Someone Copied My Logo: What Can I Do?

Someone copied my logo - what can my business do? First, take a breath. You may have several options, but the right move depends on what you own, what they have copied and how much damage it's causing.

It feels personal when another business turns up with a logo that looks like yours. You have put time, money and reputation into that brand, so it's completely reasonable to want it dealt with quickly.

The best first step isn't usually a fiery message. It's to gather evidence, work out whether you have copyright, trade mark or passing off rights, then choose the response that gives you the best chance of fixing the problem without making it worse.

What Should I Do First If Someone Copied My Logo?

You should collect clear evidence before contacting the other business. If they change or delete the logo later, you'll want a record of what you saw and when you saw it.

Start with a simple evidence file. Save it somewhere your team can access if you need help from a lawyer, designer, platform or insurer.

Evidence To Save Straight Away

• Screenshots: Capture the copied logo on their website, social media, marketplace listing, adverts, packaging or email signature.
• Dates and times: Record when you found it and, if possible, when it first appeared online.
• URLs and account names: Save the exact page address, social handle, shop name or domain name.
• Business details: Note the company name, trading name, Companies House number if they're a UK company, and any contact details.
• Your logo history: Keep your design files, invoices, drafts, launch posts, brand guidelines and first-use dates.
• Customer confusion: Save messages from customers, suppliers or followers asking whether the other business is connected to you.
• Financial impact: Record any lost sales, cancelled bookings, lower enquiries or wasted ad spend you can link to the copying.

Try not to accuse them publicly at this stage. A heated Instagram story or comment thread can make the dispute harder to settle and may create defamation or commercial reputation issues. Quietly saving evidence gives you more control.

Is Copying My Logo Copyright Infringement In The UK?

It can be copyright infringement if your logo is an original artistic work and the other business has copied the whole logo or a substantial part of it. In the UK, copyright protection can arise automatically under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

There's no official UK copyright registration system for logos. That means your evidence of creation, ownership and any copyright licence agreement matters a lot.

For copyright to help, you usually need to show:

• The logo is original: It isn't just a very basic shape, common font or generic icon used in your industry.
• You own the copyright: You created it yourself, your employee created it as part of their role, or a designer assigned the copyright to you in writing, usually through a copyright assignment or licence.
• They copied it: The similarities aren't a coincidence, and they had a realistic opportunity to see your logo.
• They copied a substantial part: This is about quality, not just quantity. Copying the memorable part of your logo can be enough.

Ownership is often the tricky bit. If you paid a freelance designer to create your logo, you don't automatically own the copyright unless the contract says the copyright is assigned to your business. You may only have a licence to use it.

Say Priya runs a Manchester skincare brand. She paid a freelancer 450 pounds for a leaf-shaped logo in 2022, launched it on her website and packaging, but never signed a copyright assignment. In 2025, a competitor uses a near-identical leaf mark. Priya may still have options, but before sending a copyright claim she should check what rights the designer actually gave her. If needed, she may ask the designer to sign a written assignment now.

Is It Trade Mark Infringement If Their Logo Looks Like Mine?

It may be trade mark infringement if you have a registered trade mark and the other business is using an identical or similar sign for identical or similar goods or services, creating a likelihood of confusion. UK trade marks are governed mainly by the Trade Marks Act 1994.

A registered trade mark gives you a cleaner enforcement route than relying on copyright alone. It can protect the logo as a badge of origin, meaning the thing customers use to recognise your business.

When assessing a logo dispute, look at:

• Your registration: Is the logo registered with the UK Intellectual Property Office or protected in the UK through an international registration?
• The classes: Does the registration cover the goods or services you actually sell?
• Their use: Are they using the similar logo in trade, such as on a website, product, advert, shopfront or invoice?
• Customer confusion: Would an average customer think the businesses are connected?
• Reputation: If your mark is well known, you may have broader arguments where the other business is taking unfair advantage of your reputation.

If you haven't registered your logo yet, you can't usually use a later trade mark registration to claim infringement for past use. However, applying now, including through trade mark registration, can still be useful for future protection and may strengthen your position if the problem continues.

Be careful with legal threats. UK law has rules about unjustified threats of trade mark infringement proceedings. A cease and desist letter can still be the right move, but it should be worded carefully and based on rights you actually have.

Can I Do Anything If My Logo Is Not Registered?

Yes, you may still have options through copyright and passing off, but the evidence burden is usually higher than with a registered trade mark.

Passing off protects the goodwill in your business from misrepresentation. In plain English, it stops another business from presenting itself in a way that makes customers think it's connected with you when it's not.

To rely on passing off, you usually need evidence of three things:

• Goodwill: Your business has a reputation in the market under that logo or overall branding.
• Misrepresentation: The other business is using a similar logo or get-up in a way that's likely to confuse customers.
• Damage: The confusion is harming, or is likely to harm, your business.

