If you are in a hurry, we have an option/add on for URGENT FILING, for an extra $180 we will complete a comprehensive trademark search and submit your trademark application within 48 hours of receiving complete information from you. Please note that you need to provide us with all the information in order for us to do the work within 48 hours. If you select this option, please make sure to schedule a phone call with us to go over all the details in one call.
FAQs Categories: Questions about trademark filing
What can’t be registered as a trademark in Canada?
- Trademarks that are descriptive of the products or product quality (for example, TASTY PEARS cannot be registered for fruits)
- Full names and surnames unless they have acquired a secondary meaning (for example, TAYLOR may be registered trademark as it has a secondary meaning but Anderson may be unregistrable since it’s only a surname)
- Names of products that you registering, even in a foreign language (for example, you can’t register КРЕМ for creams as КРЕМ means CREAM in English when translated from Russian)
- Places of origin. You can’t register French Candy for candy and chocolate originating from France.
- Trademarks identical to Official government marks (aka Official marks), emblems, flags.
- Obscene and offensive trademarks (for example, CANADIAN AS FUCK is unregistrable whereas FCUK is registrable)
- Portraits and signatures or living or dead individuals
- Trademarks that are too close to another previously filed or registered trademark
- Trademarks that are merely informational (for example, BLACK LIVES MATTER)
How to avoid filing for a trademark that’s not registrable? Conduct thorough trademark search before filing a trademark.
What is a power of attorney? When do I need to sign a power of attorney?
A Power of Attorney, POA in short, is a legal document that authorizes an entity to represent or act for another person, usually, in the managing of the person’s property, business or private affairs. The former is called the Attorney or Agent whereas the latter is commonly known as the Principal.
In Trademarks, a Power of Attorney is required to appoint an Attorney on your file so he/she can represent you before the respective Trademarks Office.
Having said that, in many countries including the US, UK, Europe, Canada and Australia you don’t need to sign a POA for a standard trademark application (power of attorney is already implied when you entrusted your attorney/agent trademark registration). However, there are countries, such as, China, Mexico, Russia and India where a POA signed by the owner or any other person legally bound to the owner is required in order to file a trademark application.
In the US, when an applicant wishes to replace its existing attorney and appoint a new attorney, it needs to sign a Power of Attorney authorizing the new attorney to prosecute the trademark application.
How does the process work with Trademark Angel? What happens after I buy a trademark package?
There are 3 ways how you can proceed:
- Book an initial phone call with us. Here is the link for the trademark package
- Ask for a free preliminary trademark search to get an idea of whether your trademark can be registered. This is a basic search but if your mark is unregistrable, we’ll be able to tell you. Order your search here.
- Buy a trademark package right away to start the trademark registration process without further delay. You can see our pricing on this page and can buy directly from our website.
What happens after I buy a trademark package?
- We’ll confirm your order.
- We’ll check if your trademark is registrable. A comprehensive trademark search will be done at this stage. We will provide detailed recommendations on how to increase the chances of achieving registration if your trademark turns out to be problematic.
- If your trademark is registrable, we’ll move forward with the trademark registration process.
- If your trademark has low chances of achieving registration, you will have 3 options:
- Ask for a full refund;
- Come up with a different name. We will provide detailed instructions for this. Further trademark searches are included in the package and there is no extra cost. We’ll keep searching until we find a registrable trademark;
- Proceed with the filing anyway.
The choice is yours. Make the first step now.
What information do I need to provide in order to file a trademark application in the EU or the UK?
- The full legal name of the applicant (either your company or your personal name)
- The full address of the applicant.
- The trademark name. If you are filing for a logo, we need to see the logo. If you are using a few color variations, please send them all as filing in black and white in the EU and the UK, will not protect your color versions. Read more about color claim here.
- The products which you sell or plan to sell under your trademark (provide a list).
- The services which you offer or plan to offer under your trademark (provide a list).
Once you provide us with a list of products and services you want to include in your application, we will properly classify them to make sure we qualify for the fast trademark examination (Fast-track in the EU, for example).
Will the Trademark Office refund the government fees if my trademark is refused?
Unfortunately the government fees for a trademark filing are never refundable.
When a trademark application is filed, the government fees are paid. Once they are paid, they are not refunded for any reason.
If your application is filed incorrectly (for the wrong goods, for the wrong trademark or in the wrong name) and you decide to “cancel” it, the Trademarks Office will not refund you the government fees that you paid.
So file wisely, or better yet, seek help of a trademark professional to make sure your application is filed correctly.
Should we file our trademark in Chinese characters in China?
When filing in China, a common question is whether the English version of the trademark is sufficient, or whether a corresponding trademark in Chinese characters should be filed as well.
