It’s important to know where and how to register brand name in the United States. The procedure might be perplexing, but I’m here to assist! In this piece, we’ll discuss what you’ll need before filing a trademark application , as well as how to determine whether your brand is accessible for use.
Before you apply, you must ensure that your brand name is not already registered by someone else.
To begin the trademark registration procedure, you must first ensure that your brand name has not previously been registered by another party. This may be accomplished by searching the USPTO database as well as Google, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. You may also question your friends and relatives if they know of anyone else with a brand name similar to yours.
You can utilise the Trademark Electronic Application System to file your trademark application online (TEAS).
You can utilise the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS) to register a trademark name, which is free for most applicants. You can begin using your trademark after you have received a receipt number from TEAS. You will also receive email and physical postal confirmation of your application within two weeks of submitting it through TEAS.
The USPTO imposes a filing fee of $225-$275 for each separate class of goods and services included in your application. You can pay the charge by credit card or by sending a check or money order to the address on the form. If you mention this on Form 10-17a, you can also pay via wire transfer. The charge for requesting an extension is $100, which should be included with your request.
If you are attempting to register your trademark on a global scale, you may encounter some difficulties.
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential brand names, you should check to see if the name is available. You may accomplish this by checking the domain name and trademark databases for each nation in which you intend to market your goods. For example, if you wish to sell a T-shirt with the word “Milk” on it in Canada, you must look for “MILK” as a trademark. In addition to looking locally, we recommend searching worldwide because various nations may have different restrictions regarding how and where trademarks are registered.
After you’ve searched all of these locations, one of them will most certainly return an error notice stating that either the trademark isn’t accessible or there is an existing registration. Congratulations if neither instance applies! You now have an idea for a brand name! The following stage is to translate such terms into another language so that they may be utilised worldwide without difficulty (see more below).
After filing for a trademark, you should maintain a watch on the USPTO database.
The USPTO database is a great way to look for other trademarks that are similar or identical to yours. It’s simple to search, but it might be daunting if you don’t know what you’re searching for. You could have had the same thought as someone else, and they beat you to it! Keep an eye on this database after filing for a trademark to avoid this tragic circumstance.
If someone has previously applied for your brand name, it does not guarantee that they will receive your trademark rights—they only have precedence over everyone else until the USPTO approves or denies their application (or abandoned). However, if another entity obtains USPTO clearance and begins using your brand name first (and there are no legal reasons why they shouldn’t), you must take action: Change your brand name or bargain with them so that both of your items may coexist on shelves across America.
Any applications that are confusingly similar to existing trademarks or do not fulfil other conditions will be rejected by the USPTO. If your application is denied, you can ask for a reconsideration; but, if you are denied, you can always look for a registered trademark in the USPTO database if you know its registration number.
If your application is refused, you can ask for it to be reconsidered.
The US trademark application number may be found in the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR) system’s status report.
Within six months after obtaining an Office Decision or Notice of Allowance that contains a final action refusing registration of your mark, you must submit a request for reconsideration. If you disagree with the office’s decision, you can request an extension of time to respond to the notice of allowance or additional time to file an opposition proceeding if one has already been started with respect to your proposed mark at issue in this proceeding; those requests must be submitted within two months of receiving status information about this matter from TSDR.
Trademark registration can be time-consuming, but it is well worth the effort if you want to protect your brand.
It is worthwhile to register your brand name.
It’s easier said than done, but if you’re serious about safeguarding your brand, it’s well worth the money.
You should sign up as soon as possible!
Navigate to the USPTO website.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is where you go to register a trademark. You can search for your brand name on the USPTO’s website, or you can call them at (800) 972-9608 if you don’t want to do it online.
Fill out the fields on the Search form.
Fill out the fields on the Search form.
Search for registered brands by registration number: Enter your brand name and click the “Search” button.
Specify a term or phrase that must be included in the registered mark, and then select an applicable category from the Class/subjects list (choose one). Then, in the box below, input a word or phrase, followed by a space character, and click the “Go” button to begin searching for matches.
Search by owner name: Enter an owner’s name into the Name field and press the “Search” button to see who owns this mark.
List of Classes/Subjects: Search results will be provided with their categories according to the WIPO worldwide categorization system of commodities and services (WIPO Constitution).
Examine the results displayed on the screen.
If you’ve applied for a trademark and are waiting to learn if the USPTO has granted or disapproved your application, log in to your account using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).
If your application was granted, you can pay any fees that are owed and provide any extra documents that the USPTO requires.
If your application was declined, one of the following might have occurred:
Before making a full evaluation, the examining attorney needs more information about some aspect of your mark’s use or registration; the examining attorney needs more information about how other people might view the likelihood that consumers would confuse two similar marks used by different companies; you did not provide enough evidence to show that no one else could possibly own a mark like yours; or there were issues with what type of goods/services you provided.
If you know the registration number of a registered trademark, you can always look it up in the USPTO database.
There are several methods for searching for registered trademarks. If you know the registration number of a registered trademark, you can always look it up in the USPTO database.
Go to the USPTO website and type “USPTO Trademark Search” at the top of your browser window to get started. You should notice a drop-down option labelled “Trademark” on the left side of your screen. Select “Search by Application/Registration Number” “Submit A Trademark or Service Mark Application or Registration Number” (you’ll need to enter your mark’s application number here) Enter Your Trademark or Service Mark’s Status Information I’m going to use the status information from step 2 since it allows me to see trademarks that are similar and identical to mine, as well as those that have different meanings but sound close enough that people could mistake them for mine!
Conclusion
I hope this essay has helped you comprehend the USPTO trademark filing procedure. I understand that it might be a difficult process, but if you’re serious about safeguarding your brand, it’s definitely worth it.