Domain Protection

It is possible to file a trademark application for your domain name with the German Patent and Trademark Office. A registration of your domain name as a trademark requires that the domain name has a distinctive character. This means that the goods and services protected under your domain name shall be distinguishable from other products of competitors.

A domain name can also be protected without being registered at the German Patent and Trademark Office. This is for example the case when the domain name has acquired distinctiveness through market recognition. Therefore, the domain name must be known to consumers by showing distinctive features that separates the name from other domain names. A protection can also come into existence when the name is already well-known over a long period of time. However, your domain name will only be safely protected by registering it as a trademark with the German Patent and Trademark Office.