For the Chinese transliteration, please see our suggestions below:
Generally, for an overseas brand which will officially enter the Chinese market, it is strongly suggested to file a corresponding Chinese mark.
This is because that
1) From a business perspective, a Chinese mark is easier to remember and recognize for Chinese consumers;
2) For the products like food, cosmetics, etc. imported to China, a Chinese name of the brand is officially required and needs to be posted on the package;
3) If it happens the client has no corresponding Chinese name for its brand, then the client’s authorized agency in China may create a Chinese mark by itself and sometimes even register such a name as its trademark. If this Chinese mark becomes known, it will be too late for the client to create a new Chinese name. In the meantime, it is not easy to take back that Chinese mark registered by the agency since China is strictly a first to file country;
and
4) If a foreign brand does not have an official Chinese name, it is very likely that the Chinese consumers will voluntary create a Chinese name for it to make it easier to remember and such Chinese name will be vulnerable to be pre-emptively registered by trademark squatters.
Below is a real-world example to illustrate point 3 above:
When Filorga went into Chinese market, they found that the Chinese agency of Filorga has registered a Chinese name “菲洛嘉” in China several years ago. What’s more, based on the promotion by the Chinese agency, the Chinese name had become widely known by Chinese consumers. Filorga had no choice but to use that same Chinese name and they paid a lot of money to buy the Chinese name back from the Chinese agency.
The bottom line:
If budget allows, file your trademark in English and Chinese characters to be fully protected in China. We do give discounts if you file two versions, i.e. FILORGA and 菲洛嘉 (from the example above).
Classification of Goods and Services in a Trademark Application (class headings)
Trademark Classes
Every trademark application must list the specific goods and services that the trademark will cover.
Products belong to trademark classes 1 to 34. Services belong to classes 35 to 45.
Products are tangible, you can touch them. Services are intangible.
Below is a rough classification (class headings) just to give you an idea of general categories (please note that the below list cannot be used for trademark filing)
Products
Class 1: Chemicals (including those used in agriculture, industry and science)
Class 2: Paints, coatings, varnishes, colorants for food.
Class 3: Cosmetics, creams and serums, cleaning products including soap and shampoo, bleaching and abrasives, non-medicated toiletry preparations, false eyelashes, essential oil, perfume
Class 4: Fuels, industrial oils, greases, lubricants, candles
Class 5: Pharmaceutical and veterinary products, food supplements and vitamins, baby food, disinfectants, fungicides, herbicides, plasters, dental wax
Class 6: Metals, metal castings, metal hardware, metal containers, locks, safes
Class 7: Machines and machine tools and their parts, motors and engines (except for land vehicles)
Class 8: Hand-operated tools and implements, razors, cutlery
Class 9: Computers, computer hardware, computer cables, cell phones and cell phone cases, data carriers, computer software, downloable publications including e-books, videos and podcasts
Class 10: Medical and dental instruments and apparatus, massage apparatus, sex toys
Class 11: Products for lighting, heating, steam generating, cooking, refrigerating, drying, ventilating, water supply and sanitary purposes including lamps and kettles
Class 12: Land, air and nautical vehicles, motors and engines for land vehicles
Class 13: Firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, holsters
Class 14: Precious metals, watches, jewellery
Class 15: Musical instruments
Class 16: Paper, items made of paper, stationery products, artists’ products, printed products including photographs, stickers, notebooks, party ornaments of paper
Class 17: Rubber, asbestos and plastic Items, pipes and tubes
Class 18: Leather and leather goods, bags, wallets, animal apparel, collars and leashes for animals
Class 19: Building and construction materials (non-metallic), non-metal monuments
Class 20: Furniture, mirrors, picture frames, storage containers not of metal, party ornaments of plastic
Class 21: Kitchen utensils, crockery, containers, cleaning implements, toothbrushes
Class 22: Ropes and strings, tents, nets, awnings, sacks, padding, canvas material and raw fibrous textile material
Class 23: Yarns, threads
Class 24: Textiles, fabrics, blankets, covers, towels
Class 25: Clothing, footwear and headgear
Class 26: Sewing products, lace and embroidery, artificial flowers, hair decorations like ribbons, false hair
Class 27: Carpets, linoleum, wall and floor coverings, wall hangings
Class 28: Sports equipment, video game apparatus, games, toys, Christmas decorations
Class 29: Dairy products, meat and fish, processed and preserved foods, including dried, frozen and cooked fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, edible oils and fats, jamps, jellies
Class 30: Staple foods, spices, bakery products, confectioneries, tea, coffee
Class 31: Fresh fruit and vegetables, live animals, animal food, seeds, fresh herbs, plants and flowers
Class 32: Non-alcoholic beverages, preparations for making beverages, fruit juices, beer
Class 33: Alcoholic beverages, except beer
Class 34: Tobacco products and smokers’ articles, matches, electronic cigarettes
Services
Class 35: Retail services including online retail store, advertising, business consulting, business management
Class 36: Insurance and financial services, real estate services
Class 37: Building construction, repair and maintenance services, installation services
Class 38: Telecommunication services, broadcasting services including video broadcasting
Class 39: Transport, logistics and storage, travel services
Class 40: Treatment of materials, custom assembly, recycling and waste management
Class 41: Education services, including arranging and conducting educational classes and seminars, entertainment services, book publishing, organizing exhibitions and conferences
Class 42: Saas and Paas services (Software as a service and platform as a service), IT services, software development, graphic design services, website development, scientific and technological services
Class 43: Restaurants, cafes, hotels, catering services
Class 44: Medical services, hygienic and beauty care services, dental services, veterinary services
Class 45: Personal and social services, legal services, security services
For a more in-depth discussion read this article: Taking Advantage of the Trademark Classification
Are the packages listed on the website apply to both trademarking a word/phrase and a logo?
