Can a Budget licensee use the Budget marks in their corporate name?
Budget Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
The right of Licensee to use the Marks is derived solely from this Agreement and is limited to the conduct of the Rental Business pursuant to and in compliance with this Agreement and the Standards.
Licensee will not use any of the Marks, or any variation thereof, other than in conformity with the above, and it will not use or incorporate any of the Marks in or as part of its corporate name or with any prefix, suffix or symbols, or in any modified form (including any local or special adaptations or artistic variations of any of the Marks), nor may Licensee use any Mark in connection with the sale of any unauthorized product or service, any other business or in any other manner not expressly authorized in writing by Budget.
Licensee will not register or apply to register any trademarks or service marks containing or comprising the term Budget, or any of the other Marks, in whole or in part, at any time during or after the term of this Agreement in the United States or anywhere else in the world.
Licensee will not use any existing or future Mark or any variation thereof including any symbols or terms confusingly similar thereto, as part of any electronic medium, including a domain name, internet home page, bulletin board, chat-group, buddy list, and URL or electronic address of a website, without Budget's prior written approval.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 80–426)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Budget's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a licensee is explicitly restricted from using Budget's trademarks in their corporate name. The agreement specifies that the right to use Budget's marks is solely derived from the franchise agreement and is limited to conducting the rental business as outlined in the agreement and standards.
This restriction means a franchisee cannot incorporate the word "Budget" or any of Budget's other trademarks into the legal name of their company. Additionally, they cannot use the marks with any prefixes, suffixes, symbols, or in any modified form, including local adaptations. This ensures that Budget maintains strict control over its brand identity and prevents any potential confusion among customers.
The franchisee also cannot register any trademarks or service marks containing the term "Budget" or any other Budget marks, either during or after the franchise agreement term, anywhere in the world. This further protects Budget's intellectual property rights and prevents franchisees from attempting to capitalize on the brand's recognition beyond the scope of the franchise agreement. This includes domain names and website addresses, which require prior written approval from Budget for any use of their marks.