This can work well where your logo has been used for a while and customers already associate it with your products or services. It's harder if you only launched last week and have very limited sales or public recognition.

For example, a Bristol coffee roaster has used a distinctive fox logo for four years, sells through 30 cafes and has 18,000 Instagram followers. A new roaster in the same region launches with a very similar fox logo, similar packaging colours and a close trading name. Even without a registered trade mark, the older business may have a passing off argument because it can point to real market recognition and likely confusion.

If your logo is unregistered, it's worth checking whether the other business has applied for a trade mark. If their application is still in the UK IPO opposition period, you may be able to oppose it. The standard opposition period is two months from publication, and it can sometimes be extended by one further month by filing a notice of threatened opposition.

Should I Send A Takedown Or A Cease And Desist Letter?

It depends on where the copied logo is being used and what outcome you want. A platform takedown can be fast for online misuse, while a cease and desist letter is better when you want the other business to stop using the logo across its business.

When A Takedown May Be The Better First Step

A takedown request can help if the copied logo is on a social media account, marketplace listing, app store, advertising account or website host. Platforms often have intellectual property reporting tools for trade mark and copyright complaints.

A takedown is usually most effective when you can provide:

• your trade mark registration number, if you have one
• evidence that you own or control the copyright in the logo
• screenshots and URLs showing the copied logo
• a short explanation of why the use is infringing or misleading

The downside is that a takedown may only remove one page, post or listing. It may not stop packaging, signage, domain names or future accounts.

When A Cease And Desist Letter May Be Better

A cease and desist letter in the UK is often the right option where the other business is actively trading under the copied logo and you want a formal record of your position.

A good letter should be firm, accurate and practical. A free template may help with structure, but these letters work best when tailored because the wrong wording can overclaim your rights or create unnecessary risk.

1. Who You Are: Identify your business, your brand and the logo you use.
2. Your Rights: Set out your trade mark registration, copyright ownership, passing off rights or a combination of these.
3. The Infringing Use: Describe exactly where and how the other business is using the copied or similar logo.
4. Evidence Of Confusion Or Harm: Include clear examples if customers have been misled or your brand is being affected.
5. What You Want Them To Do: Ask them to stop using the logo, remove listings, destroy or relabel stock, update social media and avoid similar branding in future.
6. Timing: Give a reasonable deadline for a response. The right period depends on urgency, but many business letters use 7 to 14 days.
7. Confirmation: Ask for written confirmation of what they have done and when.
8. Reservation Of Rights: State that your business reserves its rights without making threats you aren't ready or entitled to make.

A lawyer should tailor the letter before you use it, especially if you're alleging trade mark infringement. The aim is to solve the problem, not accidentally give the other business a reason to push back.

Should I Apply For A Trade Mark Now?

Yes, if the logo is important to your brand, applying for a trade mark is usually worth considering, even if there's already a dispute. Trade mark registration can help you prevent future copying and gives you a clearer asset to licence, sell or enforce.

Before applying, check that your logo is distinctive enough and that no earlier similar marks exist for similar goods or services. A basic search isn't always enough because small spelling, design and class differences can matter.

For a standard online UK trade mark application, the UK IPO fee is currently £205 for one class, plus £60 for each extra class. A paper application currently costs £250 for one class, plus £60 for each extra class. These are official filing fees only, not professional fees if you get help preparing or reviewing the application.

After filing, the UK IPO examines the application. If it's accepted, it's published for opposition. Others then usually have two months to oppose, with a possible one-month extension through a threatened opposition notice. If no one opposes, the mark can proceed to registration.

Cost will depend on how much help you need. A do-it-yourself application may be cheaper upfront, but mistakes in the logo version or classes can leave gaps. An online fixed-fee legal service can be useful if you want the scope checked before filing. A traditional firm may bill by the hour, which can suit more complex disputes, international portfolios or contested oppositions.

Trade marks aren't just for large companies. If your brand is how customers find you, trust you and recommend you, protecting it early can avoid a much more expensive fight later.

Key Takeaways

• If someone copied your logo, save evidence first and avoid public accusations while you work out your rights.
• Copyright can protect an original logo automatically in the UK, but you need to prove ownership and copying.
• A registered trade mark gives you a stronger and clearer enforcement route, especially where customers may be confused.
• If your logo isn't registered, passing off may still help if you can show goodwill, misrepresentation and damage.
• Takedowns can remove online uses quickly, while a carefully drafted cease and desist letter can deal with wider business use.
• Applying for a trade mark now can protect your logo going forward, even if it doesn't fix every past issue.

If you'd like help with your logo dispute, a cease and desist letter, trade mark application or evidence review, you can reach us at 08081347754 or team@sprintlaw.co.uk for a free, no-obligations chat.