Register a trademark: costs and steps (2026)

To protect your brand where bol's customers are, register it with BOIP for the Benelux (€244 for one class) or with EUIPO for the whole EU (€850 for one class). Both give 10 years of protection. A national trademark from another country does not protect you in the Netherlands or Belgium. Register before you launch: only with a registered trademark can you act effectively against copies and hijackers on your product page.

Why register your trademark as a bol seller?

Without registration, your brand name legally belongs to no one. Someone else can register it and force you to stop, even if you used it first. For a seller with their own brand there are three concrete reasons to register:

• Acting against hijackers and counterfeits. If another seller joins your product page with a copy, you have to prove to bol that you are the rights holder. A registered trademark is the strongest proof.

• Access to other platforms. Amazon Brand Registry requires a registered trademark or a pending application. If you expand later, you already have it.

• The value of your business. In a sale or investment, a registered trademark is an asset. An unregistered name is not.

Trademark, trade name and domain name: the difference

Your company registration does not protect the name on your product. For that you need a trademark registration.

Benelux, EU or national?

Official fees, indicative as of October 2026, excluding any trademark attorney fees. A national trademark (for example from the German DPMA, the French INPI or the UK IPO) only protects you in that country. For bol you need protection in the Netherlands and Belgium: via BOIP or via an EU trademark. If you are based outside the Netherlands or Belgium and also sell at home, the EU trademark usually covers both in one go.

Registering a trademark in 6 steps

1. Check that the name is available. Search the BOIP register and TMview (EU) for identical and very similar names in your product classes. Also search bol and Google.

2. Choose the type of trademark. A word mark protects the name in any spelling and font and gives the broadest protection. A figurative mark protects your logo. Start with the word mark.

3. Choose your classes. Products are divided into classes (the Nice Classification). You are only protected in the classes you choose. See the examples below.

4. Submit your application. You can apply online with BOIP or EUIPO and pay when you file.

5. Wait for the opposition period. After publication, owners of earlier trademarks can object: two months at BOIP, three months at EUIPO.

6. Registration. If there is no opposition, the trademark is registered. At BOIP a standard procedure takes about three months; it can be accelerated for an extra fee.

Which classes should you choose?

Choose the classes for the products you sell now and the ones you expect to add in the coming years. Classes cannot be added afterwards; that requires a new application.

If in doubt about the right classes, have a trademark attorney check them. A registration that is too narrow offers little protection.

What to do on bol after registration

• Use your brand name consistently: in the brand field of your product content, on your packaging and in your images.

• Link your brand to your own EAN codes. Get codes in your company name from GS1; see how to get an EAN code.

• Monitor your product pages. If another seller joins, check immediately whether it concerns your product and report an infringement to bol with your registration number.

• Use your trademark within five years for all the products you registered it for. A trademark that is not used can be challenged.

Common mistakes

1. Choosing a descriptive name. "StrongBag" for bags will be refused or is hardly protectable. Choose a name that describes nothing.

2. Registering only after launch. Once your product sells, the risk that someone else registers your name increases.

3. Registering only the logo. If you change your logo later, the name is unprotected.

4. Relying on a national trademark from your home country. It does not protect you in the Netherlands or Belgium.

5. Not searching first. An application that meets opposition costs you the fee and time.

How Rylee helps

With Rylee notifications you get an alert as soon as another seller joins your product page, so you can act within a day. Want to set up your brand properly from the start? Follow the step-by-step plan for your own brand or try Rylee free for 14 days.

Frequently asked questions about registering a trademark

1. What does it cost to register a trademark?

At BOIP a Benelux trademark costs €244 for one class, €27 for a second class and €81 for each further class. An EU trademark at EUIPO costs €850 for one class. Both are valid for 10 years.

2. Does my national trademark protect me on bol?

No. A trademark from, for example, Germany, France or the UK only applies in that country. Bol's customers are in the Netherlands and Belgium, so you need a Benelux trademark (BOIP) or an EU trademark (EUIPO).

3. How long does registration take?

At BOIP a standard procedure takes about three months, including a two-month opposition period. At EUIPO the opposition period is three months, so expect at least four months.

4. Do I need a registered trademark to sell on bol?

Bol asks for a brand name for new products. To act against sellers who copy your product or join your product page, you need a registered trademark in practice. Check the current requirements for your category on the bol partner platform.

5. Should I register my name or my logo?

Start with the name as a word mark. That protects the name in any spelling. You can register your logo later as a figurative mark.

6. Do I need a trademark attorney?

It is not mandatory; you can apply online yourself. A trademark attorney helps you choose the right classes and search for conflicting trademarks, at extra cost.