🇺🇸 United States · Trademark & IP
Trademark registration, patents, copyright, official IP offices, and filing costs.
Quick answer
US trademarks are registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You search the register for conflicts, file an application specifying goods/services classes, and respond to examination before it publishes for opposition and registers. Registration lasts 10 years and is renewable; patents go through the USPTO and copyright through the Copyright Office.
Trademarks and patents are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); copyrights are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Federal registration provides nationwide rights.
- Trademarks and patents are filed online with the USPTO.
- Copyright arises automatically on creation, but registration with the Copyright Office enables federal enforcement.
- International protection can be extended via WIPO's Madrid (trademarks) and PCT (patents) systems.
Step-by-step
- 1
Search the register
Search the USPTO's trademark database (and common-law uses) for conflicting marks before filing.
- 2
File the application
File through the USPTO, specifying the mark, the goods/services and their international classes, on a use or intent-to-use basis.
- 3
Examination and publication
A USPTO examining attorney reviews the application; if cleared, it publishes in the Official Gazette for a 30-day opposition period.
- 4
Registration and maintenance
Once registered, the mark lasts 10 years; file maintenance declarations (between years 5-6 and at renewal) to keep it alive.
- 5
Cover patents and copyright
Protect inventions via USPTO patents and creative works via the US Copyright Office; consider design patents for product appearance.
- 6
Enforce and go international
Enforce your mark against infringers, and use the Madrid Protocol to extend protection abroad from your US application.
Checklist
- Clearance search (USPTO + common law)
- Application (mark + international classes)
- Use or intent-to-use basis
- Examination + Official Gazette publication
- Registration (10 years) + maintenance filings
- Patents (USPTO) / copyright (Copyright Office)
- Enforcement strategy
- Madrid Protocol for international
Official authorities
- USPTO
Federal office for trademarks and patents.
- U.S. Copyright Office
Federal copyright registration.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a US trademark last?
Ten years from registration, renewable indefinitely in 10-year terms as long as you file maintenance documents and keep using the mark.
Do I have to register to have rights?
No — the US recognizes common-law rights from use, but federal registration gives nationwide rights and stronger enforcement.
What is the Madrid Protocol?
An international system letting you seek trademark protection in many countries through a single application based on your home filing.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- The White House — Official residence and office of the US President — executive orders, policy briefings, press releases
- U.S. Department of State — US passport and visa services, travel warnings, embassy information worldwide
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Federal tax filing, refund status, ITIN/EIN applications, and Free File program
- USCIS — Green card, H-1B and work visas, naturalization, immigration benefits, and case status