The packages are per trademark filing / per trademark application.
A trademark application can be filed for
a) a word mark/ phrase
For example, a word mark /phrase is: LOVE YOU, MOM!
b) a logo only (image with no text)
For example, this is a logo mark consisting of an image only:
c) a combined logo (word mark/phrase + image)
For example, this is a combined logo (it also technically a logo since it has an image):
If budget allows, it’s better to file for a) and b) separately as you can then use these marks separately, in any combination.
Please note that logo alone (b) will not qualify you for Amazon Brand Registry as it has no literal element (nothing that you can read/pronounce).
Please read more about different types of marks here: Which trademark should I File? Word Mark or Logo?
Steps to US trademark registration
STEP 1
Initial trademark search
The team at Trademark Angel strives to make the trademark registration process as cost- and time-efficient and smooth as possible. For this reason, we offer to conduct a free trademark search for your proposed mark to give you an idea of how registrable your mark is in the country/countries you’d like to file.
We have talked extensively about benefits of doing an initial trademark search in other articles. In short, failing to search for similar marks prior to registration is quite risky and can result in additional business expenses that could have been avoided. For example, we have aided several clients who came to us after starting the process themselves, without conducting a thorough trademark search. These clients had already paid for products or packaging that displayed a mark that ultimately could not be registered as there were registered marks that were too similar to our clients’. These products and/or their packaging then had to be completely re-branded at great expense. This could have easily been avoided by an initial trademark search.
For more information about trademark searches, feel free to check out this article: Why conduct a trademark search?
STEP 2
Preparing your application
If the search results are positive and the mark looks registrable, we can start preparing your trademark application.
To help us prepare your application, we’ll need to know:
- Who the trademark owner will be
- If we are filing for your word mark or your logo (we usually make suggestions during the search)
- What goods and/or services you’d like to include, and
- If you’d like to file under intent to use of your mark or actual use of your mark
Intent to use vs Actual use
If you are already selling your goods or offering your services in the US, you can file for those goods and/or services under “actual use.” To prove your claim of actual use, you will need to provide what is called a specimen – in other words, an unedited photograph – which clearly shows your mark on the goods and/or services or the product packaging. A specimen is required for each class of goods/services you file for. In addition, you will need to provide the date of your first out-of-state sale if you are a U.S. citizen, or the date of your first sale in the U.S. if you are a non-U.S. citizen.
If you are filing for goods and/or services you plan to sell in the near future, you will file for those goods and/or services under “intent to use.” After your application has received a “Notice of Allowance” (see below), you will be required to file a Statement of Use attesting to the fact that you have started using your mark on all of the goods and/or services listed in your application.
To read what’s required in order to file a trademark application, please check this post: What’s required in order to file a trademark application in the US?
To read more about specimens of use and what specimens are acceptable, please check these posts: What is use in commerce (in the US)?, What is a specimen of use?, When do you need to submit specimens of use?, How do I find an acceptable specimen of use?
Fees
The cost to file an application in the US depends on how many classes you would like to include in your application. The government filing fee is $350 per class, and is NOT included in our packages.
STEP 3
Filing your application
Next, your application will be filed with the USPTO and we will email you a confirmation of the filing. At this time, you will also receive a trademark application number. You can check the status of your application at any time on the USPTO website with this application serial number.
Please note, we cannot change the mark that you register for, or the goods listed in your application once you file. For this reason, the goods listed in your application must be an accurate description of your actual products. We will always send you a draft of how your application will be submitted and ask that you approve the draft prior to submission. We ask that you provide us with clarifications regarding your products if the descriptions we list are not accurate.
