Trademarks

Trademark Basics
What you should know before filing
The trademark application process is a legal proceeding governed by U.S. law
  • If you are a foreign-domiciled applicant, you must have a U.S.-licensed attorney represent you at the USPTO.
  • If you are an applicant domiciled in the United States, you are not required to have a U.S.-licensed attorney represent you, but we strongly encourage you to hire one who specializes in trademark law to guide you through the application process.
  • Foreign attorneys and non-attorneys are not permitted to provide legal advice, help you fill out a form, sign documents for you, or otherwise take action on your application for you.
  • Hiring someone who cannot represent you at the USPTO could delay review of your application and jeopardize the validity of any resulting registration.
Your application must meet many legal requirements before your trademark can be registered
  • Is your trademark federally registrable? Can you properly identify your goods or services? Can you identify the proper filing basis for your application? If you’re not sure how to answer these and other questions, review this webpage to avoid mistakes that cost you time, money, and potentially your legal rights.
  • The TEAS new application tutorial takes you through the necessary steps before you file through filling out your online application form.
  • The trademark registration process is a legal proceeding that requires you to act within strict deadlines (based on Eastern Time). See the trademark application and post-registration timelines.
  • Information you submit will become public record and will permanently remain searchable in USPTO online databases, Internet search engines, and other databases.  This includes your name, phone number, email address, and street address.
Source USPTO: Trademark Basics