decline in WhatsApp.
3. Why we use it
- To run your searches and show the results. Basis: contract, because you've asked us to.
- To send the alerts and renewal reminders you've set up, by email or WhatsApp. Basis: contract.
- To take payment and keep records the law requires. Basis: contract and legal obligation.
- To keep the service secure, stop misuse and improve it. Basis: legitimate interests.
We don't sell your information, and we don't send marketing unless you've said yes.
4. Who we share it with
Only with providers that help us run Name Clear, under contracts that require them to protect it:
- [Payment provider, e.g. Stripe] to take card payments.
- [Email provider] to send email alerts.
- Meta (WhatsApp Business) to send WhatsApp alerts, if you choose WhatsApp.
- [Hosting provider] to run the site and store data.
To run a search we send the name you typed to public registers, such as the UK IPO, Companies House and domain registries.
5. Outside the UK
Some providers may store data outside the UK, for example in the US. When they do, we rely on safeguards approved under UK law, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK–US data bridge.
6. How long we keep it
Account and watch details for as long as you use Name Clear, then [12 months]. Payment records for 6 years, because tax law requires it. Search history for [24 months] unless you ask us to delete it sooner.
7. Your rights
You can download everything we hold about you, or delete your account, at any time from the menu under Your data. You can also ask us to correct your information, to restrict or object to how we use it, and to stop any marketing. Email [privacy email address] and we'll reply within one month.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
8. Cookies and storage
We don't use advertising or tracking cookies. Your browser stores your email address and mobile number on your device, so you don't have to type them again. You can clear this in your browser settings at any time. Our fonts are served from our own site, so no third party sees your visit.
9. Children
Name Clear is for businesses and people aged 18 or over.
10. Changes
If we change this policy in a way that affects you, we'll tell you before it applies.
Terms of Service
Last updated 17 October 2026 DRAFT
1. Who we are
Name Clear is run by [Company name] Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (company number [number]), at [registered address]. You can reach us at [email address].
These terms apply when you use Name Clear, buy searches or subscribe to the Watch plan. By using Name Clear you agree to them.
2. What Name Clear does
Name Clear searches public UK registers and other sources and shows you the results in one place: UK trademarks, lookalike marks, Companies House and domain names. The Watch plan sends you alerts when something changes.
Name Clear is a search tool. It is not legal advice and we are not a law firm. Results can be incomplete, out of date or wrong. Always get advice from a qualified professional, such as a chartered trade mark attorney, before you choose, file or rely on a name.
3. Searches and payment
Searches are sold in packs: 1 search for £1, 5 searches for £2.99 and 10 searches for £9.99. Prices are in pounds sterling and include VAT where it applies. You pay before you search, and one search is used each time you run a new search.
Unused searches stay on your account. Searches can't be exchanged for cash or moved to another account.
4. The Watch plan
The Watch plan costs £9.99 for your first month, then £19.99 a month. It renews each month until you cancel. You can cancel at any time and the plan stays active until the end of the month you've paid for.
We send alerts by email or WhatsApp, whichever you choose. We do our best to send every alert, but we can't promise we'll catch every change on every register, or that alerts arrive at a particular time. You decide what to do about each alert. We never act for you.
5. Your right to cancel
UK law gives you 14 days to cancel most online purchases. Because a search starts as soon as you run it, you lose that right for a search once you've used it. You can cancel a Watch plan within 14 days of starting it for a refund of any days you haven't used. Nothing in these terms affects your legal rights as a consumer.
6. Using Name Clear properly
Use Name Clear for your own lawful business purposes. Don't try to get around payment, copy the service, overload it, or use it to collect other people's personal information.
7. Other people's sites and links
Some results link to registrars, GOV.UK, Companies House and the CITMA directory. Those sites have their own terms. We may earn a fee if you buy a domain through one of our links. That never changes the price you pay or the results we show.
8. Our responsibility to you
We're responsible for losses you suffer that are a foreseeable result of us breaking these terms or failing to use reasonable care. We're not responsible for business losses, such as lost profit, or for decisions you make based on search results. We don't exclude anything the law doesn't allow us to, including liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.
9. Your information
We use your email address, mobile number and searches to run Name Clear and send you alerts. We don't sell your details. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your information.
10. Changes to these terms
We may update these terms. If a change affects your Watch plan, we'll tell you at least 30 days before it applies, and you can cancel before then.
11. The law that applies
These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. If you live elsewhere in the UK, you can also bring a claim in your local courts.
Questions founders ask
Short, plain answers about checking a UK business name.
Is my name already trademarked?REVIEW
Search the UK trade mark register for your name and anything that looks or sounds like it. A Name Clear search does this for you, alongside Companies House and domains. A registered mark only protects the goods and services it covers, so a match in a completely different line of business may not stop you. A close match in your own area usually will.
Can two companies have the same name?REVIEW
Not exactly the same. Companies House won't register a name that's the same as one already on its register, and small differences like "Ltd", "&" or punctuation don't count. A similar name can be registered, but the other company can object to the Company Names Tribunal if yours is too like theirs and they were using it first.
What happens if I use a name that's taken?REVIEW
If your name clashes with a registered trademark for the same or similar goods or services, the owner can ask you to stop. That can mean rebranding, changing your signs and website, and in some cases paying damages. Even unregistered names can be protected if the business has built up a reputation. Checking before you launch is far cheaper than changing later.
How do I check if a domain is available?REVIEW
Search for it at any domain registrar, or let Name Clear check the main endings for you. If the one you want is taken, it may be for sale or close to expiring. A taken domain is rarely a deal breaker: you can use another ending, such as .co.uk, and redirect later.
Do I need a trademark to start a business?REVIEW
No. You can register a company and start trading without one. But a company name isn't a trademark and doesn't stop someone else using your brand. Registering a UK trademark costs £205 online for one class of goods or services, plus £60 for each extra class, and lasts 10 years.
What classes should I file in?REVIEW
Goods and services are split into 45 classes. Choose the ones that cover what you sell now and plan to sell soon, for example class 25 for clothing or class 9 for software. Each extra class costs £60, so don't add ones you won't use. The UK IPO's free classification search helps, and a chartered trade mark attorney can advise.
Can someone else register my company name?REVIEW
Once your company is registered, nobody else can register exactly the same company name. They could still register a similar one, or file a trademark for your name if you haven't. That's why many founders register both the company and the trademark.
What do I do if my trademark lapses?REVIEW
Act quickly. You can renew online from 6 months before the expiry date until 6 months after it, with a £60 late fee after the date. Renewal costs £245 for the first class and £60 for each extra one. After those 6 months you can still ask to restore it, up to a year after it expired, for an extra £125 and a written statement explaining why it wasn't renewed. After that it's gone and anyone can file for it.