STEP 4
Examination
Approximately three to four months after your application is filed, the application will be assigned to an Examining Attorney at the USPTO. This Examining Attorney will make decisions whether your application can move on to the next step of the process.
Office action?
If the Examining Attorney finds that changes must be made to your application (for example, the description of your logo must be amended to be more clear, or to clarify certain goods and/or services included in your application), or that your mark is confusingly similar to another prior-filed mark or registered mark, an office action will be issued.
A response to the office action must be filed within 6 months of the date on which the office action has been emailed. The failure to respond to all of the changes required by the Examining Attorney will be considered an “incomplete” response and may jeopardize your application.
To read more about different types of office actions, please check out this article: What are office actions?
STEP 5
Publication
After office actions have been responded to and all outstanding issues have been resolved, the Examining Attorney will approve your mark for publication in the Official Gazette. This does not mean that your trademark has registered; rather, your mark will be published for potential third parties to oppose your mark if they believe your mark conflicts with one of their own marks.
Receiving an opposition is quite rare, but if this does occur, we will happily refer you to an attorney with extensive experience in this field.
If no oppositions are filed against your mark within the 30-day publication period, your mark will proceed to the next step in the registration process.
STEP 6
Allowance
If you filed your application based on an “intent to use,” approximately six weeks after the end of the publication period, your mark will receive a “Notice of Allowance.”
A Notice of Allowance indicates that your mark has been approved to proceed to registration pending the filing of a Statement of Use. The deadline to file this Statement of Use is six months from the mailing date of the Notice of Allowance.
Within this six-month period, you must prove to the USPTO, through the filing of a Statement of Use, that:
- You are using your trademark on all of the goods and/or services listed in your application, and
- Your mark is being used in commerce.
To accomplish this, you must provide:
- Specimens – in other words, unedited photographs – of your product which clearly show the product and your mark on the product or the product packaging. You must provide at least one specimen per class listed in your application.
- The date of your first out-of-state sale if you are a U.S. citizen, or the date of your first sale in the U.S. if you are a non-U.S. citizen. If you listed any services on your application, the relevant date would be the first date you offered those services.
To read more about Statement of Use, please check this article: What is a Statement of Use in a trademark application?
Fees
The government fee to file a Statement of Use is $150 per class, per mark. In addition, if, for any reasons, you cannot file a Statement of Use within the six-month period following the issuance of the Notice of Allowance, you must file for an extension. Up to five extensions of six months each, can be obtained for any one mark. The government filing fee for an extension is $125 per class, per mark.
STEP 7
Registration
If you filed your application based on “actual use,” and your mark has not been opposed by any parties, you will receive a registration certificate with a new registration number for your mark approximately six weeks after the end of the opposition period.
If you filed your application based on “intent to use,” and you have filed a Statement of Use, and that Statement of Use has been accepted by the USPTO, your mark will proceed to registration. A registration certificate, with a new registration number for your mark, will issue approximately four to eight weeks after your Statement of Use has been accepted.
The whole process takes 8 months to over 2 years!
Best scenario – 8 months Worse scenario – 2 years or longer
Now that your trademark is registered, you can put registered mark symbol ®. Please check these posts and cartoons about proper use of a registered trademark: When and how can I use my trademark symbols? and How not to invalidate your trademark: proper trademark usage rules
STEP 8
Post-Registration Maintenance
After your mark has been registered, you must “maintain” your mark to keep it active. Other than continuing to use your mark on all of the goods listed in your application, you must also file a Section 8 declaration between the 5th and 6th year after your mark has registered.
You may want to also consider filing a Section 15 declaration at this time, although it is not required.
Finally, you must file another Section 9 declaration to renew your trademark between the 9th and 10th years after your mark has been registered.
To read more about Section 8 and Section 15 declarations, please check out this article: What is a Section 8 Affidavit of Use?
It is important to use your trademark properly in order not to invalidate it. Please check these posts and cartoons on the topic: How do I lose my trademark protection?
Fees
The government filing fee to file a Section 8 declaration is $325 per class. The government filing fee to file a Section 15 declaration is $250 per class. The government fee to file a Section 9 renewal declaration is $325 per class.
Conclusion
As the trademark registration process in the U.S. can take over a year, we strongly suggest that you consider filing for your mark sooner rather than later. There have been instances where a client has waited to file for a mark until it was in “actual use,” and during that time, a competitor had filed for a similar mark. This forced our client to file for a different mark and to order new packaging reflecting this new mark.
For more information about registering your trademark, please take a look around our site, particularly the FAQ section. If you’re ready to file for your mark and begin the trademarking process, we are available via chat and email and look forward to working with you to protect your brand.
Updated on Dec 30, 2024